Containing excitement: Is HBOT a possibility for Long Covid?

I have had 5 Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) treatments, and I have not wanted to write immediately upon sensing any change in my symptoms, because I wanted to determine if it was just me being hopeful. Experience has shown me over and over again, optimism will be followed by a crash if I do not spend my energy wisely. Discernment is my constant companion with this precious resource, energy.

Up until 2 years ago, I had always felt like I was 15. I have had the energy of a teen, and been told my entire life, " You have a ton of energy." Yes I know that. I could come across as the life of the party. Until now. The party was canceled.

What changed? Many things, but with regards to fatigue, explaining to a friend, I must view my energy like a bank account, with a real low interest rate. Just because I rested today, does not necessarily mean I will have more energy tomorrow. I have to gauge it daily. I must be mindful of my nutrition, sleep, and how, when, how long, and what time of day I do any task. It doesn't matter what it is. Compose an email, change the sheets, make a fire, read the mail, calculate anything, track an important conversation. Long gone are the days of inexhaustible energy along with running errands.

Two years ago, moving from the bed to the couch, and back again was my task. Once I went 5 days without a shower. I did not have it in me to stand up long enough to do all that. Lift my arms above my head and shampoo my hair? Are you kidding me? Just looking at and recognizing I had to use energy to get the heavy oversized bath towel off a hook exhausted me. So I was patient with myself, and waited until I had enough energy to take a shower. And that would be it for that day. It's as though I aged 70 years in a matter of months. What was going on? This is not me.

In early November 2023 life came to a complete halt, after another run to the Emergency Department (ED) for severe headache, vomiting and high blood pressure. Every time this happens it is so frightening because the symptoms are out of sync, exaggerated, more intense and acute, regardless of the system of organs involved. Later at home, I prayed to God to guide my steps, so we could figure out what was going on. I worried about energetically getting through the holidays. The shopping, the wrapping, the tree, then decorations. Inside and outside. I never had to think about this before. I just lived my life. But my life was and is not the same. I was motivated to get to the bottom of this, but I did not have the energy to get to the bottom of this.

So I had to change my life approach until I had an answer. With the exception of watching my two angels two days a week, and choir, any extraneous activities were off my calendar. This included my precious small groups, bible studies, friend meetups, and volunteering. My gracious husband took on almost all errands months earlier. I reduced frequency of necessary bi-monthly visits to monthly. One less visit a week saved me energy. My focus was self care, rest, appropriate exercise, nutrition, and being present to myself at all times so I could gauge my tank of energy. It became a full time job, 24 hours a day to manage myself. Five days after making this decision in November, I ended up in bed again for ten days with fever, cough congestion, and my old friends, fatigue, joint and bone pain and nausea. Both weekends before and after as well as Thanksgiving day I embraced either the moments I could sleep or lay down. I reviewed my diet again, and I eliminated my one cup of coffee a day, and later concluded as I told my daughter I could only watch the kids one day a week. My. Heart broke but I just could not physically do it. These needed decisions were beginning to cause an emotional and spiritual spiral downward. The medical community's belief Long Covid is accelerating the aging process, coupled with their honest and open admission they really don't have any answers created in me fear. Fear of my future, and paralysis was something I had to combat.

Reducing my energy out put definitely helped the fatigue and brain fog, however eliminating caffeine was a game changer for energy regulation. Without caffeine, my energy is evenly sensed and dispersed, not expended based on a false presumption of energy by the drug caffeine. Two weeks before Christmas, I found I could manage myself, and a bit of work around the house with proper pacing. Slowly, I progressed to where I could do one small in and out errand, but that would be it for the day. But only one errand. Even if stores were close to each to other, I had to prioritize. For those of you who suffer from this way of life, you know what I talk about.  

By mid-December 2023, I was regaining enough energy, to come up with a game plan. Here is what I knew. I knew I was not accepting this in my body, and the medical professionals, God bless them because I am one of them, openly admit they do not have many answers. There is not one Medical Center's Long Covid Clinic across America that is identical, because they are all chasing down the answers. This is a nightmare, and thank God I have a source to turn to. God, I know you have plans for me, and you can heal me. Show me the way. I am a healer, and a miracle worker through you. Work through me!

I googled treatment for Long Covid Near me. And here I came up with the Oxford Center. I visited this place mid-December, and listened to the theory, the testimonials, and read the research on Hyperbarid Oxygen Treatment (HBOT). It made sense to me, my husband was supportive, yet it is paid out of pocket. So for four weeks, I waited, prayed, considered, and discussed it with my physician who was on board with trying it medically. I waited some more. Until 2 weeks ago, when a bout of just the common cold sent me back to the ED. Over a course of twelve hours my airway became progressively more tight, until I could barely breath. I had enough wits to take prednisone, and struggling to breath, my husband and I made one more journey to U of M ED. We both had had it with this process taking over our lives. It's crazy making. You never know where it will strike next, and we were done.

I called The Oxford Center, scheduled the appropriate QEEG, and then took the plunge, no pun intended.

The results? Well this has been written over days. On Thursday when I titled this, I had just sat down at about 1:20pm. Prior to this, at 0730, I had my 5th treatment, from there I got an allergy shot, and then from there I ran to a furniture store, car wash, the bank for a cashier's check, CVS, the chiropractor, Meijers to go grocery shopping, before hitting the gym for my POTS training. I finished that, unloaded the car with my husband's help, and not tired, I sat down to be smart.

Now, I was blown away! I was not tired at all. I was not pushing myself, and when I sat down to write, I was tired in a satisfied way, not an exhausted way. However, remember discernment from the first paragraph? By 3 pm I wanted to nap, and by 6pm I knew I was unable to make it to choir by 7Pm. Choir is the one activity I treasure and will reserve energy to participate. But alas, I wisely stayed home and rested.

The next morning I woke clear headed, and I was fine energetically. I allowed wisdom to rule, and took naps daily since all of those errands, yet I have met the needs of subsequent days. In addition, my cognition is clear. My memory is ignited, and I felt normalcy return. My therapist known for decades exclaimed " Your back!" Well, the jury is taking their time, because I do not want to offer false hope, but I will say, I am quite encouraged. This morning, indeed I made it to sing in the choir, which fills me with joy. Just do not allow me to replace discernment with joy. May I have both in working order, until I am restored.

So I will continue with limited activities, with focus on healing while undergoing this treatment, and I believe miracles are in order. That is more who I am anyway. I am standing in the gap for victory over this entire experience. Thank God for his Mighty ways.