Uncommon treatment gives Lafayette woman new hope
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – A Lafayette woman says Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment is giving her hope after radiation side effects left her in unbearable pain. We take a look at how it works and why the treatment is uncommon despite the fact it’s been around for years.
“See you all later,” said Earlean Smith, who is recovering from radiation treatment.
Smith’s daughter Karen Combs replied, “Bye mama, see you in a couple hours.”
In a couple hours, 100 percent compressed oxygen in a tube will move Smith’s blood and allow damaged tissue to repair itself.
“You don’t feel any pain,” Smith said.
In fact, it’s not a bad set up.
“I have your video right here,” one medical professional says as Smith gets ready for her procedure.
Smith just lays there, water bottle in hand and the Andy Griffith show turned up.
“Is that loud enough?” Franciscan St. Elizabeth Central workers ask Smith.
“It’s a pleasant two hours, really,” Smith said.
It all started because Combs was determined to find a way to get her mother back. Radiation cancer treatment left Smith in chronic pelvic pain.
“I just spent some time looking on the internet and reading some research studies,” Combs said.
When she stumbled upon Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, she wondered why it was never suggested before. Dr. Mark Griffith says it’s not a common treatment.
“It makes good sense that if you can get more oxygen to an area, it’s going to heal better,” Dr. Griffith said. “But these are expensive, you can’t have them everywhere.”
However, Combs feels lucky it’s offered at Franciscan St. Elizabeth Central in Lafayette. She says the Monday-Friday treatment is working wonders on her mother.
“The amount of medication that she is no longer taking is amazing,” Combs said.
Combs said her mom acts like herself again.
“She wants to watch TV, and she sits up and plays scrabble on her nook, and talks to her sisters on the phone, and she’s able to stay awake and do all of those things,” said Combs.
Her success doesn’t surprise Dr. Griffith though.
“We see people who came in and couldn’t walk, and they walk out of here,” Dr. Griffith said. “And it’s just amazing to see how well it works.”
Smith describes how it feels when the treatment starts working.
“You’re glad after you’ve been not too hopeful, all of a sudden there is some hope,” said Smith.
There’s more hope to be had in Lafayette. The treatment doesn’t just work on radiation injuries, it helps a number of different wounds.
Franciscan St. Elizabeth Central has three Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy chambers. This service will be relocating to the East campus after the new tower is built.