Hi, my name is Laura VanAntwerp, and I am writing on behalf of my husband Thomas, who is a federal law enforcement officer. In the past year he's been through hell and back after sustaining a Covid vaccine injury. Tom was encouraged by his agency to get the vaccine, which he did while serving in the line of duty.
As it stands, Tom will not be receiving pay for approximately at least 3-4 months (or possibly more) due to his current leave without pay status and the time it is taking the DOL to investigate/adjudicate his claim. We've had to face the fear of losing our medical benefits, and wonder how we will keep food in our four children's bellies and a roof over their heads. The last number of months proved difficult, as paychecks were reduced while using leave and Tom's health continued to suffer/worsen. That has been very difficult on numerous levels...financially and emotionally. I thank you in advance for any support you feel led to give, and all of your thoughts and prayers.
Tom swabbed noses for his agency during the bulk of the COVID response. He was stationed in that role because he was recovering from a line of duty injury sustained on Thanksgiving Day of 2017 during which he was riding his patrol bike when a vehicle door struck him and ejected him approximately 15+ feet into another vehicle. The resulting head injury, cognitive issues, speech and sight impairment, cervical spine injury, lower spine injury, and hand fracture left him fighting to return to normal. Despite the injuries, he refused to accept medical retirement and worked like hell to recover and get back to the job, which he successfully did! He recovered and subsequently returned to the full line of duty while working to swab other agency workers for the COVID response.
Due to his position, and his continual exposure to COVID-positive people, he was encouraged to receive the COVID-vaccine, which he did. Unfortunately, he had a rare and devastating allergic/hyper-immunity response that hospitalized him. It left him with an acute kidney injury that impacted his kidney function, blood disorders that cause ongoing damage to his internal organs and a terrible, all-over rash that continues to cause broken skin and maddening pain, cognitive impairment, and a host of continuing, all-consuming health issues. Shortly after this occurred, Johns Hopkins doctors diagnosed him with a COVID-vaccine injury. Subsequently, the Department of Labor accepted his claim for a work-related COVID-vaccine injury.
Tom swabbed noses for his agency during the bulk of the COVID response. He was stationed in that role because he was recovering from a line of duty injury sustained on Thanksgiving Day of 2017 during which he was riding his patrol bike when a vehicle door struck him and ejected him approximately 15+ feet into another vehicle. The resulting head injury, cognitive issues, speech and sight impairment, cervical spine injury, lower spine injury, and hand fracture left him fighting to return to normal. Despite the injuries, he refused to accept medical retirement and worked like hell to recover and get back to the job, which he successfully did! He recovered and subsequently returned to the full line of duty while working to swab other agency workers for the COVID response.
Due to his position, and his continual exposure to COVID-positive people, he was encouraged to receive the COVID-vaccine, which he did. Unfortunately, he had a rare and devastating allergic/hyper-immunity response that hospitalized him. It left him with an acute kidney injury that impacted his kidney function, blood disorders that cause ongoing damage to his internal organs and a terrible, all-over rash that continues to cause broken skin and maddening pain, cognitive impairment, and a host of continuing, all-consuming health issues. Shortly after this occurred, Johns Hopkins doctors diagnosed him with a COVID-vaccine injury. Subsequently, the Department of Labor accepted his claim for a work-related COVID-vaccine injury.
Doctors placed him on an immunosuppressant medication in an effort to stop his body from attacking itself as it has since he received the vaccine. Sadly, treatment is experimental, as this whole thing is new. He is under the care of a Nephrologist, Dermatologist, Hematologist, Pulmonologist, Rehabilitation Specialist, hormone health specialist, and a Psychologist. The physical, emotional, and mental impact of this vaccine injury has been devastating and life altering. The past year of his life has been pure pain and hell; these are dark days.
His doctors have deemed him unfit for duty since the beginning of October 2021 due to his ongoing medical issues. Despite the mountain of medical documentation, and against the advisement of multiple providers who deemed him temporarily unfit for duty, his agency human resources department controverted his claim, asked the Department of Labor to investigate his claim, and refused to turn in a request for compensation on his behalf. This is AFTER the Department of Labor already verified and accepted his claim of a vaccine-related injury based off of Johns Hopkins' diagnosis/medical documentation. As a result, he's burned through his annual, sick, and advanced sick leave while waiting for the DOL to investigate his case per the agency request. He was told it could take up to six months to get a determination from the DOL, as his agency had asked the DOL to send his case to their second opinion doctor after they controverted his claim. This is in spite of him putting himself in harm's way in service.
His doctors have deemed him unfit for duty since the beginning of October 2021 due to his ongoing medical issues. Despite the mountain of medical documentation, and against the advisement of multiple providers who deemed him temporarily unfit for duty, his agency human resources department controverted his claim, asked the Department of Labor to investigate his claim, and refused to turn in a request for compensation on his behalf. This is AFTER the Department of Labor already verified and accepted his claim of a vaccine-related injury based off of Johns Hopkins' diagnosis/medical documentation. As a result, he's burned through his annual, sick, and advanced sick leave while waiting for the DOL to investigate his case per the agency request. He was told it could take up to six months to get a determination from the DOL, as his agency had asked the DOL to send his case to their second opinion doctor after they controverted his claim. This is in spite of him putting himself in harm's way in service.
It was his honor and pleasure to serve each and every brother and sister in blue during the COVID response, and he would gladly put himself in harm’s way to protect his brothers and sisters in blue, as he's done for the past 12 years. It's unimaginable that his willingness to serve would lead to this situation. He may be down for the count right now, but he misses standing alongside each and every one of his brothers and sisters in blue. As a result of the response to his case, he now finds himself in a leave without pay status, and we are wondering how to keep a roof over our four children and food in their bellies. We ask that you would consider donating in order to help through this difficult time. Thank you for your consideration. Stay safe, stay blue, and God bless.