2022 Triathlon Events with Rod

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, up to current day (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!