PTSD Goes Far Beyond the Battlefield

When someone suffers a violent or horrifying experience, the trauma can often follow them around for years. From accident victims to soldiers, countless people have found themselves haunted by traumatic life-changing experiences. Whether one simply witnesses or is directly involved with the event, the experience can have profound psychological effects on the individual.

While car crashes, shootings, floods, fires or assaults can happen to anyone at any time, the rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following a brain injury is much higher in veterans than civilians, most likely because they often serve multiple tours and encounter prolonged exposure to intense combat.

Gordon joined the Army in February 2000, serving nearly 14 years as an infantryman. During his time in the service Gordon spent 3 tours, spanning over 35 months, in Afghanistan as a Staff Sergeant 1st Class in the Third Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment. His platoon’s missions, heroics, struggles and losses were featured in the New York Times Bestseller, Outlaw Platoon.

During one such mission, Gordon’s Humvee was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade as his platoon guarded its forward operating base. Gordon crawled into the injured gunner’s hatch, taking over the M2 .50 caliber machine gun and returned fire throughout the ensuing six-hour battle, stopping the advance of enemy forces. He was hit by shrapnel in his right arm and left foot

Because of the numerous firefights and intense explosions that Gordon experienced, he began suffering painful and concerning symptoms such as headaches, avoidance, insomnia, depression, isolation and back pain. For soldiers like Gordon, these emotional, physical and behavioral changes can begin to have devastating effects on their interpersonal life.

Ultimately, Gordon was medically retired from the Army in 2014 due to the numerous injuries he sustained overseas. He earned both a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his meritorious service and sacrifice. It didn’t take long to realize that transitioning back to civilian life was going to be harder than expected. Gordon, like many other soldiers returning home from service, continued to fight a battle on multiple fronts, coping with the damaging effects of the brain injuries and associated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder he suffered from combat-related blasts. The trauma from what he had seen and experienced began to take its toll on his personal, family and work life.

If left untreated, PTSD can, and often does, spiral into other more serious problems such as panic disorders, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal feelings. Sadly, many of our veterans are not getting access to the treatments they need to heal the actual brain injury. Instead, their symptoms are simply being masked with prescription medications while the source of the problem is left untreated. The unfortunate result is that our veterans end up on countless medications for depression, anxiety, concentration, sleeplessness and pain. Treatments are available to treat the brain injury but they are not being prescribed, because they are considered “off-label” and therefore not covered by insurance in the United States.

Thankfully for Gordon, his family helped him recognize that the issues he was facing were very serious and found help for him in the form of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Gordon, while hesitant and cautious, was willing to try anything if it meant finding relief from the migraines that were consuming him. The twelve prescription medications he was taking were still ineffective in helping him escape the pain.

After beginning HBOT, Gordon was both thrilled and relieved to discover that the debilitating headaches that had controlled his life for so long were beginning to subside. He also began to see recognizable improvements in other areas of his life as well. The pain in his back began to abate and he began sleeping restfully through the night, something he had not experienced in years. By the end of his treatments, Gordon’s headaches were nearly gone. He was able to reduce the need for his prescriptions to the point where he was only taking two medications.

Before receiving HBOT, Gordon could not spend time in crowds or large groups. It was too overwhelming for him and he felt as if he were in a constant high alert state, his combat instincts lurking just below the surface. The Gordon that others had known before his time in the service, was no longer compatible with who he was now. He felt awkward around other people and was not communicative. He was depressed and preferred to be alone but didn’t know why.

HBOT changed all that. Gordon can now comfortably spend time in groups and even goes up to people to initiate conversations. His family loves that he finally has his sense of humor back. He actually laughs again. He is no longer on edge all the time, living with a heightened sense of anxiety. Afghanistan had become a dividing line in Gordon’s life. Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Gordon has been able to surge past it and rebuild much of what had been lost. He claims that he has finally been able to get his life back.

Awareness of TBI and PTSD has increased greatly in recent years. However, it seems like the more we learn about these devastating conditions, the more there is to know. Our prayer is that, in time, awareness of the positive effects HBOT can have for these warriors suffering from TBI and PTSD will increase as well, so that more of America’s heroes will have access to this life-changing treatment.

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

What If?

Andrew and Ashley had always envisioned children in their family’s future (although the exact number was always up for debate). After being married a little over a year, they decided they were ready to start their family. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as they had always dreamed. After months of trying to conceive, they were finally blessed with the great news that a little one was on the way. Unfortunately, the happiness was short-lived. Ashley lost the baby early on in the pregnancy. After a time of healing and processing, they decided it was time to try again. After what seemed like a lifetime, their prayers were answered and they were once again expecting a little one!

This time, Ashley’s pregnancy was pretty textbook. They were encouraged by the positive news they received at every doctor’s appointment. The baby’s growth was looking great, and every new ultrasound showed what Andrew and Ashley believed to be the cutest baby ever. The only concern the doctor expressed was that the baby was breech, but he felt that there was plenty time and enough space for the baby to turn itself.

Everything changed on the morning of July 24, 2016, one month before the baby was due. Ashley was awakened by a big kick and a sensation that she needed to go to the bathroom. When she got out of bed, she realized that her water had broken but wasn’t experiencing any contractions or pain. She could tell that something was wrong. Andrew realized that the umbilical cord had prolapsed and knew he needed to get Ashley to the hospital immediately.

Fortunately, Andrew and Ashley lived only a mile away from an ambulatory care facility so Andrew took her there. Upon arrival, Ashley was rushed back into a room where the attending doctor was able to put the cord back in. He attempted to hold pressure to allow the baby to receive some much-needed oxygen. From there, Ashley was rushed to the hospital by ambulance where the on-call OB/GYN was ready to perform an emergency c-section.

Within three minutes of arriving at the hospital, Peyton Jane Goecke was born…without a heartbeat. For the first eight minutes of her life, a team of doctors tried to revive her while her parents prayed earnestly for her survival. In the ninth minute, they finally succeeded. Because of her traumatic entrance into the world, Peyton was deprived of oxygen for an estimated 40 minutes before birth.

Once Peyton was breathing (with the assistance of machines), she was transferred by air to a children’s hospital to receive specialized care. Because she was without oxygen for so long, the doctors were certain that Peyton had suffered severe brain damage. The outlook was not bright. She was placed on a cooling-bed for 72 hours in an attempt to give her time to slowly heal and prevent any further brain damage. After her time on the cooling bed, MRI scans were not positive and everyone feared the worst. Peyton’s doctors had the ill-fated task of informing Andrew and Amy that their future with Peyton would not look like the picture they had been envisioning. They were told that she had suffered severe brain damage and that she may never breathe, eat, walk or talk on her own. They were even told prepare themselves to make life and death decisions regarding their precious baby girl.

Throughout this entire time, Andrew and Ashley stayed positive and believed that their little girl would pull through and be the miracle they knew she already was. As the days went by, Peyton continued to grow stronger and showed the doctors that she was going to survive and thrive! While Peyton was able to breathe on her own, she still did need a little help eating. After 65 days in the NICU, Peyton was finally released and was able to come home on her parents 3rd wedding anniversary!

Andrew and Ashley knew they would still have obstacles to overcome and that Peyton would need more help. However, they were determined they would move mountains to give Peyton the best shot at an amazing life. Through conversations with his co-workers, Andrew learned about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) at Sara’s Garden. After doing countless hours of research, Andrew and Ashley decided that if they didn’t try HBOT they might always wonder “What if?”… so, in November 2017, Peyton started her first round of HBOT treatments.

After only the first day of treatment, Andrew and Ashley saw an immediate difference in Peyton’s temperament. Prior to HBOT, Peyton was fussy 90% of the time if someone wasn’t holding her. After her first day of treatment, she enjoyed laying on her play mat, looking around and moving her arms. Prior to treatment, Peyton also hated her car seat and would scream the entire time she was in it…whether that was for five minutes or two hours. Surprisingly, after her first day of treatment, she suddenly wasn’t so upset about being put in it. Additionally, the tightness in her hands decreased, she was tracking and following just about everyone that walked into a room, and even her sucking got stronger.

Following Peyton’s first round of forty HBOT treatments, Andrew and Ashley were very encouraged by what they saw. They were looking forward to another round to see what else Peyton would gain. In February 2017, Peyton started her next round of treatments. Throughout this round, Peyton continued to gain strength and even started to become nosy, paying attention to everyone and wanting to be the center of attention all the time. She has become more social, smiles all the time, and has even started to coo.

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Peyton has made gains that her parents were once told were not possible. Andrew and Ashley have plans to continue on with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. They also plan to begin Conductive Education services at Sara’s Garden to help give Peyton the best shot possible at an independent life. Andrew and Ashley know that Peyton is a miracle, and they have truly been blessed by her! They cannot wait to see what the future holds for such an amazing little girl!

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

Now You Hear It, Now You Don’t

Few things can be as baffling (and concerning) as waking up one morning and discovering that your hearing is completely gone. In February 2016, Elisabeth experienced sudden hearing loss in her right ear following a series of upper respiratory infections. She immediately began consulting with her physician in hopes of learning what caused it, and more importantly, if there was anything that could be done to get her hearing back.

After months of testing, Elisabeth was ultimately diagnosed with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL), commonly known as sudden deafness. SSHL is defined as a loss greater than 30dB in three contiguous frequencies, occurring over a period of less than three days. SSHL happens when the inner ear, the cochlea in the inner ear, or the nerve pathways between the ear and the brain become damaged. In many cases, the condition often goes undiagnosed. Ear specialists will contend that Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss is one of the most perplexing and controversial unsolved mysteries concerning our ears.

There seem to be many opposing thoughts as to what exactly causes SSHL and how to effectively treat it. Only 10 to 15 percent of the people diagnosed with SSHL have an identifiable cause. The most common causes of SSHL appear to be autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, neurological diseases and conditions, trauma to the head, ototoxic medications, blood circulation problems, prolonged exposure to loud noise, disorders of the inner ear and tumors on the nerve that connects the ear to the brain.

In the United States, the most widely accepted form of treatment for sudden deafness, especially in cases where the cause is unknown, is corticosteroids. If the condition is diagnosed and treated promptly, this line of treatment typically allows people with SSHL to recover quickly. However, when left untreated, many people with the condition experience hearing loss that gradually gets worse over time. Unfortunately for Elisabeth, her diagnosis of SSHL was made nearly two months after the initial auditory loss.

Sadly, Elisabeth’s primary care doctor missed the original diagnosis. When she was finally able to see an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist (ENT) who was able to diagnose her with SSHL, he was very concerned for her recovery as early treatment greatly improves a patient’s ultimate prognosis. Her ENT immediately put her on oral steroids, a diuretic, and a course of intratympanic (through the eardrum) steroid injections. Following this multi-mode treatment, most people who are going to recover hearing function do so within one or two weeks.

Unfortunately for Elisabeth, the test results from the audiogram performed two weeks later were not positive. The audiogram showed that she was still experiencing two modes of apparent hearing loss. It also showed she had almost no recovery at the key 6,000 to 9,000 Hz range of frequencies where her SSHL was most severe. The prognosis for patients like Elisabeth, who show such little recovery by this point in their treatment process, was very bleak. She was given very little hope that her hearing would ever return. Elisabeth was very discouraged by this news but refused to give up. She began researching alternative procedures for treating SSHL that are commonly practiced in other countries. It was through this research that she discovered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and restored her hope of regaining the hearing in her ear.

Many of the medical facilities in Elisabeth’s hometown have hyperbaric chambers. However, since SSHL is not considered an insurance reimbursable condition in the United States, none of these centers would allow her to undergo treatment. Ultimately, Elisabeth’s research led her to Sara’s Garden. After her ENT cleared her to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, she traveled to Wauseon to begin treatments. Elisabeth spent one week at Sara’s Garden, undergoing five treatments of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy before returning home with noticeably improved hearing. Nine days after her final HBOT session, Elisabeth returned to see her ENT for another audiogram. Tests showed that she had almost full hearing recovery!

Her ENT was shocked at the change in her hearing following hyperbaric treatments. He postulates that her inner ear benefitted from the treatment both mechanically (by alleviating the pressure in her ear) and neurologically (in helping the nerves and membranes to heal).

Elisabeth recently commented, “The first time I walked on a beach and could close my eyes and tell where the water was from the crashing waves was quite possibly one of the best experiences of my life. I have tears in my eyes as I consider this. Even now when I think of Sara’s Garden and the little town of Wauseon, I am moved by how much I owe them. Words fail to describe my profound feelings of thanks to Sara’s Garden.”

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy services at Sara’s Garden, Elisabeth now has her hearing back. Her memories of Sara’s Garden and the big purple chamber are fond ones. She arrived at Sara’s Garden fragile, scared and hopeless. What she found was a kind and caring staff that gave her what she needed most: hope.

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

Then and Now. Ten Years After HBOT.

There are some days you just never forget. For Marjorie (Marj) Monhollen, one of those days happened back in 1998 when five-year-old Brittany Cortez entered her life. After being removed from both her mother’s and grandmother’s care because of unstable living conditions, Brittany came to live with her great-aunt at the age of five and through her entered Marj’s life.

Brittany had been diagnosed with absence epilepsy at the age of three. As she got older her seizures got worse, averaging 150-200 staring spells every day… despite medication. By the time Brittany turned seven she had tried the ketogenic diet and various other treatments, survived a near-drowning incident, and had a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) implanted. The VNS cut the number of seizures Brittany experienced down to about 50-100 per day.

As she grew, Brittany was forced to take more and more medications to control her seizures. By the time she was 13, Brittany was taking Lamictal, Depakote, and Felbatol. Going into the seventh grade, she was just 56 inches tall, weighed 77 pounds, and was averaging at least one hospitalization every other month. The odds of Brittany succumbing to Sudden Unexplained Death from Epilepsy (SUDEP) were a terrifying 1 in 5.

Marj remembers her feelings of desperation and urgency to find a treatment to save Brittany. “We had to do something, and HBOT was suggested,” Marj recalls. Brittany’s neurologist was not terribly supportive of the idea, feeling that it would be a waste of time and money. After informing him that they would find someone else to write the prescription for HBOT if he wouldn’t, he skeptically gave in. Brittany started Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on June 13, 2006.

Marj kept a journal of Brittany’s time at Sara’s Garden. In it she wrote, “We have such hope that this will improve things and, at the same time, I’m playing the skeptic, wondering, as always, when the other shoe will drop. Everyone is going into this not knowing what to expect because HBOT has never been investigated as a treatment for epilepsy alone. This could be groundbreaking, or it could be a total flop. Only time will tell…I have to learn to be patient and this is going to be the supreme test. I want this to work so badly that sometimes I can’t wait to see the results. Yet, I know this is a slow process, if we even see any improvement at all. Only time will give us the answers.”

Throughout her treatment process, Brittany had good days and not so good days, but the changes they noticed were well worth the investment of time and money to Marj. Brittany’s seizure activity was greatly reduced! She was able to go several days with no seizures at all. Her appetite also increased greatly and she gained six pounds in just two weeks of HBOT. In her journal, Marj frequently shared her fears of getting her hopes up or hoping for too much. One such entry stated, “I guess I wanted to see this huge change all at once, forgetting that I need to be patient and let this be a process instead of an event. It’s just that I want so much for her.”

Eventually, Marj saw the changes in Brittany that she had been hoping and praying for. Brittany’s hand tremors, fine motor coordination, cognitive ability, and recall all improved. Marj wrote, “Her printing and coloring have really improved. She’s taking her time when she writes and she’s staying inside the lines when she colors. Sara’s Garden is a true blessing. We’ve seen more improvement in three weeks than we could have hoped for all summer – better seizure control, less impulsivity, better recall and cognition, and improved fine motor control. Hopefully, this is only the beginning!” And it was… Brittany celebrated her 13th birthday and her last day of HBOT at Sara’s Garden, complete with balloons, card, and chocolate. Within four months of completing 40 dives, Brittany had grown four inches and started her period.

Current research shows that HBOT, in most cases, will decrease seizure activity, improve cerebral circulation, and provide the brain with more oxygen. In one long-term study, HBOT was found to be effective in reducing seizure activity in 82% of children and was significantly effective in 68%. 43% were able to stop taking their anticonvulsant medication with others greatly reducing theirs. After three years, 53% were seizure-free with an additional 25% only experiencing one to two seizures a year. While HBOT is not effective for everyone, it can improve the lives of many, many epileptic children… children just like Brittany.

In July 2016, Brittany celebrated her 23rd birthday. Marj shared, “Ten years ago, Brittany had her last dive on her 13th birthday. Our success at Sara’s Garden was a major turning point in the treatment of her intractable epilepsy. Since then, she has graduated from Lake High School (2012), completed the Life Skills Program at Penta Career Center (2015), moved into a group home run by Luther Home of Mercy (2015), and started working part-time in the cafeteria at Mercy St. Charles Hospital (2016). Today, Brittany turns 23 years old, and our prayer of thanks includes the staff of Sara’s Garden for the love, compassion and care that we ALL received 10 years ago. I have no doubt in my mind that HBOT started the cascade of successes that we have seen over the past 10 years! Thank you Sara’s Garden for helping to literally save Brittany’s life!”

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy services at Sara’s Garden, Brittany’s life is now much different than it was 10 years ago. HBOT was a huge turning point in her treatment and the start of a quality of life that, until then, they only dreamed of. For Marj, some of the days she will never forget now include the days that Brittany started and completed HBOT at Sara’s Garden. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

Extremely Premature. Abundantly Blessed.

Fragile, tiny twins battling for their lives. After trying to get pregnant for over two years, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. There had been no complications. There had been no warnings. Yet somehow, that was the fate that Selah and Brynn were facing. These beautiful twins were born extremely premature after only 25 weeks’ gestation to first time parents, Ben and Kelsey, each weighing under 2 lbs.

Kelsey had experienced no issues during her pregnancy. She simply woke up one morning with contractions. After calling her doctor, Kelsey was instructed to head to the hospital to get checked out just to be safe. Doctors started running a myriad of tests but couldn’t determine why she was in labor. Even worse, they couldn’t find a way stop it. Five hours after arriving at the hospital, Selah started coming down the birth canal. Doctors immediately made the decision to deliver both girls through emergency cesarean. They feared that if they allowed Selah’s delivery to continue without intervention, the process would almost certainly kill her.

While this quick thinking saved the girls lives, their battle had only begun. Premature babies are not yet fully equipped to deal with life in our world. They are naturally behind in their development. They are forced to learn to do a lot of things on their own that should be done for them inside the womb. Additionally, their tiny bodies still have many underdeveloped systems such as the lungs, digestive system, immune system and skin. Babies do a lot of developing during the final trimester of pregnancy, and if they’re born early, they face a significant uphill battle.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among newborns. Those who survive are more likely to have lifelong health problems such as developmental delays, hearing loss, blindness, chronic lung disease, and cerebral palsy than full-term babies. About 25 percent of extremely premature infants (those born before 32 weeks’ gestation) suffer significant, long-term impairment of brain development. Ben and Kelsey were told Selah and Brynn had an 80% chance of surviving. The news was devastating, but Ben and Kelsey were optimistic as the girls appeared to do great the first 24 hours. There were no issues at all. That’s when their worlds were turned upside down.

The day after they were born, Selah and Brynn experienced pulmonary bleeds and struggled progressing. A few days later, it was discovered that both girls had an intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), also known as a brain bleed. IVH of a newborn is bleeding into the fluid-filled areas (ventricles) inside the brain and occurs most often in babies that are born prematurely. Selah had a severe grade 4 bleed on the left side of her brain and a moderate grade 2 bleed on the right. Brynn had severe grade 4 bleeds on both sides. Because there is no way to stop bleeding associated with IVH, Ben and Kelsey were told that both girls would require surgery to place a tube (shunt) in their brains to drain fluid in hopes of relieving the pressure. Because of the severity of the bleeds, doctors told Ben and Kelsey that if they survived, both girls would never be able to eat or walk on their own and many other areas of their development would be significantly delayed.

Their initial brain scans following the bleeds showed a tremendous amount of damage. Seeing what little remained of their brains left a pit in Ben and Kelsey’s stomachs. Both girls had to undergo multiple brain and eye surgeries and have experienced health and development issues including hydrocephalus, pulmonary hemorrhages, respiratory distress, PDA, bowel issues and infections. In all, Selah and Brynn spent more than 4 months in the NICU before they were allowed to go home, connected to a host of tubes and leads to monitor everything from oxygen levels to sleep apnea.

Ben & Kelsey were determined to do whatever they could to give their girls the best chance to beat the odds stacked against them and provide a brighter future than doctors had predicted. As soon as they were released from the hospital, Selah and Brynn started receiving Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden. The family noticed changes immediately. From the moment treatments started, the sleep apnea monitors, which had been going off constantly, no longer registered any alerts or events. After just 2 days of treatments, Selah went from having eyes that bounced, floated, and disappeared below her eye lids, to looking around and trying to maintain a gaze. She is now able to track toys of all shapes and sizes about a foot away from her face and her eyes no longer float away or bounce!

Prior to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, both girls were extremely far behind on their developmental charts. After two rounds of HBOT treatments, that is no longer the case. Brynn has now completely caught up to her adjusted age and Selah is making great strides. Both can now roll over and are gaining trunk and head control every day. Selah is gaining awareness and strength in her right side and beginning to use it considerably more. Brynn is crawling all over the place and can sit independently by herself.

To look at her scans, you would never know that Brynn had experienced severe grade 4 bleeds on both sides of her brain. In fact, Brynn’s next MRI following HBOT treatments showed that her brain had almost completely healed. The right side of Selah’s brain looks amazing as well. Her left side, while healing slower than the right side, has still improved dramatically. There has been so much healing and improvement in both girls’ brains that their neurosurgeons announced that no additional surgeries would be necessary. Ben and Kelsey were overjoyed when they were able to cancel the follow-up surgeries that had already been planned!

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy services at Sara’s Garden, Selah & Brynn have begun shattering the limitations that were placed over them when they were born. Ben and Kelsey are certain that God has big plans for Selah and Brynn. They feel abundantly blessed to be able to witness their continued growth and watch how their stories unfold. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

Some Miracles Come in Pairs

Twins. Twins?! For Brittany, this revelation should have brought with it a sense of expectation and joy. Instead it was followed by an overwhelming sense of despair. Brittany was informed that while she was carrying twins, there were severe complications that would put her life, and the lives of her unborn children, at risk.

At her 10-week ultrasound, Brittany was diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), an exceedingly rare and potentially lethal condition that can occur in identical twins. Abnormal blood vessels in the shared placenta had caused their umbilical cords to fuse together. Because of these shared connections, one baby (Lukas) was getting an overabundance of nutrients while the other baby (Liam) was being deprived of what he needed to grow. Not only was this potentially fatal for the twins, but it put Brittany’s life in jeopardy as well. Doctors urged her to have an abortion. When she refused, Brittany was placed on immediate bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy.

Following Brittany’s 23-week ultrasound, doctors delivered more bad news regarding Liam. His arms were contracted, there were problems with his heart and he had Gastroschisis, a rare birth defect of the abdominal wall in which the baby’s intestines stick outside of their body. The news was devastating to Brittany. However, she never lost faith that Liam would be a fighter and could somehow overcome this.

Over the next few months, Brittany went into labor multiple times. Each time the doctors were able to stop it. However, at 31 weeks, they allowed the delivery to continue because there was concern that Lukas was receiving too much fluid and was in jeopardy of rupturing. Lukas was born not breathing with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and had to be resuscitated. Miraculously, despite being without oxygen during the delivery, Lukas did not suffer a traumatic brain injury or sustain any damage or negative repercussions from the TTTS. When Liam was born, he was immediately rushed into surgery in hopes of resolving his Gastroschisis.

Brittany spent the next three months in the NICU with both boys. Liam was ultimately diagnosed with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC), a rare neuromuscular condition that causes many joints to be stiff and crooked at birth. Doctors told Brittany that Liam would never use his arms… that they would be completely useless. He would need to learn to do everything with his legs and feet. She was told that Liam would spend his entire life enduring painful therapies that would do nothing for him and give him little to no improvement in his arms.

While in the NICU, Liam was also diagnosed with a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), an unclosed hole in his aorta. Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary artery—are connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus. This vessel is an essential part of fetal blood circulation. After birth, this vessel is supposed to close as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby’s circulation. In some babies, however, it remains open allowing oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to mix with oxygen-poor blood from the pulmonary artery. This can put strain on the heart and increase blood pressure in the lung arteries.

When Liam was 4 months old doctors informed Brittany that he would need surgery to repair the hole in his heart. Liam’s lungs were not functioning properly because there was not enough oxygenated blood coming from his heart. That very night Brittany was up late watching television when she saw a commercial for Sara’s Garden that brought her to tears. Liam’s surgery was only a month away. Could this possibly help in time and prevent surgery? The next morning, she called her doctors back and told them she wanted Liam to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Conductive Education. Even though they told her that it was a complete waste of time and money, Brittany knew in her heart this was something she needed to do for Liam.

The first 4 months of Liam’s life were a struggle for survival. He was far behind in many developmental goals and milestones. He was also very lethargic and apathetic towards any activity. His arms and shoulders hung limp at his sides and did absolutely nothing. Soon after starting HBOT and CE, Liam’s personality finally began to emerge. He was no longer sleeping all the time. He began playing… and smiling. His joint flexion in arms began improving dramatically.

Following Liam’s initial round of HBOT, Brittany took him to the doctor for his scheduled well check in preparation for surgery. What was supposed to be a simple pre-surgical meeting turned into over 4 hours of testing. Specialist after specialist was called in to test and retest Liam. Something was different and no one believed what was being seen. By the time they left, the doctors had cancelled Liam’s surgery and ordered reductions in his oxygen and heart medicines. The cardiologist that had told Brittany that HBOT would be a waste of money and that surgery was his only hope was now speechless after the echo and ultrasound showed an amazing transformation: His heart was contracting normally, the murmur was virtually undetectable and the hole in heart was closing!

Liam is continuing to make progress and is beginning to meet his developmental goals and milestones. Doctors have said that Liam’s hands and fingers are now phenomenal. While his arms are still affected by his Arthrogryposis, Liam is now able to use them. He feeds himself. He grabs things off of tables. Most importantly to Brittany, he keeps pace with his brother and other kids that he plays with at church.

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Conductive Education services at Sara’s Garden, Liam is a happy little boy who is defeating all of the odds that had been put against him. He is completely off all of his heart medications. Brittany knows that miracles do happen… and sometimes they come in pairs. She is confident that HBOT and CE have given Liam a chance at a much higher functioning life. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… and Sara’s Garden can help you find it.

The Empty Wheelchair

Most people spend the first week of a new year with great intensions of making healthy, life-changing goals and resolutions, and then worrying about how long it will be until they break them. For Mary, 2015 brought with it completely new and unexpected goals: survival and recovery.

Just after the first of the year, Mary suffered a series of severe strokes that left her fighting for her life. The result of the oxygen deprivation to Mary’s brain tissue had devastating consequences as she was no longer able to use her left arm or leg. When she was stabilized, Mary was transferred to a long-term care facility where she could receive intense therapy services in hopes of regaining her lost motor function.

Before Mary’s strokes, she enjoyed a very active, independent lifestyle both around her house and out in the community. She also was very conscious regarding her diet and physical health. For Mary, now being confined to a wheelchair was mentally and emotionally draining. Instead of healing and recovering from her strokes, Mary’s family watched her slip further and further away and feared that she might never reclaim her independence. They grew increasingly concerned that the medications she was now taking were having an adverse effect on Mary. Her cognitive abilities became obscured and she felt confused about almost everything. She sensed that she was literally losing her mind. Instead of rebuilding her motor skills, Mary began losing upper body trunk control and was no longer even able to even get out of bed on her own.

Most people have experienced a close relative or friend who has suffered a stroke that has left them crippled or unable to function by themselves, or without the ability to eat, understand or communicate. The end result of these severe strokes is often the same; patients with significant disabilities need round-the-clock advanced care. As in the case of Mary, the needs of the patient and family members after a stroke are enormous. Mary’s family knew that they needed to act fast or they ran the risk of watching her continue on this downward spiral into a complete loss of independence.

They began researching additional treatment and therapy options for Mary. What they discovered was that through the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), medical researchers have found a way to restore a significant amount of neurological function in brain tissue long thought to be permanently damaged by stroke, traumatic injury, and metabolic disorders.

The brain typically consumes 20 percent of the body’s oxygen, but that is only enough oxygen to operate five to ten percent of neurons at any one time. The regeneration process needed for healing following a traumatic brain injury requires much more energy. The significant increase in oxygen levels during Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy supplies the necessary energy for rebuilding neuronal connections and stimulating inactive neurons to facilitate the healing process. This neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.

Additionally, when cells in the brain die, either from trauma or lack of oxygen, blood plasma leaks out into surrounding brain tissue causing swelling and reducing blood flow. These otherwise normal cells go dormant because they can’t function without the appropriate amount of oxygen. HBOT dramatically increases the amount of oxygen being carried in the blood plasma, making oxygen available to heal damaged capillary walls, preventing plasma leakage and reducing swelling. As the swelling decreases, blood flow can be restored to the dormant tissue (neovascularization) giving these cells the potential to function once again.

Research indicates that HBOT can lead to significant neurological improvements in post stroke patients even at chronic late stages. The neurological improvements observed in these late stages demonstrate that neuroplasticity can be achieved and activated by HBOT even years after a brain injury occurs.

In February, five weeks after Mary suffered her strokes, she started Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden. After the first hour of treatment she began lifting her left leg. Her daughter wept. A few days later, her family checked her out of the rehab center and took her home. The following week Mary regained the use of her legs enough that she began walking again. After three weeks she was able to shower on her own. During the fourth week of treatments, Mary was back to making bread and doing the dishes. As time went on, Mary continued to get even stronger. She was able to return to a schedule that was very close to her life before the strokes.

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Mary finally has her independence back. The wheelchair that served as a frustrating reminder that life was never going to be the same is now empty. It was hard work and her family pushed her, but they contend that it was the services she received at Sara’s Garden that ultimately gave Mary her life back. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

Life Beyond a Wheelchair… One Step at a Time

October 7, 2015
4:06 am
Success Stories: CE, Success Stories: HBOT

Who doesn’t enjoy a relaxing drive in the country on a beautiful, sunny day? Windows down… breeze blowing. Have you ever thought for one second that something as seemingly harmless as a receipt blowing in your face could alter the course of your life forever? That’s exactly what happened to Hannah.

On May 20, 2013, Hannah was driving down a country road on her way to a friend’s house. It was a warm day and the air conditioning in her car was broken so she had rolled her windows down to keep cool. A receipt from her back seat became suspended in the breeze and swirled around the car before startling Hannah by landing directly on her face.

As she reached up to brush the receipt away her car veered off the road striking a mailbox. As she regained control of the car she glanced back over her shoulder to see what she had hit. This reaction caused her to cross the centerline of the road and head straight towards the opposite ditch. In a panic, she over-corrected and lost control of the vehicle. Before she knew it, Hannah blacked out as the car was flipping over multiple times before coming to rest in a field. When she regained consciousness, Hannah realized that she could not move her legs and had no feeling from her waist down.

Hannah’s initial MRI just prior to surgery showed that she had suffered a complete spinal cord separation. Three weeks later, Hannah was tested and downgraded to a Level B incomplete spinal cord separation (T11-T12) in her lower back on the ASIA Impairment Scale. The only feeling that Hannah had below her waist was an intense burning and stinging sensation in her feet, thought to be from significant nerve damage sustained in the accident.

Hannah and her family were devastated when they learned the severity of the injury. Doctors told her that she only had a 0.1% chance of ever walking again. Hannah was determined to prove them wrong. After being released from the hospital, Hannah spent countless hours in physical therapy working towards being able to stand and take steps with leg braces. Before long, Hannah’s insurance wanted her discharged from therapy as it was felt she had reached her greatest level of attainable function. She wasn’t making enough noticeable gains. Therapists believed that Hannah was ready to live her life independently… in a wheelchair.

Hannah would not accept this limiting outlook for her future. Despite the fact that she was not yet walking, Hannah believed there was still considerable room for increased functionality and independence. Thankfully, Hannah and her family discovered Sara’s Garden. They learned how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Conductive Education have been extremely successful in treating people who suffered from serious accidents and injuries, in many cases improving the client’s fine and gross motor skills and physical healing.

Midway through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treatments, Hannah started noticing feeling returning in her lower back and bladder. She also began experiencing significant relief from the burning nerve pain in her feet. She started having better results in her physical therapy sessions. Her therapists noted that she was using her legs more and was recording faster times in her exercises.

Immediately following HBOT, Hannah was evaluated for Conductive Education services. The conductors felt that Hannah could benefit from CE services, despite the fact that Conductive Education was not a widely accepted treatment modality for people with spinal cord injuries. Having just completed over 19 months in physical therapy, Hannah was skeptical about what CE would really be able to do for her but was encouraged by this new opportunity for increased independence.

Hannah began Conductive Education at Sara’s Garden on May 12, 2015, nearly two full years after her accident. It only took one week of Conductive Education to convince Hannah that this was what she had been looking for. Instead of spending her time working on accepting her fate and living independently in a wheelchair, Hannah felt challenged to push further by people who believed she could continue to progress beyond life in a wheelchair.

Hannah received Conductive Education 3-5 times per week for five months. At the time of her initial CE evaluation, Hannah was not able to maintain a free sitting position, achieve or maintain a standing position, or walk without Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses (KAFOs) and maximum physical help. Through Conductive Education services, Hannah’s leg strength has improved dramatically. She is now able to achieve and maintain a free sitting and standing position wearing only Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) and is currently working on walking with canes. When Hannah visits with her previous therapists they are shocked and amazed at how far she has come in only five months.

Generations ago, many people living with such severe paralysis may have been confined to wheelchairs or institutions, unable to perform even the simplest daily tasks like driving a car or getting dressed. Today, however, it is clear that people living with paralysis can live even healthier, more productive, and independent lives than was ever thought possible.

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Conductive Education services at Sara’s Garden, Hannah now has more hope than ever before. Hope for a better quality of life. Hope for more independence and a better future. Like Hannah, no matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… and Sara’s Garden can help you find it.

Breaking the Chain of Pain

It was supposed to be a small surgery. Simple. In and out. In May of 2009 Kevin had what was supposed to be minor outpatient surgery to relieve pain in his left big toe brought about by years of arthritis. Unfortunately for Kevin, his healing process turned out to be anything but minor.

Following his surgery, Kevin began to experience an intense, burning pain in his left calf muscle. His doctor suggested that he get an ultrasound of his left leg. The ultrasound revealed that Kevin had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his leg. He was immediately hospitalized for treatment. Over the next three years, Kevin was placed a variety of blood thinners to treat recurring blood clots in his left leg. In the spring of 2012 Kevin traveled to the Cleveland Clinic in hopes of determining why he kept having these painful blood clots and unexplained weight loss.

Specialists at the Cleveland Clinic were not able to determine why Kevin was experiencing this ongoing pain in his left leg. However, they assured him it was definitely not from blood clots. Kevin was referred to a pain management consultant who began treating his growing leg pain. He went through months of physical therapy, more than a dozen sympathetic nerve blocks, an implanted spinal cord stimulator and a radio frequency neurotomy to cauterize the nerves to his left leg. Sadly, none of these treatments gave Kevin any lasting relief. He continued to suffer from chronic, debilitating pain on a daily basis.

Doctors ultimately diagnosed Kevin with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). RSD is a rare disorder of the sympathetic nervous system that is characterized by one of the most severe levels of pain on the McGill Pain Index. This continuous and intense pain is out of proportion and beyond the severity of the original injury, and gets worse rather than better over time.

A good day for Kevin was when he simply had a burning sensation in his leg that felt like the most severe sunburn he had ever experienced. On his worst days it felt like someone had a piece of sandpaper and was constantly rubbing it up and down his leg. There were times that he couldn’t even put bed sheets on top of his legs because of the intense pain they caused. Kevin struggled to get a good night’s sleep as any movement during the night was extremely agonizing.

At work, Kevin depended on a motorized cart to get around the department store he managed. The fog of his every day pain made it difficult for him to remember anything, including client’s and staff member’s names. Every bit of energy or focus Kevin had was devoted to coping with the pain. There was little left for him to function. There were times that Kevin had to call someone to pick him up because he was in too much to even drive himself home.

Kevin’s situation became so dire that he started working with a psychologist in order to help him deal with the loss of normal, everyday life. He needed painkillers and sympathetic nerve blocks just to cope with the constant, intense pain. Ultimately, Kevin’s condition forced him to alter his career path. He had to take a step back and begin managing a much smaller store, considerably farther from home, just so that he could make it through the week.

Doctors had no answers for Kevin’s condition. They merely suggested increasing the dosages of his prescriptions. Sadly, the medications just left him feeling drowsy and lethargic… yet still in constant misery. Nothing was working to control the pain. Thankfully for Kevin, he had family members who personally experienced healing and relief from Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. They worked on him for over a year, encouraging him to look into HBOT because of the success they had with the treatments.

Five weeks before coming to Sara’s Garden, Kevin’s pain had become so unmanageable that he was no longer even able to work. All of his time was spent at home resting or at his various treatments. He had absolutely no energy and did not even feel well enough to perform simple household tasks. His family was at a loss, feeling that they were losing Kevin as he retreated farther into solitude and despair.

When Kevin finally arrived at Sara’s Garden for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treatments he was guardedly optimistic that it would be able to provide him any long lasting relief. The mask of pain on Kevin’s face was very evident. Initially his pain would gradually subside while he was inside the chamber and then return shortly after finishing treatments. As Kevin progressed through his round of treatments, his relief became more and more sustained. A smile began appearing on Kevin’s face each day… before, during and after treatments.

Not only was Kevin getting better personally. He was also connecting with all of the other people he was receiving treatment with, his new chamber family. For the first time in years, Kevin began experiencing an overwhelming and emotional sense of hope. This was also a very emotional time for his family. They commented on more than one occasion that they felt they were finally getting their dad back.

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Kevin has his life back. He states that without a doubt HBOT has saved his life. Kevin has been able to reduce his pain medications and is in the process of eliminating them altogether. He has shared countless hugs and tears with family, friends and co-workers who are thrilled to finally have the old Kevin back again. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

The Battle Began When the Tours Were Over

Called the “Signature Wound” of the war, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) caused by explosions has become one of the most prevalent combat wounds suffered by soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. While severe TBI can leave a person incapacitated, even a mild TBI (mTBI), often known as a concussion, can lead to debilitating symptoms including headaches, balance control, hearing problems, lack of self-control, mood changes, ringing in the ears, problems sleeping and memory loss.

Situations in Afghanistan and Iraq, where troops are likely to face multiple deployments and repeated ambushes by roadside bombs or improvised explosive devices (IEDs), are especially conducive to suffering a TBI or mild TBI. Additionally, according to recent studies, traumatic brain injuries sustained during deployments appear to increase the risk of troops experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Unfortunately, for many soldiers returning home from service, the battle begins when the tours are over.

Jeremy was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and was stationed at the Abu Ghraib Prison / Central Detention on the western edge of Baghdad. His unit was heavily attacked with mortars five nights a week on a consistent basis while he was stationed there. During that period, he and many other members of his unit began to experience migraine headaches, nausea and dizziness from the exposures as well as the hazardous environment around them.

Following that initial tour of duty, Jeremy deployed to Iraq for a second tour at the end of 2004, this time stationed in Tikrit. His unit immediately began providing convoy security to transport equipment, material and personnel all across the country. They ran over 200 missions and were exposed to numerous ambushes, RPG attacks and IED explosions. The constant headaches, loss of sleep, hearing and vision problems only worsened and increased in severity and frequency.

Sadly, stories like Jeremy’s are far too common for soldiers returning from service. Just how many troops are affected is difficult to know. Sections of the government have released numbers ranging from 50,000 (Department of Defense) to 115,000 (the Pentagon), while the Brain Injury Association of America estimates the number at 360,000 and RAND corporation has suggested it could be as high as 400,000.

Unfortunately, it may be impossible to arrive at an exact number. Many soldiers are reluctant to be diagnosed for TBI. Many service members have said they refused to seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they were afraid that their unit leaders would treat them differently or cause their peers to lose confidence in their abilities. Others feared that admitting they suffered from a TBI would harm their future careers after they got out of the service. Because many are unwilling to ask for help, they resort to alternatives to cope with the disorder, such as alcohol abuse, physical violence and even suicide.

According to Stop Soldier Suicide, every single day over 22 veterans and active duty soldiers take their own lives. Burdened with the stigma associated with mental health issues and the military “shame” surrounding TBI and PTSD, they instead turn to suicide as their only option to relieve their suffering.

Thankfully, that’s not how Jeremy’s story ended. He recognized that the issues he was facing were very serious and it caused him to seek out help. He discovered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and Sara’s Garden through Stop Soldier Suicide and the Wounded Warrior Project. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Ohio Charities learned of Jeremy’s story and stepped in to help fund his needed round of HBOT treatments.

Jeremy was excited to try a different form of treatment. All of the prescription drugs he had been taking were completely ineffective. Years after his discharge from the service, he was still unable to function and perform normally. For years he had been living a life with constant headaches, from minor to completely debilitating. As excited as Jeremy was to begin HBOT, he was equally as skeptical. He had serious doubts that sitting in a chamber breathing oxygen could help rescue him from this life of nonstop pain.

Jeremy was amazed at the immediate relief he began experiencing from the treatments as his headaches began to subside. After only one week in the chamber Jeremy was seeing recognizable improvements in a number of areas as his energy level and appetite were both increasing. The pain in his shoulder and lower back began to subside and he began sleeping 3-4 hours per night, which he had not been able to do in over 10 years.

By the end of his round of treatments, Jeremy was migraine free! In fact, he had not experienced a severe migraine from the moment he started treatments. His sleep patterns continued to improve to the point where he was now experiencing 5-6 hours of uninterrupted and restful sleep every night. The pain in his shoulder and lower back had improved to the point that he was able to begin working out and exercising again and allowed him to begin spending more time playing with his kids. Most importantly, Jeremy was able to reduce, and in some cases, eliminate his need for pain medications.

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Jeremy rejoices that his life has been restored. He has stated that he is forever grateful to compassionate and caring staff at Sara’s Garden. He firmly believes that every soldier could benefit from HBOT and is passionate that it should be easily accessible and available to veterans returning home from service. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.