Life is like a box of chocolates

“LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOCATES – YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GONNA GET”

Boy, can we all relate to those simple yet mind provoking words spoken by the ever so lovable character of Forest Gump. Within the steely depths of that statement grows a piercing reminder of the capriciousness of life. Since those words I have forced myself to escape the generalization of my present, sometimes quotidian, existence to drift along down the dusty trail called “What If”. The farther I forge ahead the metamorphosis of my journey through life becomes more defined.

There are some things we can change and then there are those unexpected mishaps thrown at us, good and bad. Without them living would be quite boring. If you’re lucky the good will overcome the bad in a grand and significant way so as to offer your carnal being an E-Ticket ride through this time you have here on Earth bringing you joy, inner strength, and peace. Do not be confused as to the genesis of a single meaning of a word, being just that what it appears, nor stay focused on the shell that it presents. My Grandson taught me that on the flipside of the word bad there explodes a totally different meaning. Bad can now be “good”, “awesome” or during my era “far out dude”. There are hidden meanings in all words. To get to the core of a concealed word or thought you must let your inner self take the helm. Allow yourself to “travel where no man has traveled before”. Sorry, but I couldn’t resist inserting those quotes from my man – Captain James Kirk of the US Enterprise – but to tell you the truth many have traveled down that path of mystique and enlightenment. My point is that sometimes bad can be good. There were times in my life where the worst thing in life turned out to be the best lesson of all. It is a phenomenon I know but the marvel of the inverted outcome was unexpected and truly a blessing.

Now what I would like you to do is take a stroll with me back to the past. I know the road I took and the experiences I had will not be the same as yours but there will be obstacles, disappointment, heartache and despair just as I have endured. So bear with me for the journey will not be in vain for there is much to be accomplished by this. I will be your gracious and hopefully informative guide escorting you to the days where my life, along with thousands more like me, took a detour off the path where very little moss had gathered on our armor thus far to taking us to a nightmare that lingers to this day. As you go with me we will be taking several breaks along the way so you can reflect to your own experiences. We all have a past and there are many lessons to be learned by paying it a visit. The purpose of this journey is to learn how to deal with it and grow past the damage it may have caused so as to grow stronger, healthier and wiser. Your Wellness hinges on how you deal with a bad hand that has been dealt to you. Here is where the journey begins so gather your thoughts and courage and follow me. This will be a walking tour and you can exit whenever you fill the need to reflect or just take a breather.

As a boy growing up in a paradigm life style of normalcy in suburban America, which began in the late forties, I was far removed from the violence that would engulf me later in life. From the days of football – school – and family outings where my problems were condensed to getting rid of my pimples so I could attract the girls came the struggle for the mere survival of the breathe of life. “Literally” Enrollment into the U S Army in the sixties changed every aspect of my life. My “Well-being” was up against a force that took my breath away and stopped my heart from beating the rhythm is was accustomed to. My story is not mine alone but a time where thousands of soldiers like me were faced with the flipside of the comfort zone. As you know the 60’s were saddled with the infamous Vietnam War. The experience took its’ toll on the bodies and minds of many young men and women. Not only did we find ourselves faced with the reality of death but for those of us that came back alive we live every day with its carnage. There was another albatross that some of us inherited that others escaped and this would leave a lingering effect on our bodies for the rest of our lives.

Our government, in good faith I believe, made an ill-fated decision to use a chemical with the aspirations of helping the troops on the ground and thus Agent Orange for born. Agent Orange was the code name for a herbicide developed for the military, primarily for use in tropical climates. Although the genesis of the product goes back to the 1940’s, serious testing for military applications did not begin until the early 1960’s.


The purpose of the product was to deny an enemy cover and concealment in dense terrain by defoliating trees and shrubbery where the enemy could hide. The product “Agent Orange” (a code name for the orange band that was used to mark the drums it was stored in, was principally effective against broad-leaf foliage, such as the dense jungle-like terrain found in Southeast Asia.

The product was tested in Vietnam in the early 1960’s and brought into ever widening use during the height of the war (1967-68), though it’s use was diminished and eventually discontinued in 1971.
Agent Orange was a 50-50 mix of two chemicals, known conventionally as 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T. The combined product was mixed with kerosene or diesel fuel and dispersed by aircraft, vehicle, and hand spraying. An estimated 19 million gallons of Agent Orange were used in South Vietnam during the war.
The earliest health concerns about Agent Orange were the product’s contamination with TCDD, or dioxin. TCDD is one of a family of dioxins, some found in nature, and are cousins of the dibenzofurans and pcb’s.

The TCDD found in Agent Orange is thought to be harmful to man. In laboratory tests on animals, TCDD has caused a wide variety of diseases, many of them fatal. TCDD is not found in nature, but rather is a man-made and always unwanted byproduct of the chemical manufacturing process. The Agent Orange used in Vietnam was later found to be extremely contaminated with TCDD.

As soldiers returning from our tour we struggled to put our lives back on track. With man’s valued friend “Time” healing took place and scars scabbed over but the effects of Agent Orange would grow in physical ailments that were even passed down to our children. As time elapsed the symptoms appeared in various forms. Personally I was eventually diagnosed as having Multiple Sclerosis which after a second opinion changed to “Agent Orange” which grew to become a condition and not just a chemical. I learned that there is very little difference to distinguish between the two. The number of diseases that the VA has recognized as associated with Agent Orange exposure has expanded considerably during the 1990’s. The following conditions are recognized for service-connection for these veterans: Chloracne (a skin disorder), porphyria cutanea tarda, acute or subacute peripheral neuropathy (a nerve disorder), type 2 diabetes, and numerous cancers. The VA is in the process of adding chronic lymphocytic leukemia to this list. In addition, Vietnam veterans’ children are susceptible to certain defects and diseases. My youngest daughter is one of those children that are experiencing symptoms. Over the years you deal with it and find a way to minimize its existence or it will take you captive. I took the approach of overcoming this dreadful invasion of my body as I accepted the premise of its reality. Before the word “wellness” was inserted in my language I was aware that I needed to fight back. I have learned that a regular physical regime, healthy diet and mental and emotional battle are my best defense in overcoming its devastation. Spiritual wellness has been my sword to lead the fight toward healing and without it the aforementioned soldiers would eventually be overcome with awe. Time used effectively becomes the porthole to healing.
The longer we live the more the words, again quoting Forest Gump, “Shit Happens” gains credence. How we deal with that that which we cannot change becomes our destiny.

Let’s stop here for a while to take this time to look back to where we have been and what unexpected events have given you a setback. Ask yourself – Have I come to grips with its realization? – How have I dealt with it and is my approach working? Without the six dimensions of Wellness firmly in place, it is hard to overcome adversity. The six dimensions found in the book “Core Concepts in Health” are physical wellness, emotion wellness, intellectual wellness, spiritual wellness, interpersonal and social wellness and environmental or planetary wellness. Read it – Study It – Live It. Remember that problems don’t go away with abandonment. They must be confronted head on. We do not always have the freedom of choosing the road we wish to travel and the luggage we take with us but we do have the choice of how to deal with the problems we had along the way.

Keep in mind that Mental Health is a vital part of the survival mechanism. So stay focused and make the right choices.

I have enjoyed being your guide and I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed the journey so far.
You can continue on the journey whenever you’re ready and I am sure you will have a lot of questions and concerns that will require a more knowledgeable person than me to fill in the blanks, so I am going to turn over the rest of the tour to someone that has all the answers. God is waiting to lead you on so let him know when you are ready. It’s been my pleasure sharing this with you.


God’s Speed!


Reference: VFW MO Post 5517- Agent Orange
The Official Web-Site for Agent Orange www.agent-orange
www.lewispublishing.com/orange.htm
VFW Mo Post 5517-Agent Orange
Core Concepts in Health
The desk of Tommy Cook (Vietnam Veteran – US Army Fourth Infantry Division - 1969- 1970 and Survivor of Agent Orange Exposure).