Agent Orange Benefits Act is Descriminatory

Hello everyone!
I wanted to start a discussion on the Agent Orange Benefits Act that was signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1996. It states that anyone who had a father who served in the Korean or Vietnam Wars & was born with Spina bifida will receive financial & medical assistance for the remainder of their lives.
I have a problem with this Act because I was born with Spina bifida, but my father wasn't in the Korean or Vietnam Wars. According to the research I have done, doctors are not sure what exactly causes Spina bifida. It may be genetic, it may be because the mother didn't consume enough folic acid, or it may be a result of toxins in the environment that the mother &/or father were exposed to.
I was born in 1978 to parents who did not consume drugs, so let's rule out that right away. My father developed film & was exposed to photographic chemicals on a daily basis. My mother was a secretary who loved to garden, so she may have been exposed to pesticides while she was pregnant with me.
Six months after I was born, I had reconstructive surgery done on both feet & ankles. Six months after that, I had two vertebrae inserted into my spine, which was then fused. I then spent the next year of my life in a full body cast. I have many other issues associated with this illness, but I won't go into those. I am thankful that I didn't have the worst form of this disease, but I don't have the least traumatic form either.
I have worked since I was old enough, but now things are getting more difficult. My back aches constantly, I can barely walk in the morning because my ankles are so stiff, & I'm on certain medications that I will never be able to function without.
I have applied for disability, but have been denied. I can't understand this. If my father had served in Korea or Vietnam, I would have assistance.
I have come to the conclusion that the Agent Orange Benefits Act is descriminatory towards the population afflicted with Spina bifida, but weren't in a military family. How can one part of the population be considered disabled, but the other is not? Does our government know the truth about pesticides & does not want to reveal how they are affecting our unborn children? How can they determine that women who weren't married to &/or impregnated by servicemen didn't have a folic acid deficiency, while civilian women must have had this & didn't eat right? My mom came home every evening after work & cook us a healthy meal from scratch! Every meal she made was complete with meat, fish, or pasta & always had sides of veggies & salad. I don't believe it is possible that my mother had a folic acid deficiency. I believe that she unknowingly exposed herself to lawn chemicals & pesticides, which caused my deformities. Another idea is that my father's exposure to photographic chemicals is related, but I'm not sure about this. I wrote to a woman who authored a book about hazardous art chemicals & asked her some questions, but I didn't receive a response.
The most troubling news I have heard lately is that men are coming home from the Middle East & fathering children who are born with Spina bifida. I have also read that they are using pesticides to kill the foliage along the Mexican/American border to help spot illegals crossing over. I guess TPTB just don't give a damn.
Please give me your thoughts on this. I would like to hear comments, suggestions, & personal stories. I would also love to hear from doctors on this subject! If you know of an attorney who can help me declare that the Agent Orange Benefits Act is descriminatory towards others with Spina bifida, please U2U me.
Thanks & best wishes!

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Afterthought]

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Afterthought]

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Afterthought]

That is strange indeed, I hope you can build a case and win because this is sure not right.

Do I know you btw? Usenet/BsX? If so U2U me.

Take Care

GM

reply to post by Grey Magic


Hi, Grey Magic. I appreciate your reply. I've contacted attorney, after attorney, & no one will even answer me back. I'm not sure if we know each other or not. From Pittsburgh originally, which is great because they had/have wonderful docs there. I've pretty much been up & down the east coast, but living in FL now.

[edit on 22-3-2010 by Afterthought]