John Lydic Funeral
Donation protected
At 18 years old John lydic was drafted into the Vietnam war. With honor and duty to his country, he served. He spent 2 years with boots on the ground, hiking through torrential down pours, througha dense jungles littered with booby traps, fearing for his life, all the while being exposed to a silent killer. A silent killer that he had no idea was lurking around him. Agent Orange. At the age of 18 it had already ravaged his body so much, that it would lay the foundation for the rest of his life. John Lydic gave so much to his country. He suffered dearly from the physical and psychological trauma that he experienced in Vietnam. He kept it hidden inside and it slowly ate away at him.
Quite literally, Agent Orange mutated his cells to a point where he experienced type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's, as well as other physical ailments. How does our country repay such a man? As per usual, the government dragged their wingtips and held his claim in limbo for the better part of 20 years. Agent Orange robbed him, from a young age. He was not able to qualify for life insurance. He tried and tried, but to no Avail. Thus, his last hope was getting reimbursed for all of his health challenges, that eventually caused his untimely demise.
He began showing signs of a diabetic foot ulcer early in 2020. We worked and worked and fought and fought for appropriate health care for him, to try to heal this ulcer. The care that he received at the VA hospital was negligible and negligent, to say the least. I made numerous phone calls to doctor upon doctor, trying to get the appropriate answer but they flat out refused to give him antibiotics, even after they had opened up his foot and removed a small sesamoid bone. They refused to send him home with anything. They told him not to change his bandages, which makes no sense whatsoever. It almost appeared as if they wanted him to die.
After 2 to 3 months of no progress, the infection had entered his bone. They decided to keep him there and give him long teem antibiotics, but it would require 6 weeks in their long term or rehab care facility, the CLC aka community living center, attached to the VA hospital. We noticed after 2 weeks, John's mental status had changed. His breathing had become labored, and he was not himself. He began hallucinating, becoming agitated, and confused. We knew something was not right. They told us that he had contracted pneumonia while at the CLC, as well as a deterioration of his liver and kidneys. But, at the same time, they seem to not be able to figure out what was causing the Pneumonia.
During his " care" at the CLC, and mind you they kept him to keep him off of his foot to allow the ulcer to heal, he fell a minimum of 6 times. He was supposed to have somebody watching him 24 hours, but somehow he had numerous falls that included serious injury. He hit his head on the sink, hit his head on a dresser, and broke multiple ribs. Broken ribs do not make for successful pneumonia recovery.
At our wits end. we decided to pull him out of the VA hospital, because we were afraid if we did not, he would surely die. He came home because that's all he wanted, for about 4 or 5 days. But. his breathing became worse.
At this point, we took him to mercy hospital in Des Moines, which is known to be very good at treating pneumonia and other medical conditions, such as foot ulcers. While he fought a valiant fight his time in Vietnam caught up to him, and he could no longer run or hide from it. It robbed him of his life on July 6. At 12:23 a.m., John Lydic breathed his last breath, still in combat against Agent Orange exposure, in Vietnam.
The icing on the cake, the department of veterans affairs and Disabled American Veterans will no longer finalize his claim. And, even though he had a lack of care that endangered his safety, so we were forced to move him, they are cutting his death benefit in half. So, that is why we are here, pleaing with you to help us give him the burial he deserves. Help us send him forth with dignity.
Thank you,
The Lydic Family.
Quite literally, Agent Orange mutated his cells to a point where he experienced type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's, as well as other physical ailments. How does our country repay such a man? As per usual, the government dragged their wingtips and held his claim in limbo for the better part of 20 years. Agent Orange robbed him, from a young age. He was not able to qualify for life insurance. He tried and tried, but to no Avail. Thus, his last hope was getting reimbursed for all of his health challenges, that eventually caused his untimely demise.
He began showing signs of a diabetic foot ulcer early in 2020. We worked and worked and fought and fought for appropriate health care for him, to try to heal this ulcer. The care that he received at the VA hospital was negligible and negligent, to say the least. I made numerous phone calls to doctor upon doctor, trying to get the appropriate answer but they flat out refused to give him antibiotics, even after they had opened up his foot and removed a small sesamoid bone. They refused to send him home with anything. They told him not to change his bandages, which makes no sense whatsoever. It almost appeared as if they wanted him to die.
After 2 to 3 months of no progress, the infection had entered his bone. They decided to keep him there and give him long teem antibiotics, but it would require 6 weeks in their long term or rehab care facility, the CLC aka community living center, attached to the VA hospital. We noticed after 2 weeks, John's mental status had changed. His breathing had become labored, and he was not himself. He began hallucinating, becoming agitated, and confused. We knew something was not right. They told us that he had contracted pneumonia while at the CLC, as well as a deterioration of his liver and kidneys. But, at the same time, they seem to not be able to figure out what was causing the Pneumonia.
During his " care" at the CLC, and mind you they kept him to keep him off of his foot to allow the ulcer to heal, he fell a minimum of 6 times. He was supposed to have somebody watching him 24 hours, but somehow he had numerous falls that included serious injury. He hit his head on the sink, hit his head on a dresser, and broke multiple ribs. Broken ribs do not make for successful pneumonia recovery.
At our wits end. we decided to pull him out of the VA hospital, because we were afraid if we did not, he would surely die. He came home because that's all he wanted, for about 4 or 5 days. But. his breathing became worse.
At this point, we took him to mercy hospital in Des Moines, which is known to be very good at treating pneumonia and other medical conditions, such as foot ulcers. While he fought a valiant fight his time in Vietnam caught up to him, and he could no longer run or hide from it. It robbed him of his life on July 6. At 12:23 a.m., John Lydic breathed his last breath, still in combat against Agent Orange exposure, in Vietnam.
The icing on the cake, the department of veterans affairs and Disabled American Veterans will no longer finalize his claim. And, even though he had a lack of care that endangered his safety, so we were forced to move him, they are cutting his death benefit in half. So, that is why we are here, pleaing with you to help us give him the burial he deserves. Help us send him forth with dignity.
Thank you,
The Lydic Family.
Organizer
Sara Lydic
Organizer
Pleasant Hill, IA
