An Ambassador for Whole Health
US Navy Veteran Rob Hilliard with his sailing instructor and fellow Veteran Joe Cooler and his service dog at the 2017 Summer Sports Clinic sailing event. As one of VA's "Ambassador for Whole Health," Rob serves as a guide and mentor for fellow Veterans along their Whole Health journey.
VA is continuing the expansion of Whole Health across the country so that all Veterans have access to an approach to health care that empowers and equips them to take charge of their health and well-being and to live their life to the fullest. To support the evolution of Whole Health, the VA is implementing a Whole Health System for Veterans which includes conventional treatment, but also focuses on self-empowerment, self-healing, and self-care. Veterans have discovered the power of whole health approaches and are eager to share their stories with other Veterans. These Ambassadors of Whole Health want to inspire hope and to ensure that their fellow Veterans have the same opportunity for greater health and well-being. Rob Hilliard, from Wisconsin, proudly shares his story in the hopes of helping other Veterans live their lives to the fullest.
“Even as a little boy I knew I would join the military; I have pay records from the Undersecretary of General George Washington to a Hilliard that served our new Nation in the Revolution. In fact, there has been a relative of mine that has served in every war since. The VFW Post in Rockford, IL is named after my Great Uncle who was the first, from Rockford, to give the ultimate sacrifice in WWI. My father’s cousin was a Navy fighter pilot in the Pacific. My great uncle Ray stormed the beaches of Normandy and my other great uncle Ray Streed served under General George S. Patton in the Battle of the Bulge. My father served in the Marines during the Korean War and my Uncle served in Vietnam…Yes, I was ALWAYS going to be career military. When the time came, I chose to join the Navy.
My life of chronic pain, or shall we call it “the long rough road”, started in the Navy’s “A” School; I had no idea at the time what had occurred and what was to come. During school I had an accident in the surf that slammed my head into the ocean floor. I don’t know how or how long it took, but I got turned back around and back to shore. I didn’t report this head injury for fear of being kicked out of “A” School. You could only fail one week or you would be dropped and placed elsewhere. I went from being in the top 3 every week, to struggling to get by the next 10 weeks to graduate and almost being dropped.
What I didn’t know at the time was that I had suffered my first Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This would come to change my military career, my future, and my entire life.
As a result, I ended up getting a medical discharge from the Navy based on these injuries. Over the next 11 years I suffered 3 additional TBIs and several concussions. I was lucky to have survived the last one, a high-speed car accident. I didn’t realize the cumulative effects of all the head injuries and the additional spinal cord and knee injuries resulting from the accident. Over the next 10 years my life slowly fell apart and I withdrew from society. I got to the point where I could barely move. I was in constant pain and was not doing any of the things that I enjoyed, the thinks that really mattered to me.
I had been a competitive athlete and had over 5,000 dives in my scuba dive log, but I could no longer dive or compete and over time, I no longer held interest in doing the activities I once loved. I was a caretaker for my parents during this time. My mother was suffering from Parkinson’s disease; I really don’t know how I managed to care for them when I could barely take care of myself.
In 2011, I reentered the VA system to take care of my left knee. This is when I learned about my spinal cord damage. It was following surgery that I found out that some of the mind lapses, falling over, and memory issues were a result of my TBI history. I had feared that I had the early stages of Parkinson’s. In 2012, I entered the Tomah VA Medical Center’s (VAMC) Polytrauma Program. This is when I learned the impact of all my head injuries. I once again ended up back in surgery for a detached retina, resulting from the multiple head injuries I had suffered.
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At this time, my weight ballooned to over 280 pounds. I was in severe, constant pain and could barely move. I would pack myself in ice packs just to make it to my VA appointments. I would get an injection for pain, repack in ice and drive home. This had been going on far too long. I was not sleeping and I was deeply depressed. I needed a change and take charge of my life and my health! |
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I also learned about humility; the Physical Therapist basically had to hold me up most of the time in the pool. This was extremely hard for me given my background with diving and basically having had been a “fish” in the water prior to my injuries. I signed up for another 10 weeks of Aquatic Therapy and started going to the VA’s gym.
I slowly started using the gym equipment. Again, this was very humbling for a former gym rat that could squat over 780 pounds. Long story sort, these approaches to care changed my life. First, I was empowered to take charge of my health. I started with a Personal Health Inventory to determine where I wanted to focus my efforts. I had the support of a health team and they equipped me in becoming more actively engaged in my health.
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Today, I am still in the pool; only now I am there as a volunteer instructor assisting other Veterans. I now weigh about 204 pounds and have had the opportunity to participate in the Winter and Summer Adaptive Sports Clinics; which are both life changing events for Veterans.
I have been through all levels of Tomah’s Pain University Program, and have graduated from their inaugural Whole Health University Program. I am in a place now where I guide and mentor other Veterans through their Whole Health journey. I have been invited to be part of the monthly focus group class and share my pathway to success with other Veterans. I was able to bring parts of the program out to the Winter Sports Clinic to share with other Veterans too. |
Everywhere I go, I am trying to promote the VA’s Whole Health transformation and how it puts the Veteran in charge of their care. I am an advocate for other Veterans at the Tomah VAMC and the Voluntary Services Committees Disabled American Veterans (DAV) representative and serve as the DAV state legislative representative. I hope to be able to use my platforms to promote Whole Health and it’s benefits as I am proof, to other Veterans and VA stakeholders.”
To learn more about Whole Health, please visit the Whole Health website, and discover what matters most to you.
