“TelePain led me from silently struggling to shared healing.”
For years after leaving the service, Marine Corps Veteran William Anthony Zullo’s body had become a ledger of old battles—more than 20 surgeries, chronic pain in almost every joint and migraines so fierce they could drop him where he stood. On damp, gray mornings in his Philadelphia neighborhood, even the simplest tasks became obstacles that required the same grit he once used while on deployment.
Most nights when the pain peaked and the migraines pulsed behind his eyes, Zullo slipped quietly from the bedroom and into the dim light of the living room, where he waited for dawn and tried to outlast the darkness. Those hours were the loneliest, when his Marine mentality—push through it, get it done, no complaining—felt less like strength and more like constraints.
Finally, Zullo turned to VA and his Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 4 TelePain Program to help manage his pain.
The power of a first impression
The TelePain program changed the way he felt on the very first day. A room full of professionals spoke to him online as if his pain mattered. The doctors and nurses talked about what it meant to hurt at two in the morning, to pace the house while everyone else slept and to navigate the day on a few hours of rest. He began to realize he was no longer fighting this war alone, and week by week, the distance between those long nights and the daylight shrank.
Nick Vlasic, a physical therapist and fellow Marine, gave him a simple exercise plan and a challenge: Don’t ignore the pain, but work with your body instead of against it. Each week Vlasic added another small tool to his plan—breathing techniques, pacing strategies, and ways to recognize when a bad day was coming and how to soften the impact. The staff showed him equipment, devices and supports that made movement possible again. As he put their advice into practice, his old “balls to the wall” mindset evolved into a new kind of toughness: patience, consistency and self-respect.
From sleepless nights to second chances
On the final day of the program, Zullo listened to the stories of injury, fear and survival from his fellow Veterans. What struck him most was how hard the TelePain team worked to reach each person, whether they had seen combat or not, regardless of rank or background. He realized that the greatest gift he had received was not just less pain, but that others like him could find the same hope. He now wishes the TelePain program grows and that more Veterans will find their way into this virtual program.
A road to renewal
As Zullo’s 70th birthday approached, the man who once measured his life in sleepless nights began to count walks completed, exercises finished and mornings that started with something other than dread. Mentioning VA’s TelePain program at the hospital seemed to open doors that had once been closed or endlessly delayed; appointments came faster, procedures were scheduled and he felt, for the first time in years, like an honored Veteran rather than a forgotten file. He told the TelePain leaders, “Thank you for having changed my life!” Zullo especially credited Dr. Elizabeth Eckardt, and physical therapist Vlasic for speaking in a language Veterans understood and breaking down complex ideas into something real and usable.
Collaborative care for chronic pain management
The Transdisciplinary TelePain Program (TDTP) in VISN 4 is an 8-week, virtual pain-management course that meets for two hours each week. Co-facilitated by Behavioral Health and Physical Therapy—with support from Pharmacy, Dietary and Whole Health—the program offers a holistic, team-based approach to chronic pain. It teaches Veterans how to move responsibly and take an active role in their lives despite persistent pain, emphasizing self-management, functional improvement and overall well-being. After graduation, Veterans receive long-term follow-up to help sustain progress, maximize function and enhance quality of life.
To learn more, call 855-679-0952 and select option 2 to let the nurse know you would like more information about the VISN 4 Clinical Resource Hub (CRH) TelePain Program. The CRH is a national VA initiative that delivers high-quality virtual care to Veterans in rural and underserved areas.
Author: Nikki Verbeck