HBOT is going great!

We are nearing the end of Sam's first month of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and things are going great! He now LOVES to get in the "space ship" with dad. He watches a movie, plays PSP or Leapster, or usually all 3 at the same time! He runs downstairs, throws his gummy bears and games in and climbs in to wait for dad. What a difference from the first few times we had to grab him and zip him in.
So far, no miraculous changes, although speech therapy is reporting improvements and, aside from a few random screaming fits, his behavior has been on the positive side.
BM is still an issue but he's going about once a week which, believe it or not, is an improvement.
We will be keeping the unit for another month with the help of the UHC Grant we received, which will reimburse us for the speech therapy we've already paid for out of pocket, to help cover the HBOT.
I started a fundraising Cafe Press Shop for Sam and hope everyone gets a chance to visit and forward it to friends and family. The link is to the right of the front page of the blog. Every little bit helps!
Did have a couple of unpleasant experiences with his new liquid vitamins, Super NuThera. We've been putting it in a syringe to be sure he takes it, and we aren't wasting it by adding it to his juices that he won't drink. Problem is, it tastes awful and he really doesn't take it easily. The first time, he let it dribble out of his mouth onto the carpet in the dining room. The second time, we wrestled until I had squirted it all over him, myself, the ottoman, and the carpet in the family room. Did you know nothing takes out Super NuThera? In fact, oxy powder, hydrogen peroxide, and carpet cleaner all make it even brighter yellow than it was to begin with. Aside from bleach, I'm out of options! Even the company we buy it from had no better ideas than that. Guess I'll be getting that nice wood flooring I've been begging for.
Talk to ya'll soon!

HBOT update 6.18.08

Well, HBOT has been interesting. The first dive last week was difficult at first. He stepped into the "spaceship" with me, but then wasn't sure he wanted to be zipped in (neither was I!). I had to hold him screaming as she zipped us in and started the oxygen flow. Sam was extremely nervous and aggitated but settled down once the hissing quieted down and his movie started. The first dive was only 30 minutes long.
On the next dive, which was the next day, he climbed in okay and sat down but this unit had a very loud hiss and he was up in the front porthole telling Amy that it was too loud! He was climbing all over me to make contact with her. Once our ears pop, it's relatively boring. Sam watches his movie and eats skittles and I just lounge there with him laying on me. The last unit was also very warm inside and Amy said in the summer they get like that. I was getting very claustrophobic toward the end when I had nothing to drink, no air, and I was sweating. My ears hurt more than Sam's, I believe, and Angela said I could take Coricidin D for that. That dive and subsequent dives are 1 hour.
We don't have any dives scheduled this week because of camp but will be going again on Tuesday the 24th of June. I wish a unit was available for lease but was told there was nothing available until November! I might just lease a unit directly from the company, I don't know. The 1 1/2 hour drive one way is very difficult.
Haven't seen anything remarkable from Sam except maybe a slight increase in language. Instead of "sec-und" when he wants you to wait, he said "Wait a second." very clearly. And instead of "ho-home" he has been saying "home", with prompting. Could be speech therapy, could be HBOT. Two dives is really nothing to expect change from. Maybe the first 40.
I'll keep ya posted!

Story on HBOT

Came across this http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_printStory.cfm?storyid=18775 regarding HBOT. We start Sam's HBOT treatments tomorrow (Tuesday). I'm nervous about how to get him into his "spaceship" but am taking an arsenal of bribes. Hopefully it'll work. I'll keep ya posted.
Nancy