THANKSGIVING is everyday when you have your health.  But, if you don't have your health,you can be in for a life of misery, etc

THAT could happen in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as Kirtland AFB officials continue to 'kick the can down the road,' ...with delay after delay...and this could be interpreted as 'obstruction of justice, in my view, etc.  

For those who want to know more about the Love Canal (named after William Love), can google 'Love Canal,' and you will find plenty of information. 

I compare what's happening here in Albuquerque, New Mexico to the Love Canal, only this time, the potential disaster involves a jet-fuel dump of over 240 million gallons of jet fuel.  I, personally think there negligence and cover-up by the Air Force, when the spill happened over a decade ago. ..and, that cover-up goes on in 2013. 

I live about one mile from ground zero, which is shown on the map to be located just east of the VA Medical Center and Bullhead Park.  If I had known about this disgrace, I would have never moved into the neighborhood in the spring of 2009. 

Albuquerque, New Mexico is a sleepy one-horse town, located in the southwestern United States...and has a population of over 500,000 residents.  I would guess that the southeast heights, where the jet fuel is located has about 200,000 population, and is much bigger than the Love Canal for a disaster to happen. 

In all my adult life, and reading the newspaper everyday, I have never heard of the jet-fuel, until June, 2010.  It must have been covered up by the officials at Kirtland AFB pretty good, and it was probably a reporter or a whistle-blower that broke the story.  We're talking about over $200 million to clean up.  What could have Kirtland AFB done to run up a bill like this?  With the federal broke and living on welfare and food stamps, how is the federal government going to pay for the clean-up?

If I had known that this was a problem in the SE Heights at the time, I would have never moved in the SE Heights in 2009.  It is said, that, those who are apathic to an issue, won't get involved until they are the victims! 

Well, I got involved alright...in the form of a patient at the VA Medical Center which is located right next door to Kirtland AFB.  If you go into the lobby of the VA Medical Center and stay on the ground floor...and head straight south...you will go through a tunnel, and when you come out the end, you will be in the Kirtland AFB Hospital...that's how close they are located.  The jet-fuel spill is just about 50 yards east of the VA Medical Center. 

As a veteran, and in 2005, I was admitted into the VA Medical Center, and unbeknownst to me, this would be the worst 3 1/2 months of my life.  I entered the VA Hospital weighing 170 pounds and I left 3.5 months later weighing 154 pounds...a loss of 16 pounds. After I was in the VA Medical Center, I suffered from nausea...and stomach and digestive problems for the whole time I was a patient at the VA. 

This was the year 2005, so I had not heard of the fuel-dump until five years later in 2010.  So, what was making me sick, during the time I was in the VA Hospital?  Looking back, it could have water contamination, because the ground zero was located just several yards away! 

As I said earlier, I first learned about the chemical dump in June, 2010, so I knew nothing about it in 2005.  I was so sick, that there were some days, that I didn't get out of bed until 4:00 in time to get dinner.  During my stay at the VA Hospital, we used to have group sessions four days a week except on Fridays.  And, when I would miss a groub session, the Psychologist, would come to my room and check on my and knock on the door...and most of the time I would not be able to attend groups, etc..

With the nausea I was suffering from, it wasn;t unusual to find me throwing up in a trashcan someplace on the ward.  Because of this, I started losing weight, and I asked to be weighed two times a week.  The word around the ward by nurses and techs, was that I was faking it...and everyone on the staff just their apathy toward me.  (Scales don't lie) 

I threw up in a trashcan (5 o'clock in the morning), in the Day Room on the day I was discharged after being there over 3 1/2 months.  The reader will never believe what I did next.  After being discharged, I walked across the patio, and checked in the Emergency Room of the VA Medical Center, to try to find out what was wrong with me. If the reader put the two documents side by side...that is...the discharge paper...and the emergency...BOTH would have the same date!

I had to do this, because I was headed to a homeless shelter (at age 60), where I lived for over 6 weeks. (stood in a soup line for over 6 weeks, too)  

When I arrived at the homeless shelter, which was located on the North side of town, I started feeling better, and gaining weight, too.  In about three months, I gained the 16 pounds I had lost, and I was feeling much better, too.  As I look back on the incidents of the fuel-spill, I think that's what made me sick.  The VA was covering it up, so it wouldn't get out in the community.  As I think what happened to me, I'm pretty sure I was sick because the water was contaminated, and as I said earlier...people are apathetic to an issue, until they are the victim!

I left the VA Medical Center in 2007...NEVER to return! 

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