A Half-Truth is a Whole Lie

Let’s confront an obvious “truth” facing us: despite obvious differences of opinion about the “best” way forward as a society, we are generally in agreement that we can fix problems. Scientists have split problems into “tame” and “complex” and “wicked.” “Tame” problems have a clear definition, and it is easy to identify the point at which they are solved [building better, safer cars, for example]. Complex problems have a clear agreement on the nature of the problem, but not on the solutions [going to the moon resolved the complexities over time]. In contrast, wicked problems lack agreement on both their definition and their solution. They are people problems, not math or science problems.

A wicked problem is a social or cultural issue or concern that is difficult to explain and inherently impossible to "solve." Examples of wicked problems today include things like education standards, tax policy, health care, climate change, affirmative action, when to go to war, and immigration. And, of course, how to treat and heal brain wounds. Even the definition of “brain wound” is a wicked problem when doctors aren’t trained in the new science.

Wicked problems never have straight-forward solutions. By their very nature, wicked problems are human problems. When elevated in the political arena, wicked problems can’t be solved, only managed. It’s that old dilemma: do you want to make a statement, or do you want to make progress? Unless people who disagree really want to make progress, there’s no managing a wicked problem: there’s only a dialogue of the deaf that results in continued suffering, lack of progress, accusations, prevarication, finger-pointing, and resentment.

Let’s face it: politics is more and more running from wicked problems. Even tame problems like seat belt use started out as am wicked problem which eventually was tamed by resort to math, engineering, and economics and gradual demonstrations of results.

Lately, polarized politics turns all problems into wicked problems. Thus, politics has become a series of half-truths dressed up as policy statements that become rallying cries and wish lists. The HARD work of compromise is necessary to turn wicked problems into a series of small steps toward legislative compromise and lasting change. Not a solution, but a series of manageable steps and compromises that equal progress and positive change.

Concerning Veterans, four half-truths that have become whole lies are instructive.

One, service members have been told that there’s little that can be done for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) other than pass through a variety of palliative care facilities: the NICoE, DVBIC, Intrepid Spirit Centers, PREP programs, specialized care, and a seemingly endless set of appointments for drug distribution, talk therapy, physical and occupational and various therapies designed to allow patients to learn new ways to live with the new, sub-standard normal.

Current reports from the DVBIC at Walter Reed belie the advertisements: “The underlying goal of DVBIC is to ensure that active duty military and veterans with brain injury receive the best evaluation, treatment, and follow-up.” It is at best only half true. More and more patients report unwillingness to properly diagnose TBI, choosing “mental health” or PTSD as the diagnosis. Treatments ignore a proven, safe, and effective use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). The VA and Military medicine continue in their ignorance about the proven science, including ignoring positive results with patients using HBOT after leaving Walter Reed.

Two, Veterans with Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs) are rarely told that they can probably avoid lower limb amputations if only the VA would routinely use an on-label, proven, insured, and widely available use of HBOT. There is an implied promise that VA doctors will use EVERY means available to avoid amputations. The VA’s malignant behavior in NOT informing patients about the availability of HBOT outside the VA [since the VA operates no HBOT chambers] means that patients get a half truth: we are following a healing protocol where the ultimate path may be amputation. Since the protocol does not include HBOT as an option, the VA reports the following harrowing numbers: 796,340 Veterans have died from Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) and Lower Limb Amputation (LLA) in the past 22-years, more than all the Veterans KIA in all the U.S. Wars (623,982) since the beginning of World War I. Approximately 94% were not offered HBOT treatments.

Three, numerous Veterans and other USG employees have been victimized by Havana Syndrome (aka Anomalous Health Incidents or AHI). The overwhelming majority of those who have come forward have not been properly diagnosed for the injuries they experienced. A widening gulf between promises from the USG related to care, insurance, treatments and support are honored in the breach.

Leaving aside the politics of the origins, methods, timing, responsibility, and continuing attacks, the victims have been mistreated and effectively told that they are no longer worthy of honorable treatment and care. Instead of adequate treatment of what appears to be traumatic brain injuries in a majority of the cases, victims receive limited care, limited financing of care, abuse during care, and a cold shoulder from parent agencies as their lives and careers go downhill. Imagine being told that your headaches, migraines, fatigue, balance, mental abilities, hearing loss, memory, anger, depression and more are in all probability a result of a mass psychogenic illness or, worse, an attempt to get increased disability payments? One struggles to find the half-truth in the on-going saga of a government abandoning its very best. [NOTE: extremely effective HBOT treatment for AHI victims is continuing, thanks to the generosity of HBOT clinics and donors willing to do what the USG is unwilling and incapable of doing.]

Four, service members affected by BLAST overpressure are receiving renewed interest as a result of work in the Senate Armed Services Committee. A parade of government witnesses continues to affirm that they are doing everything humanly possible, even though it is common knowledge that DOD is not doing enough to prevent injuries. Here’s a half truth: DOD and the VA claim to be learning from their own research about BLAST overpressure. The other part of the equation that is a whole lie is that neither DoD nor the VA will use HBOT to heal the brain wounds resulting from BLAST overpressure. This is especially onerous since doctors inside Marine units prescribe HBOT for TBIs, allowing not-for-profit HBOT clinics and foundations to pay for the brain wounds. Despite the successes in the TreatNOW Coalition clinics, TBIs have not even been adequately diagnosed in service members committing suicide from the very units called out by the New York Times as suffering inordinate numbers of brain casualties. [NOTE: TreatNOW and HBOT clinics are paying to treat those casualties that the services claim are receiving adequate care in facilities that can’t even accurately count the number of suicides occurring in the force.]

The validity of using HBOT for wound healing to the brain is validated in the most recent research. Unsurprisingly, delivering oxygen under pressure safely and economically leads to effective wound healing. The FDA already approves HBOT for woound healing. That statement is true. What would make it even more true is if medicine recognized that "invisible wounds" should be treated as wounds. HBOT is essentially already on-label when the new science of brain wounding is taken into account.

Numerous other interventions for brain wounds with comorbid maladies have a much better chance of effectiveness when the concussion cascade is interrupted, healed, and reversed. That statement is also generally true. The half-truth and, thus, whole lie, is that medicine in the DoD and the VA claim to be keeping up with the new science in their Centers of Excellence. Yet they disdain and ignore the Mechanisms of Action of brain wounding, and the interventions in use around the world that are healing those wounds. The sad fact is also that the VA and DoD persist in continuing to repeat the lies that their research proves that HBOT is unproven, unsafe, ineffective, costly, risky, or worse. The rest of the world and over 31,000 satisfied HBOT patients -- among them over 12,000 active duty and Veterans -- know the truth revealed in over 21 peer-reviewed clinical trials.

The TreatNOW Mission is ending service member suicides. Along the way, we have learned that we can end suicidal ideation, help end symptoms of PTSD, get patients off most of their drugs, and heal brain wounds to end the effects of BLAST injury, mild TBI Persistent Post Concussive Syndrome, and polytrauma from AHI and Burn Pits. Diabetic Foot Ulcers have become a major emphasis. www.treatnow.org

*Heal Brains. Stop Suicides. Restore Lives. TreatNOW*

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