Me, sitting at the Rhyne Main Airport in Frankfurt Germany in 1970, awaiting my plane that would take me back to the world.

In July 2020, I reported to the VA emergency room. Iwas only given a 4% chance to survive the operation. I was then given a 12% chance to survive another ninety days. The gloved hand in the picture is squeezing my bladder to expel urine and empty the bladderThat picture was snapped mid opperation by the plastic surgeon. I later traded him out of a copy.

Actual picture taken in the VA opperating room during my Fournier’s Gangrene operation July 2020.

Recovering!

The Service connected, combat related Agent Orange induced chloracne was directly responsible for this terrible tragic event.

Following the emergency surgery, I spent a month in the VA hospital ICU unit, in a mostly morphine induced coma. I was reconstructed from my knees to my navel. I lost forty one pound of dead flesh in one hour. Numerous skin grafts were required. Reconstruction was delayed for weeks, because I was not expected to survive. I ended up with a, later to be reversed, colostomy bag.

I was released from the VA medical Center and sent home with a hospital bed and more than one hundred and fifty strong opiate pills along with instructions to reorder as many opiate pills as I wanted.

Life is not the same and I now have a new normal. It took me three years to recover, but life is good!

The VA medical center provides me with excelent care nowdays. My wife also cares for me and is my level 2 PCAFC caregiver and is paid by the VA to care for me.

Old agent orange has made two more attempts on taking my life since that event but has not succeded yet.

Me posing as old agent orange. Veterans Day Parade, downtown Nashville Tennessee, 2009. My wife crafted my costume.

Me in 2015, still pretty good shape.

My 1957 Chevrolet Bel AIR Nomad daily driver.

The hood art on the Nomad.

The Orange Heart Wall in Springfield Tennessee.

My name on the Orange Heart Wall of Honor in Springfield Tennessee.

I am still here!

Me today, in great shape after a eighteen year fight with the DVA for my hard earned benefits.