Special Report – Veterans and HBOT
The unfortunate truth is that countless veterans, just like Simon, repeatedly battle suicidal thoughts. They struggle from their battle wounds and PTSD with each passing minute.
These brave souls protected our country, and it’s beyond time that we protect their future. Thankfully there is hope in HBOT.
Watch the 30 Minute Special Report
Veterans are at especially high risk for suicide due to the injuries they’ve endured and the horrific images they’ve seen. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) rank high among the reasons why veterans are choosing death over living. But there is hope for new beginnings. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is helping war veterans turn their lives around.
In this Special Report, Edward diGirolamo, host of the HBOT News Network, dives into HBOT and what the state of North Carolina is doing to help get veterans this life saving therapy. We hear from Melissa Spain, CEO of the Community Foundation of NC East, as she discusses their involvement to get NC Senate Bill 442 passed; a bill that has appropriated funds to provide HBOT to NC veterans who suffer from TBI and PTSD.
We are also greeted by Elena Schertz, Nurse Practitioner at Extivita-RTP in Durham, NC. Elena gives us a tour of their state-of-the-art clinic where soldiers are receiving HBOT. One of their veteran patients, Simon LeMay, agreed to share his story with us to help spread the hope that exists within the world of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Meet a true American Hero, Simon LeMay, retired Sergeant Major with 25-years in the US Marine Corps. LeMay was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan five times during a ten year period. He lost his best friend in battle and witnessed horrific incidents of violence and injury among his Marine bothers. Although LeMay was blessed to avoid serious physical injury to himself, he did come home with an invisible wound of war.
IED exposures left him with a TBI and visions of war and death haunted him with PTSD. Simon turned to alcohol and pain pills to ease the emotional and physical pain, leading him down a dark tunnel of depression and suicidal thoughts that almost ended in demise.
After hearing about it from friends, his loving family talked him into trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help heal his brain injuries. LeMay received treatment at Extivita- RTP in Durham, NC and states after 20-30 treatments he started realizing that he was once again “starting to feel emotion,” with the sense of worthlessness disappearing and the suicidal ideation being no more.
“I started looking forward to the next day,” Simon exclaims.
Also included in this Special Report is a raw and personal interview with Cate, Simon’s wife. Today she is thrilled with Simon’s progress, even calling hyperbaric oxygen therapy “God sent.”
Guest
Organizations
For more information about the guest organizations featured in this special, please click on the links.
North Carolina Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Clinic
Extivita RTP
NC HBOT for Veterans Program
The Community Foundation of NC East
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Recent HBOT News
Clinical Trial – Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment to Treat Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)/Persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome (PPCS)
Objective/Hypothesis: An eight-week course of forty low-pressure Hyperbaric Oxygen
Treatment’s (HBOT’s) can significantly improve symptoms and cognitive function in subjects
with the persistent-post concussion syndrome (PPCS) of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
Clinical Trial – Comparison Between Two Different Parameters of Argon Plasma Coagulation in the Treatment of Chronic Radiation Proctitis: Historical Control Trial.
There is a wide variability of options for treatment of chronic radiation proctitis. However,
studies are still limited, usually case reports from a single center and few are comparative
studies between methods. Therefore, the choice of treatment is determined by availability and
local expertise for each method. The variability of treatment options range from
anti-inflammatory medical treatment, sucralfate, short chain fatty acids, antioxidants and
hyperbaric oxygen to such endoscopic and surgical treatments. Surgery is usually the last
therapeutic option due to the high morbidity and mortalityassociated. Various endoscopic
treatment modalities have been reported. Formalin topic is effective in up to 48% of patients
with chronic radiation proctitis.
The endoscopic treatment with argon plasma (APC) is low cost, easy to apply and
transportation, safe and effective in the treatment of rectal bleeding in patients with
chronic radiation proctitis. Currently, the APC is the preferred endoscopic modality.
Most studies on the use of APC in radiation proctitis showed benefit. The APC controls the
mild to moderate rectal bleeding in 80% to 90% of cases and improves symptoms of urgency,
diarrhea and tenesmus in 60% to 75% of cases.
Clinical Trial – Pilot Study Exploring the Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen in Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
By doing this study, researchers hope to learn the following:
– The safety of hyperbaric oxygen administration in the setting of the autologous
transplant
– The effects of hyperbaric oxygen administration on neutrophil count recovery and
engraftment