This past week I started the treatment for the Staph infection in my leg that has dogged me for 6 years. I am being treated with a relatively new and highly succesful technique involving oxygen under pressure. I have been reading about it for a few years and have wanted to try it, but couldn't get it done in such technologically backwards places as Florida…
When I first entered to room with the hyperbaric chamber I thought perhaps they had found a use for the Confederate submarine the CSS Hunley. The chamber is a steel cylinder perhaps 2 meters (2.2 yards) in diameter and 6 meters (6.6 yards) long. There is an entry hatch at each end. The end closest to the entrance to the room has metal steps going up to it. On the right side of the cylinder's outside is a control panel, which is linked to the inside by an intercom. There are also three small circular windows on each side of the cylinder.
Last Monday our office manager came with me to smooth the path for me. I think they were taking side bets about whether or not I could get through the hatch without buttering up my sides. I fooled them. From my capacious bum to my inflated head is just short enough that I can get in if I sit on the bottom of the hatch. Since I won't be growing any taller, I think I am safe.
The sensations of the hyperbaric chamber are very similar to that of an airplane. I am sharing the chamber with three other patients and a technician. We face each other on benches on opposite side. It is made to hold 8 people, so we are not crowded. One very old gentleman is put into the chamber on a gurney.
Anyway, after we are all loaded up the hatches are closed and the air is pumped in. The sound is very much like that of a jet flying at high altitude. The pressure increase causes the chamber to heat up a bit. I was prepared for this so I took off my sweater.
The pump oxygen in until it reaches the equivalent of 3 atmospheres–three times the pressure of the air at sea level. Then we have oxygen masks put on so that our bodies are being oxygenated from inside and outside for about 90 minutes.
When they depressurize the chamber, the air gets very chilly and the sweater goes back on.
When we “land” and get back to normal we pile out of the chamber and head for home.
After several days of treatment my primary wound seems to be drying up, and several small wounds seem to be healing rapidily. They tell me they want to do this for 4 weeks–that is a big committment of time for me as I have to block out 09.30-13.00 to accomodate getting there and back.
One last point I should make is that the staff, at every level has been courrteous and helpful. The cost of all of this: US$20/treatment.
i am glad to hear that you got hyperbaric treatment for your staph infection. this is an old standby treatment process. nothing new. nice to hear that they do have it in Uruguay. I hope that they are also treating you with antibiotics. this will be a very hard infection to get under control it will probably not ever be cured since now you are a carrier. it will resurface again. sorry. keep healthy and excercise.
Left by lisa pritchard on August 30th, 2006