Rodney
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Rodney, a Veteran of the Marine Corps, served during the Gulf War and experienced various health and administrative challenges post-service. Deployed to Saudi Arabia, near the Kuwait border, as part of a frontline support battalion repairing and recovering vehicles, he lived in harsh conditions, including flooded fighting holes during the rainy season, without ammunition. He also operated on decontamination teams, meaning he was exposed to potential chemical agents and unexplained explosions thought to be outgoing artillery, as they experienced missiles landing close by. Their service included moving through minefields after the onset of the ground war where chemical alarms were triggered, and they were instructed to take pills against anthrax and nerve gas, only to discard them days later. The return journey involved navigating through oil fires, resulting in pervasive, oily rain and darkness for days. Post-service, the struggle for recognition and proper care for injuries and symptoms, including his likely Gulf War Illness, highlights the broader issues faced by Veterans in securing adequate health care and acknowledgment of their service-related conditions.
Rodney vividly recalls the onset of his symptoms during service, noting, "I started feeling unwell with severe headaches and joint pains right after my deployment." These initial symptoms evolved into a more complex array of health issues over time, including "debilitating fatigue, memory lapses, and increased sensitivities to chemicals," which significantly hampered his daily life, most notably limiting his hobbies and time with his children. Rodney’s journey to diagnosis was fraught with challenges, as he navigated through numerous medical evaluations and tests. He shared, "It took years of doctor visits and relentless advocacy on my part before I was finally diagnosed with Gulf War Illness." This diagnosis came as both a validation of his suffering and a crucial step towards receiving the appropriate care and support for his condition.
Rodney shared his mixed experiences with VA and non-VA care, stating, "Navigating the VA system was a challenge, but there were good people who genuinely helped." He sought alternative treatments outside the VA, noting, "I've tried everything from acupuncture to specialized diets to manage my symptoms." On self-management, he emphasized the importance of a supportive community and staying informed, "Connecting with other Veterans and learning about Gulf War Illness has been crucial." He also mentioned the role of exercise and meditation in his routine, "Staying active and practicing mindfulness help me cope with the symptoms.”
Rodney is married with two children and focuses on the notion that there are “People who love you and need you to stick around.” He used to attend church but doesn’t make it a part of his routine anymore. He also describes that attending support groups for his mental wellbeing can be too time consuming. He wants other Veterans navigating the VA to not give up and if you’re a provider, take a closer look when fibromyalgia appears on a medical record.
Rodney believes that Gulf War Illness symptoms can be tied to nerve gas, and questions why there hasn’t been more long-term effect testing.
Rodney believes that Gulf War Illness symptoms can be tied to nerve gas, and questions why there hasn’t been more long-term effect testing.
I still think that—I believe that it’s—the majority of it is nerve gas related. And I mean quit denying that it was—quit denying it. Everyone knows it was you, everyone knows it was there. Stop denying it and—I don't know it’s like they’re trying to protect themselves from admitting it. You know. I don't know. Just- That’s my biggest thing. I mean all the signs point to nerve agent ventilation or some kind of chemical contamination. All the symptoms are there. All the—everything fits that group. So why can't you start looking and seeing instead of trying to prove it’s not. Turn your direction and try to prove that you know—determine if it is. You know. Stop going for the null factor. It’s- I think that’s- I don't know I-I guess that’s what I'm about so I don't know. But you know why after what, it’s almost 30 years are you still so mystified and confused? I mean you would think after this much time there would be some kind of discoveries. And there’s not.
Of course when we went through the mine field, the gas. That’s always been a question you know. You know some people are claiming no it wasn’t, but you know others are. There was a Major who, you know he was in the Congressional hearings because of it that was gassed really bad and you know he went through before we did. So that’s always been a question. Why hasn’t there been any kind of test to see if there was nerve gas or long-term effects of nerve gas or any kind of residuals in our bodies? Of course then the oil fire rains. I was in the oil fires long enough that there was an entry in my permanent record book about prolong life in the oil fields while they were on fire. So the government knows there was something bad about it. And you know just the things, the air quality. Yeah that would definitely affect health.
Despite the VA’s mixed reputation, Rodney encourages others not to give up on the process.
Despite the VA’s mixed reputation, Rodney encourages others not to give up on the process.
Just don’t give up on the VA. I mean they’ve had their moments of bad rep, but I mean they’re learning like everybody else. And things are getting better. And if you look at the conditions of the treatment that the Vietnam era Veterans got and compare it to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. I mean when they come out of Iraq and Afghanistan they have got a ton of support for them through the VA. I mean it’s just they’re doing a lot better. And you know that’s their main documentation for their problems is so just don’t give up on them. Give them a chance. You might have to get someone else to put a fire under them every now and then. But overall I mean, I can’t say that you know the VA has let me down. Because you know I'm still breathing. They’re still paying all my bills. When I’ve got a problem they take care of me.
Rodney describes the frustratingly slow pace of the service connection process.
Rodney describes the frustratingly slow pace of the service connection process.
I know the whole process for the disability and the people who were responsible for trying to figure out whether or not it’s service connected and the percentages. I don't know how that works. But maybe they can come up with a system that is more timely. And actually takes the Veterans in consideration. Because I know in the past it’s just, it’s been tooth and nail to try to get the support for the statuses that are needed. I got a friend, he was—took almost 20 years to get his disability. So. I don't know. I guess the system, try to streamline or just make it so it’s not such a hassle. Just not, you know we have to go out and get legal help to get processed properly most of the time. And we shouldn’t have to do that.
No matter their reputation, Rodney recommends giving the VA a chance.
No matter their reputation, Rodney recommends giving the VA a chance.
Just don’t give up on the VA. I mean they’ve had their moments of bad rep, but I mean they’re learning like everybody else. And things are getting better. And if you look at the conditions of the treatment that the Vietnam era Veterans got and compare it to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. I mean when they come out of Iraq and Afghanistan they have got a ton of support for them through the VA. I mean it’s just they’re doing a lot better. And you know that’s their main documentation for their problems is so just don’t give up on them. Give them a chance. You might have to get someone else to put a fire under them every now and then. But overall I mean, I can’t say that you know the VA has let me down. Because you know I'm still breathing. They’re still paying all my bills. When I’ve got a problem they take care of me. So that and have, definitely have something, some kind of support system for your bad days. You know no matter what you’ve got to have, you can’t do it all by yourself. You’ve got to you know let go and let someone else help you sometimes. You know my wife, she helps me. You know. Sometimes I don’t even realize she’s helping me the way I need it. But she does. I’ve got friends you know who you know I may not talk to them for two, three months but you know they might say hey, I just, I was thinking about you. Are you doing okay? So. Definitely have a support system. Don’t push people away. Because they just wanna help.
Rodney found what brings him peace, including watching birds and playing video games.
Rodney found what brings him peace, including watching birds and playing video games.
I do like sitting out when it’s nice outside, I like sitting out on my front watching the birds. I’ve got all kinds of birds in my yard. And just sitting out and just chilling as much as I—that’s my way of- Sometimes like I’ve got my computer upstairs. And I do a lot of game playing on it. Sometimes I just sit here and just shut my eyes closed and just rock in my chair. Just letting everything just kind of let go. That’s probably my number one useful thing.
Rodney lived in “fighting holes” and MOPP gear during bombing.
Rodney lived in “fighting holes” and MOPP gear during bombing.
We were one of the only units on the entire American side that was living in fighting holes. Our commander decided that was the best thing for us. So we had big berms built and fighting holes. And of course the first month and a half was rainy season, so all our holes were flooded. So we spent most of the time wet, and cold, and miserable. We didn’t have any ammunition. So that was the first month was just in the middle of nowhere. Big wet holes. We had gone into our full MOPP gear probably seven or eight times in that first month maybe. We had stuff blow up around us.
Rodney remembers the oil well fires as “oily rain.”
Rodney remembers the oil well fires as “oily rain.”
We went through past three-mile highway. And it was so fresh that we could, there was still burning, and you could still smell the flesh burning. It was horrifying. And then it wasn’t very long after that that the oil fires were lit up. It probably started before we went to Kuwait City. It’s hard to remember time. But once the oil wells were lit, we didn’t see sunlight for about three days. It was like a real nasty, oily rain coming down. And it was just miserable. You couldn't get clean. It had a weird smell. Weird feel to it. Just you know when we were out, had to do our guard duty and patrol, you know we were in the rain getting just, it soaked right through everything.
Rodney had to leave the military far sooner than she would have preferred because of her inability to keep up with the physicality of the job.
Rodney had to leave the military far sooner than she would have preferred because of her inability to keep up with the physicality of the job.
I mean the first few years after I got out I was upset, feeling you know that’s not fair. They didn’t give me the chance. You know as far as my record book goes I had a perfect record book. Never got in trouble. You know. I did everything by the books. I had gotten my E-4. So but then the reality of it was, realistically I probably wouldn’t have been able to stay in another four years without having a medical discharge. Because it started you know, the problems started affecting me as far as you know like running. You know I’d try to go run PT with my buddy because there were five of us Marines that got out around the same time. And we all kind of lived together in the same apartment and then we stayed in the same town. But we would try to go out and do PT and you know I wasn’t able to run maybe a hundred yards because of the pains in my legs. Joints. My knees and my ankles. Sometimes my hips. So that was the reality that I was seeing, and I was like you know that just wasn’t in my book. So I let go of that, this not fair attitude, and just you know it’s part of life attitude after that. I would have loved to have done my 20. That was my goal. I loved being in the Marine Corps.
Rodney’s hands swelled up from an anti-inflammatory, and he describes experiences with contraindicated meds.
Rodney’s hands swelled up from an anti-inflammatory, and he describes experiences with contraindicated meds.
Well with the cholesterol medicine I had the muscle cramping and spasms, that was really bad. Some of the anti-inflammatories, there’s a few of them Ketorolac, I think is what it’s called. I was given that once and looked like Professor Klump from the movie. You know my hands swelled up real bad. All the way up my arms and down my legs. The sides. Yeah my hands looked like the Klump… At one point I was on Vioxx, and then another kind of medicine similar to it. And then something that went with for cholesterol. But for some reason those three particular medicines weren’t supposed to be together. And I started having a lot of stomach problems. And it was around the time I switched from Salisbury VA, from Salisbury, North Carolina VA to the Winston-Salem clinic VA. And the first thing the doctor said was you know you’re on these medicines and you shouldn’t be. So he switched me from the Vioxx and a couple of the others to I can't think of the name of it. It’s basically the prescription Aleve. I guess Naproxen, something like that.
Rodney has mixed reactions to sleep promoting medications like Ambien and Benadryl.
Rodney has mixed reactions to sleep promoting medications like Ambien and Benadryl.
Some medications don’t really do their job. Like I was having problems sleeping so they gave me the Ambien and then something, another one similar to Ambien. I took those. Wide awake and hallucinating. It was—so I couldn’t take those. Then I’m trying to think. There was something else they gave me, and it had no effect. Something like something to make me sleepy. Didn’t have an effect at all. Every time I’ve had surgeries or had to go under since then—of course I’ve woken up in surgeries prior to Marine Corps, but it’s like they have to do extra dosages just to keep me under. But then other things like non-drowsy Benadryl I take one of those, knocks me right out.
Perceived lack of knowledge about Gulf War Veterans contributed to delays in Rodney’s care.
Perceived lack of knowledge about Gulf War Veterans contributed to delays in Rodney’s care.
I mean overall when there’s been something bad they’ve taken care of it. Just not in a timely manner. Like my ulcer situation, if I would have gotten scoped in October I never would have had to have surgery. And this is what the surgeon told me. He said that because it was let go for so long that’s why I had to have the surgery. But you know like I’ve had two cysts cut out of my back. One was about the size of a, a little bit smaller tennis ball, and that was under my shoulder blade. The other one was up higher on my shoulder on the other side. And it was a little bit bigger than a golf ball. You know when I told them I got this problem they, yeah they took care of it fairly quickly then. Of course, this was also after the whole fiasco with the VA kind of letting people die. And there was that—it was around the time I had my surgery for my ulcers. You know things got pretty quick then. But I don't know. I think if there was more knowledge about the Gulf War Veterans, more time spent trying to figure out why and less time just sweeping it into the big category and letting it continue, I think that would probably be the biggest thing. Because I know there’s been times when I’ve had something wrong. I've gone in and it’s been treated like, okay it’s just this, it’s just your Gulf War stuff. And then later find out no it wasn’t the Gulf War problems it’s exactly something else that needed to be fixed.
Rodney lacked access to certain kinds of specialty care, but things have improved with time and new VA programs.
Rodney lacked access to certain kinds of specialty care, but things have improved with time and new VA programs.
Since they started to open up like the satellite offices it has been easier to get appointments. It has been easier to like if I need a walk-in type situation. That has been a lot easier. As far as specialists go though, well now that they’re actually starting to outsource a little bit more. It’s not as bad, but where I am it’s a little more than an hour drive to Fayetteville which is where all the specialist offices are. So I can’t just take you know take half a day and go to a specialist or take a couple hours. You know I have to take a whole day. Go down. And they try—because of that they try to do multiples at once. So you know we end up spending a whole day seeing several different offices down there. And so that’s one side that’s been a little more. When I lived closer to Salisbury everything was right there. I didn’t have to- You know it was 15 minutes away. Because that was where all the specialists were. So that was easy in that respect. But I’m like out here it’s—it is difficult to in terms of special like even x-rays. For x-rays I gotta go to the Fayetteville just to get an x-ray. So that does make it hard. And you know not everybody’s gotta like—I mean it’s difficult for me to take time off from work. Because I gotta set up a sub, I've gotta get everything planned ahead of time. And of course you know you do all that just for a 10 minute x-ray that you gotta take a whole day for that is kind of irritating.