Shaken Baby Syndrome  March 2009

NEW

JJ's Testimony

At the Neurologist appointment two days ago, I was asked if we were to “go back” to HBOT for another treatment. Was it recommended? I said yes. The neurologist answered, good, and nodded her head with a smile on her face. I felt that was positive since the neurology department does not usually support any treatments not yet FDA approved. However, I would not call HBOT an “experimental” treatment. I admit I too was a little skeptical how something so simple as oxygen could improve my daughters well being but I had to give it a shot for her sake. I couldn’t live with myself asking the “what if” question for the rest of her life. So, we went.

I can say that God put us at the right HBOT facility. Susan Rodriguez, who owns the RAPID RECOVERY HYPERBERIC TREATMENT CENTER not only welcomed us, but she gave us continuous support, information, samples of vitamin supplements, which proved to be very beneficial (and later highly recommended by the neurologist). I was amazed at her vast knowledge of the details of the way HBOT works. She was able to explain to me in terms I could understand what each phase consisted of.

My daughter, who will be three in April came to treatments with little to no head control, failure to thrive, CP, Blindness, Hard of hearing, Infantile Spasms, seizure disorder, and unable to walk or talk. Her medical challenges come from a severe brain injury at the age of 3 months. She has been in therapy continuously with little improvement. Now HBOT was way out of my price range. I admit that. However, I knew I had to try it for her. We set about doing many fundraisers, wrote to every agency I could think of, talked to my church, and finally asked the public for help. I knew it was looked upon as a long shot but I also knew I had read many testimonies that kept me working towards out goal. I am the first to say it was not easy, but also the first to shout it was worth it! I wish I could write magic words that would leap off the page and get everyone who has medical challenges such as brain injury, autism, near drowning etc to go right down and try HBOT but I don’t. All I have is our experience. After just a few treatments, I noticed my daughter, JJ, was more alert. She went through stages that Susan explained and gave us literature to read which explained in more detail. She also has battled severe constipation and that has completely diminished. Fast forward, we are now home and I have noticed many “small” changes that are HUGE to me. She holds her head up for longer periods of time and her neck is much stronger. She is sleeping five hours straight at night verses waking up every hour or two through out the night. (A side benefit for me, I now get some sleep!) She is eating by spoon more, in fact every day she eats her lunch with the spoon rather than mostly a bottle of baby food. She “might” have some CVI, we have an eye appointment next week to see if there is any vision. She will now blink when things come close to her face, before she would do nothing. She is happy more through out the day. She laughs and smiles daily, rather than just once in awhile. She has this adorable personality that is blossoming before me. Like a tiny rosebud becoming an actual flowering rose. She is moving her mouth up and down wanting to speak so badly. She did say "ummm good" after eating a bite of mashed potatos, I was thrilled! She has said "Mom" twice. Was it hard to come up with the funding? Yes, I am on a fixed income due to a back injury but that didn’t stop me. Her improvements have been priceless. I am now working on more fundraisers so we can go again in six weeks. Let me tell you from experience, HBOT works.

With gratitude,

T B

Mother to J.J.