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A New Breath of Life - Hyperbaric Medicine Heals Patients: Patient Stories
For Dillard Bass driving a total of 6,400 miles—sometimes through the snow—was worth every minute.
A relatively healthy person for most of his life, Dillard found himself facing three serious health conditions beginning eight years ago: melanoma, blocked arteries that led to quadruple bypass surgery, and prostate cancer.
Because of serious radiation problems that resulted from prostate cancer treatment, Dillard lacked bladder control and experienced rectal bleeding. He needed a solution. “I was blessed when my doctor suggested I try the hyperbaric chamber offered at St. Joseph Medical Center,” he says. The retired ex-Navy officer traveled 80 miles each day for 80 days for treatment at the hyperbaric medicine unit in Tacoma.
Dillard feels that life is much more possible now. “I can travel in a car or train and enjoy myself. My wife, Anita, and I can do a lot more than we did before,” he says. “I’m looking forward to going to the beach and feeding the seagulls.”
