Disabled Veteran, 34, Insured

Interviewed November 2010

(oil on linen, 40 ins. x 30 ins.)

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In 2001, the subject suffered a concussion while on-duty for the Coast Guard. After the incident, the subject was seen by Veteran's Administration (VA) doctors. He received no follow-up care until a year later when he suffered a second concussion and experienced symptoms of brain damage: loss of photographic memory, diminished motor skills, a convulsion. Diagnosis after the second injury revealed that the delayed treatment for the first injury caused permanent brain damage.

At the time of painting, the subject was seeing a polytrauma team of doctors 1-2 times a week for neuropathy, cervicalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder and severe migraine headaches. He had been treated with cervical epidurals, steroids and pain medication. All of this care was covered by his veterans’ insurance plan. However, the insurance would not cover acupuncture for pain control, which the subject found particularly effective while undergoing treatment as a participant in a study. When the study ended, he could not afford to continue acupuncture and turned to increased pain medication instead.