Hi Wendy,

My husband dealt with the same problems that Steve is facing. He hated HBO treatments too. But, it provided great benefits...more long term benefits than we realized at the time of the treatment. I hope you don't mind if I share this story, as it may help you to convince Steve to go through with the treatment.

After undergoing 67 HBO treatments, my husband's jaw continued to deteriorate and eventually broke. So, he had surgery to replace part of his mandible with a titanium plate. A week after the surgery, he developed an infection in the surgical site and a fistula (hole) in the back of his mouth. The doctors' first thought was to remove the titanium plate and let the infection and hole heal before putting the plate back in (two more surgeries). My husband did not want more surgery, so he asked the surgeon to try whatever he could to avoid it. They put him on IV, then oral, antibiotics and sent him for 20 more HBO sessions. This time, we drove an hour each way so he could go to a different hospital with a multiplace HBO chamber, which was less claustrophobic than the monoplace chamber. All the doctors involved said that the treatment plan was a very long shot. But, it worked!! The infection was cured and the hole healed. The reason this worked is because the HBO treatments had improved his blood flow to the area enough that he was able to beat the infection. Without the prior and current HBO, he would have faced two more surgeries. Now, he is very glad that he continued with the dreaded HBO treatments.

The benefits of HBO treatment are lifelong. And the increased blood flow may be helpful in ways that you may not even be contemplating yet. (It also caused his hair to grow, in case that offers some additional incentive!)

Good luck with convincing Steve to go forward.