Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008

Richland veterans' advocate battling back from brain aneurysms

By Joe Chapman, Herald staff writer

You might say it would take an act of God -- or at least an act of Congress -- to keep Steve Prince of Richland from fighting for veterans' benefits.

But after 10 years leading veterans through the bureaucracy that is Congress' handiwork to the benefits the country promised them, his ability to go on may indeed be in the hands of God.

Prince, 55, of Richland, is recovering from surgery he had last week to treat one of three brain aneurysms he learned of earlier this year. It took about six months to get the operation because he had to navigate the same Veterans Affairs bureaucracy that he helped so many others to overcome.

"That's just government," Prince's wife, Leslie Prince, said Wednesday. "And that was really stressful on him knowing that was there," she said of the aneurysms. "It was just like a ticking time bomb, you know."

One of the aneurysms on the left side of his brain protruded from blood vessel 10.2 millimeters -- more than a centimeter. A friend of Prince who saw the MRI, fellow veteran Mike Black of Kennewick, compared the aneurysm to "a big octopus wrapped around a pipe."

With an aneurysm that size, greater than 7 millimeters, the risk of leaving it would be greater than the risk of the surgery, said Dr. Basavaraj Ghodke, director of interventional neuroradiology at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. He spoke in general terms about aneurysm patients, not about Prince's case.

"When you do have a bleed, 15 percent will not make it to the hospital because they will die right away," Ghodke said. "Fifty percent of people will die within six months of an aneurysm rupture. ... If you can get it before the bleeding, it depends on a variety of factors. Size is one of the most important ones."

Prince had surgery on the aneurysm on the left side of his brain Friday at Harborview. Because it was at a spot where three blood vessels branched apart, it was difficult for doctors to clamp it off, Leslie said.

Prince and Leslie returned home Tuesday and he's doing well. Although he tires quickly, she said his strength has surprised her.

The doctors recommended operating on the two aneurysms on the right side of his brain in about six weeks, she said. But Steve and Leslie aren't thinking about that. She said the next surgery likely will be later because Steve wants to get back to work.

While he has been out, friends have been covering for him -- helping veterans file medical and disability claims, request documents and apply for other assistance. But he wants to get caught up on the casework before he's stopped by the next surgery, Leslie said.

"He also wants to make sure he looks over each one of those cases," she said, "and make sure that they're all filled out properly so that nothing gets turned back. That's just him," she said with a laugh.

As a veterans service representative, Prince, who served in the Marines, has helped veterans file about 10,000 claims. He started doing the work as a volunteer but since has become a paid employee of the Vietnam Veterans of America, which the state VA contracts for the service.

He first got into the effort when his brother, Rex Prince, died of heart troubles at age 47. A week after Rex's death, Steve found out his brother could have received free heart medication from the VA. He said he didn't want another veteran to suffer a hardship not knowing that an available resource was there.

Prince also travels to the state prisons in Connell and Walla Walla on a monthly basis to help incarcerated veterans with their claims and needs.

"Steve is clearly one of those unique individuals not only because of his knowledge about a very complicated social services system ... but he has incredible interpersonal skills," said John Lee, director of the Washington state Department of Veterans Affairs, who has known Prince since his early days as a volunteer.

Last year the state VA and the governor's Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee honored Prince as the Outstanding Service Officer of 2007. That award was followed by the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla recognizing him as its 2008 Volunteer of the Year.

Prince has served as president of the local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter and of the Columbia Basin Veterans Coalition.

Although the Vietnam Veterans of America is continuing to pay Prince during his recovery and the VA is covering his medical costs, the family faces a financial setback with his wife's work.

An employee at a local veterinarian clinic, she has used up all of her vacation for the year and will return to work Monday.

"I would like to take more time off to take care of him, but I have to go back to work," Leslie said.

Members of the veterans coalition are collecting donations to help support the Princes. Checks can be made out to the Columbia Basin Veterans Coalition, P.O. Box 5016, Pasco, WA 99302. Or call Bobby Dale Albers at 585-7573 for more information.

Although Leslie wasn't privy to the veterans' donation drive, she was aware of people's concerns for Steve. She said she wanted to thank everyone for their prayers.

"He's got a huge amount of people who love him and he's got a determination," she said. "He said that God's not through with him yet. And he said he has a lot more people to help."