Gabe

Gabe was a medic in the Marines during the Gulf War. In August 1990, he was a part of the surveillance logistics and reconnaissance party (SLRP) on a medical task force. During deployment, he was only allowed to shower and call home to his new wife once a month. He once hit a camel, knocking him unconscious and causing him to sleep for 24 hours. Upon waking, the ground war had started. After the concussion, he began to experience migraines, light sensitivity, TMJ, and mild allergies. He witnessed chemical weapon facilities being blown up during the air war. The medic tents were sprayed biweekly with pesticides that would collect on their gear and canteens. Burning their own trash caused a consistent hue of smoke and debris from plumes. While eating, they would chew sand. He was exposed to nerve gas as soon as he crossed the Saudi/Kuwaiti border. As the gas alarm was sounding, Gabe was attempting to carry and rescue another service member, causing him to run out of air forcing him to break the seal to get some air.

Gabe left the military in 1992 and moved to Arizona where he started college. He started noticing fibromyalgia symptoms soon after returning including severe fatigue that interfered with his studies and school attendance. Some years later he developed IBS-C, and the constipation becomes so severe that it caused extreme blood loss resulting in infusions. In 2008 he sought help for insomnia and was provided Ambien, which helped until the VA stopped prescribing it. He suffered until 2019 when he was offered Trazadone. In 2016-2017, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and his neurologist had sent him to a program called BIG. Gabe has found many treatments helpful in alleviating symptoms, such as massage, meditation, hot tubs, and physical activity. Monitoring his diet, including avoidance of certain food additives, such as MSG, also help.

After Gabe moved to the East Coast, he began to piece together that his symptoms may be related to Gulf War Illness. He began to do research and sought help from the VA. He found that there were many barriers to utilizing the Veteran Service Organizations as well as the VA. He has several diagnoses from outside providers and has provided the documentation to the VA to add into his record, yet he must continue to explain everything, and continue providing records. He thinks there is a lack communication between providers and proper documentation in his medical record. He has experienced long wait times when using VA’s Community Care options. While working for the FBI, these symptoms and need for accommodations have impacted Gabe’s opportunities to get a promotion and make friends. He does not participate in social or after work gatherings and sits in the dark corner of the office, not really speaking to anyone when he is there.

Gabe was eventually diagnosed with Gulf War Illness in 2016 and awarded disability compensation after a long and rigorous road. His biggest struggles have been within his family, and he thanks his loving wife for keeping their family together. He has found that providing acts of service and having three to five close friends that hold you accountable and provide daily motivation help him. “Gulf war Illness is a lonely, debilitating disorder, disease. There are very few people who understand it.” He also would like for other members to understand that he was asked to give anthrax injections and pyridostigmine bromide leading up to the ground war, but was unable to document this in patient charts, as they were not accessible at the time. Gabe hopes that providers can be educated about Gulf War Illness and help reestablish trust with Veterans.