Redefining Goals..."Your Race at Your Pace"
The Journey... Surviving, Redefining and Continuing Forward!
~ Rod's Journey through COVID 19 (and much more) ~
We invite you to learn more about, (and to actually become a part of)
this amazing Inspirational story of:
• Hope
• Faith
• Love
• Determination and Never Giving Up on Your Vision and Goals
• The vital importance of Mindset
• Devotion
• Teamwork
and
• The vial importance of Nutrition & Holistic Wellness
Rod is deeply grateful to the tremendous team of health, wellness and fitness professionals who have assisted him on his journey to regain his health.
Rod especially gives a heartfelt thank you and is grateful for his dear friend, Spiritual and Holistic Health and Wellness advisor and mentor,
Ms. Kathleen S. McGowan.
Rod invited Kathleen to be an integral part of The Veteran Dream Team. Her speciality is the director over Holistic Health, Spiritual and Humanitarian Outreach... representing the team, helping people locally, nationally and internationally.
In helping Rod through his continued recovery process, as he learns to manage new physical and extreme pain limitations... Kathleen called upon her Slovenian colleagues who are world-renowned specialists in Thermo-Regulation of the human body. This amazing team consists of world-renowned scientists, researchers and physicians. By bringing this team in on Rod's journey and through their expertise in Thermo-Regulation, they will greatly be able to assist Rod in many areas, including the extreme low oxygen level that he continues to experience.
Rod says that if it were not for Kathleen's expertise and mentorship prior to and during his journey with three (3) cases of Covid 19, which followed two (2) cases of pneumonia, (and much more) that he would be dead today.
Rod gives grace and gratitude to God for"His tender Mercies" in allowing Rod to not only survive, but to continue to move forward in "His Race at His Pace"...
in his journey to be an Inspiration to others across the globe!
Never Give UP! there is always a way!
"When there is a WILL, there is a WAY"! Rod Hutchins Journey with Covid (3X)...
If you know Rod Hutchins and his back-story, you already know that he is the absolute epitome of courage and of defying all odds... and if his back-story prior to 2019 wasn't miraculous and inspirational enough for you, then just keep reading and learn about the continuation of this incredible man and his journey from 2019 through today, 2022. It's nothing short of a miracle that he is alive, yet alone RE-DEFINING the meaning of his very well known motto... "YOUR RACE AT YOUR PACE".
In short, Rod's 2019-2022 story goes like this...
As Rod was preparing for his KONA, HAWAII IRON MAN COURSE COMPLETION back in early 2019, he developed a severe case of pneumonia. Due to his previous history of Gullian Barre Syndrome Virus three (3) times at a younger age, the pneumonia caused Rod complications. In addition to these complications, Rod would find himself getting a second case of pneumonia again in 2020, and if that were not enough, Rod would also acquire the COVID-19 virus (3) times between 2019 and 2021. The effects of this took Rod once again, as he had already experienced years prior with the Gullian Barre Virus on a near-fatal part of his life's journey.
Rod is no stranger to pain, however, the effects of the above (COVID 19 (3X) & (2) bouts with severe pneumonia has taken Rod not only on a near-death-defying journey, but on a journey of experiencing such severe pain levels that it makes the pain he experienced from the neuropathy that was caused by the Gullian Barre Syndrome virus, look and feel like child-play.
From 2019 - 2022, Rod has continued to go through an extensive battery of cardio, pulmonology and neurological testing at the University of Utah Hospital. Rod's local doctors had referred him to three nationally acclaimed hospitals specializing in rare COVID-19 medical issues; these institutions being: U.C. San Diego in California; Jewish National Hospital in Colorado, and University of Utah Hospital in Utah. Rod chose the University of Utah Hospital because of his extreme physically limited ability to travel due to the severe pain caused by low blood oxygenation. Another factor in choosing University of Utah Hospital, was that it is the same hospital that originally treated Rod's Gullian Barre Syndrome case in past years.
Upon running tests upon tests, Rod was eventually diagnosed by two local pulmonologists with "Chronic Thrombo-Embolic-Pulmonary-Hypertention, with Exercise Induced Pulmonary Artery Hypertension, a diagnosis that is very rare. The condition to this very day causes Rod to experience severe and debilitating pain due to extremely critically low blood oxygenation. Even with limited physical activity, and/or briefly talking on the phone for less than a minute causes Rod severe pain, likened unto the pain of a heart attack. By Rod walking only 10 feet, the pain level continues to spike off the charts.
University of Utah doctors not knowing exactly how to proceed with Rod decided to order rare genetic blood tests to see if Rod was pre-disposed to anything that could help give them a direction in how to proceed forward in attempting to help Rod. These tests revealed that of 64 genetic areas tested, Rod tested normal in 62 of the areas, however the 63rd and 64th genetic areas tested revealed genes that have not ever been seen before in the field of genetics. This outcome leaving the doctors in even more of a quandary of how to proceed forward with Rod and support him through his severe pain and substantially limited physical activity. One of Rod's doctors attributed these 63rd and 64th found genes to be an important factor as to why Rod has lived when most people experiencing this severe of a COVID-19 journey, (and with having even less symptoms than Rod has endured), have died.
During the period of time that Rod was fighting for his life with COVID-19 he lost ten (10) dear friends to Covid-19, all who had experienced less symptoms than Rod. One of the dear friends Rod lost was a member of Rod's Veteran Dream Team, that friend having spent 93 days on a ventilator in ICU, and then in a coma due to pain before his passing. This is both very humbling and sobering to Rod.
As of July 2022, Rod has been released by his local doctors to start the long road of physical therapy, and in Rod Hutchins fashion, Rod has already re-defined his goal of successfully completing "His Race at His Pace" on the Iron Man Course in Hawaii... in doing so, Rod is focused on making his Physical Therapy measurable to his goal!
Learn More About Sponsorship
To learn more about joining Rod on his journey and in becoming involved through Sponsorship, please reach out to Rod TODAY!
Understanding Rod's 'Redefined' Goal
"Where there is a WILL, there is a WAY"!
Making Rod's Physical Therapy Measurable To His Goal...
Rod, in ALWAYS moving forward to be his "Next Best Self" obtained the permission from two local Triathletes, who are sponsoring four (4) triathlons in East Idaho this Summer and Fall (2022), to allow Rod's Physical Therapy to be 'cumulative' to the distance of each of the four triathlons. They agreed to allow Rod and his physical therapist to CHART Rod's efforts towards the distance of each triathlon.
~ A Triathlon consists of: Swimming 750 yards, Biking 13 miles, and Running a 5K race.~
What makes Rod's REDEFINED Goal/Journey so amazing, miraculous and remarkable, is that Rod continues to be in severe pain due to the low blood oxygenation level; a state of condition that Rod continues to suffer from still today which severely limits his physical activity level. It is necessary for Rod to use oxygen when needed daily and at all times during his physical therapy.
Rod's Invitation to you
Choosing a new "Track" in Redefining and achieving your Vision and Goals... "Your Race at Your Pace!
ROD's INVITATION TO YOU...
If you desire to be a Recognized PARTICIPANT in Rod's "VIRTUAL" Triathlons, or if you would like to be a Recognized SPONSOR in Rod's Virtual Triathlons... reach out to Rod TODAY!
(*) Rod and his team invite all Local, National and International communities to join in his VIRTUAL TRIATHLONS as he prepares once again to return to KONA Hawaii to complete... "HIS RACE AT HIS PACE" on the KONA IronMan course!
VIRTUAL TRIATHLON RACE Medals of accomplishment:
(*) Both Participants and Sponsors will be recognized at the "LIVE" Triathlon events and will be presented a Triathlon Race Medal for their accomplishment!
~Please 'click' on the above photo to contact Rod~
Triathlon directors recognize Rod Hutchins
Triathlon Directors Recognize Rod Hutchins for Completing Event despite Physical Limitations
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - An Idaho Falls man found a new way to compete in the Great Snake River Triathlon, despite his physical limitations.
He believes this could create a new way for people to compete around the world.
Rod Hutchins was in his mid-thirties when he contracted Guillian-Barre Syndrome and was paralyzed from the neck down.
He spent 23 years overcoming his physical limitations to complete "His Race at His Pace" on the Iron Man Course in Kona, Hawaii.
Following the race, he was diagnosed with bronchitis, then pneumonia, and then covid. Which completely changed his body.
Eventually, Rod was diagnosed with Chronic Thrombo-Embolic Pulmonary Hypertension. A rare progressive form of Pulmonary Hypertension, where it's more difficult for the blood to flow through the lungs.
"I remember being on the phone for less than 15 seconds and feeling like I was going into a heart attack or a stroke, which is how my body manifested itself," said Rod. "The pain and I've been in this position thousands of times over the last two years". Rod says, his condition feels like he's constantly holding his breath for two minutes then has a minute of relief.
But he's never let physical limitations hold him back.
"I went to the race directors of the triathlon and said, would you mind if I took my journey of physical therapy and let that be cumulative towards a virtual triathlon? They'd never done it before. It's a new concept in East Idaho and perhaps worldwide," said Rod. The triathlon directors let him complete the race in stages.
Now Rod and Veteran Dream Team plans to take the concept nationwide, specifically to victims suffering from trauma and veterans with PTSD.
"Rod came to me with the idea of virtual triathlons, and it's kind of a seed in his mind that we could prepare together and reach out and have more people join in the race with us," said triathlon director Mike Taylor.
"The whole idea of racing at our pace and allowing people to be able to become all that they can be is a great idea. And we want to be able to reach out to communities across the nation and even world and help people get racing, get active in doing things."
On Saturday, (August 13, 2022) he was honored as a competitor in the triathlon. And while he already crossed the finish line days before, Rod was there to personally congratulate those who finished the race.
"Being in this race is huge for me. It's something that I visualized, been working hard for a long time, and I applaud each and every person that's here today that even made the goal, whether they're a triathlete or whether they're just this is our first one. It was fun to stand at the finish line, hearing some of the stories of some of these people," said Rod.
Even though any intense physical activity is extremely painful, Rod says he will continue to race at his own pace. And it's easier when he thinks of the people he inspires on his way.
"On those days that are harder for me. I think of someone that might be out in New Jersey, New York, Las Vegas, or Colorado, who today is making that decision. They're done with life or thinking I just can't complete what I set out to do. And they've lost hope. And that alone helps me that day get through that day. And in addition to God's tender mercies," said Rod.