Countless Blessings: Navy Veteran Finds Healing Through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

For Navy veteran Rick, every step had become a reminder of the challenges he faced after prostate cancer treatment.

Although his cancer journey was behind him, the radiation treatments that helped save his life left him with lasting bladder damage and chronic discomfort. Rick's provider referred him to Willamette Valley Medical Center's Wound Care Clinic to begin hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

What followed was an unexpected journey of healing.

Rick completed 43 HBOT sessions, spending two hours per treatment inside the hyperbaric chamber. The experience was not without challenges. Because of his PTSD, spending extended periods inside the chamber was difficult at first. But with the support of his wife, Cyndie, and Bryce, the clinic's safety director, Rick grew more comfortable with each session. HBOT delivers 100% oxygen in a pressurized environment, helping stimulate the body's natural healing processes by increasing oxygen delivery to damaged tissues.

The results have been remarkable.

The bladder issues caused by radiation treatment have improved significantly, providing relief from symptoms that once affected nearly every aspect of Rick's daily life. But the benefits did not stop there.

Rick began noticing improvements throughout his body. Neuropathy that had limited sensation in his feet began to ease. For the first time in years, he could feel his feet more normally and a stubborn callus on his left foot healed.

"My wife tickles my feet, and I can actually feel it!" Rick said with a laugh.

The changes went beyond sensation. Persistent pain subsided, his mobility improved, and for the first time in years, he no longer relied on a cane.

"I've used a cane for years," Rick shared. "Now I still carry it sometimes, but I don't need it."

In addition, persistent pain in his leg and groin disappeared. Even a lump on his head that had concerned him for years began to shrink.

For Rick, the treatments provided far more than physical healing. They restored comfort, confidence, and a quality of life he and Cyndie feared might never return.

Today, he is grateful for the care he received and the progress he has experienced.

"I came in to help my bladder," Rick said. "I never expected so many other things to improve, too. I wish more people could experience what I have."

Stories like Rick's remind us why we do what we do. Through advanced therapies, compassionate care, and commitment to healing, patients are finding hope, restored independence, and renewed strength every day at Willamette Valley Medical Center.