Whole health empowers marine veteran to overcome chronic pain | va madison health care | veterans affairs

Marine Corps Veteran Connie Wilson has a similar story to others experiencing chronic pain. But, she has truly lived up to the VA program named EMPOWER by partnering with Whole Health to

live life to the fullest. Wilson served in the Marine Corps from 1982–1986 with deployments to Japan and Korea. Her history of pain dates back to the 1990s when she was diagnosed with

fibromyalgia and migraine headaches. After many years of not being able to keep up financially due to her chronic pain, she put her trust in VA. “I looked at the Madison VA’s health and

wellness calendar and started to learn about the EMPOWER program which focuses on pain management,” Wilson said. “I picked what I thought was interesting and the VA team offered me support

and balance. Now, I have more ambition to pursue things, I organized my home, I have more energy and I actually want to do things.” The Ridott, Illinois, native attributes her success to

living the Whole Health philosophy of focusing on what matters to her. Her goals were spending time with her children and grandchildren, traveling, camping, Veteran organizations and

connecting with peers. Connie partnered with the Madison VA team to develop her personal health plan (PHP). Her health journey began by focusing on her strengths of humor, a supportive

family and connections to Veterans. This led her to explore life-changing classes, incorporating skills that have greatly impacted her life in a healthy and meaningful way. She has

participated in a range of group and individual activities, including yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, health coaching, battlefield acupuncture, aromatherapy with essential oils and functional

nutrition. “I learned several techniques to reduce chronic pain, such as using a tennis ball to massage my muscles and the use of essential oils. My dietitian looked into what vitamins I was

lacking from my fibromyalgia. She also switched me to a gluten free diet for the inflammation. All these resources have led me to having more energy and better coping with stressors and

pain.” To get started on your personal health plan and learn more about EMPOWER, talk to your primary care team or contact 608-256-1901, ext. 12537. For more information about the Madison VA

Hospital, visit www.madison.va.gov, www.facebook.com/MadisonVAHospital and subscribe to our newsletters.