Today was my first day in HBOT and it has been a few years. I was nervous as all get out last night plus the rain caused my right knee pain to overpower Advil and my Arthritis medicine so I finally fell asleep at 4am, back up at 6am. Denise took me there and wants to drive me until she has to go back to work, then I get the man that transports people to and from there.
The staff they have there now is good, doctors seem to be decent. I dove with 3 guys and 2 ladies, but there could have been 4 guys. The 2 ladies both were older and had trachs. Before the dive started I ask if they had throat cancer and both had cancer in their vocal chords. The men from what I found out were diabetes related, sores or injuries that wouldn't heal. I was nervous. I thought back to a friend I had that served in VietNam who was 101st Airborne once said when he talked about para-trooping. I ask if he was scared his first jump and he said yes. I said I bet the second jump went better. He smiled and said the first jump he jumped out, the second jump they tossed him out, difference being, he knew what was coming. :) That was me.
They fixed my hood while we were pressurizing and I popped my ears at least 100 times. I looked down just in enough time to see my water bottle wasn't loose enough and it was about to burst. They put an old movie on, Moses probably wants it back. The noise is loud and you can feel the pressure, but it doesn't hurt, then claustrophobia sets in as the walls make weird noises. Then the hood goes on and the pure Oxygen starts filling it. I felt kind of sick at my stomach but it soon passed. The doctor wants 60 of these but the insurance says 30, and my part of 30 is 1100.00!!! The ladies both have a lot of trouble, they can't wear hoods so their trach tube is connected in. I felt sorry for them. The black lady had the hardest time but come to find out she has had more treatments than the white lady. They are both very nice and so lady like. This was the black lady's last dive, my prayers are with her that she heals up soon. She was so nice and was strong, kind eyes, and hopeful smile.
So when the dive is over and we are all dressed back in street clothes I spoke with the 2 ladies. I asked if the trachs are permanent. The both said no but the white lady said, "Shit I hope not", as she caught her teeth. John walked up about the time that came out and laughed and said he could not believe that came out of her mouth and laughed. She said "What the word or my teeth?" and we all had a laugh.
I can think of better days and better times... but today was a good day. The Bible tells in the last days of trials and tribulations, yet some of us seem to jump the gun on those things. I wish it would be smoother, but then again, I have learned much and grew much. I have learned to be thankful for all God gives me, people, days, time... those things I took for granite most of my life. Funny how when I was strong I never seen me any other way, it was always the other guy this happens to, but now that it is me, I see how weak I really was back then. Having said that, it is not my strength that I rely on, it is His.
The staff they have there now is good, doctors seem to be decent. I dove with 3 guys and 2 ladies, but there could have been 4 guys. The 2 ladies both were older and had trachs. Before the dive started I ask if they had throat cancer and both had cancer in their vocal chords. The men from what I found out were diabetes related, sores or injuries that wouldn't heal. I was nervous. I thought back to a friend I had that served in VietNam who was 101st Airborne once said when he talked about para-trooping. I ask if he was scared his first jump and he said yes. I said I bet the second jump went better. He smiled and said the first jump he jumped out, the second jump they tossed him out, difference being, he knew what was coming. :) That was me.
They fixed my hood while we were pressurizing and I popped my ears at least 100 times. I looked down just in enough time to see my water bottle wasn't loose enough and it was about to burst. They put an old movie on, Moses probably wants it back. The noise is loud and you can feel the pressure, but it doesn't hurt, then claustrophobia sets in as the walls make weird noises. Then the hood goes on and the pure Oxygen starts filling it. I felt kind of sick at my stomach but it soon passed. The doctor wants 60 of these but the insurance says 30, and my part of 30 is 1100.00!!! The ladies both have a lot of trouble, they can't wear hoods so their trach tube is connected in. I felt sorry for them. The black lady had the hardest time but come to find out she has had more treatments than the white lady. They are both very nice and so lady like. This was the black lady's last dive, my prayers are with her that she heals up soon. She was so nice and was strong, kind eyes, and hopeful smile.
So when the dive is over and we are all dressed back in street clothes I spoke with the 2 ladies. I asked if the trachs are permanent. The both said no but the white lady said, "Shit I hope not", as she caught her teeth. John walked up about the time that came out and laughed and said he could not believe that came out of her mouth and laughed. She said "What the word or my teeth?" and we all had a laugh.
I can think of better days and better times... but today was a good day. The Bible tells in the last days of trials and tribulations, yet some of us seem to jump the gun on those things. I wish it would be smoother, but then again, I have learned much and grew much. I have learned to be thankful for all God gives me, people, days, time... those things I took for granite most of my life. Funny how when I was strong I never seen me any other way, it was always the other guy this happens to, but now that it is me, I see how weak I really was back then. Having said that, it is not my strength that I rely on, it is His.
