What began as a tiny hole on the foot of one man grew into the diameter of a golf ball.
Willie Hyde, Fargo, chose Jamestown Regional Medical Center for care because it was the only facility in the state with the technology to heal his wound. A diabetic ulcer lesion more than a year ago left a hole in his left foot. Instead of healing over time, the hole grew. After surgeries and treatments in other facilities, Hyde’s medical team suggested he try JRMC.
“When you’re a diabetic, healing in your feet is always slow. But it has been progressively getting better, which has kept me going,” Hyde said.
Growing up in Benton Harbor, Mich., Willie “Joe” Hyde went to Michigan Technologic University to study mathematics, but left after two years to join the Navy. After spending six years as a Nuclear Reactor Operator on a submarine during the Cold War and having the opportunity to see the mountains of western Russia through a submarine, Hyde went to Michigan State University to earn a journalism degree and study Russian. Hyde earned a degree in Russian instead of journalism.
In the 1980s, Hyde moved to Fargo for a job in computer programming and held various computer-related positions until he retired in 2012. Since then, he has assisted his wife, Gayle, in coaching high school speech and debate.
Life changed in December 2016 after he stepped on an object and hurt his left foot. The hole developed into sepsis and would not heal, no matter what he did or the treatments he tried.
“Not being able to heal properly or walk correctly takes a toll on a person,” shared Hyde.
A Life Changed
But after a visit to the JRMC Wound Center, Hyde’s foot started to heal. Three weeks after his last hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment, the wound closed.
Essentia Health’s Dr. Jennifer Eldor shared, “There is nothing more satisfying than helping a person gain back their health and independence. With the JRMC Wound Care Clinic, I get to watch the transformation of chronic debilitating wounds to healed wounds on a consistent basis. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy aids in the healing process of several different diagnoses in collaboration with standard therapies. JRMC recognizes the excellent data and research and is the only wound center that offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy in North Dakota.” Dr. Eldor is the medical director of JRMC’s Wound Center.
Once he learned of JRMC’s Wound Center, Hyde knew where he would go for his care.
“JRMC has a great thing,” Hyde said. “After having been in the navy and military and having an analytical mindset, you tend to have extremely high standards. The crew at JRMC’s Wound Center meets those standards. I have never seen anyone deviate from required protocols and they watch out for each other.”
Hyde met certain wound care criteria, which made him eligible for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). In HBOT, patients enter a special pressurized chamber where they breathe concentrated oxygen while under atmospheric pressure. This high-pressure and additional oxygen helps fill the blood and repair tissues quickly. The JRMC Wound Center is the only hospital in North Dakota to offer HBOT.
“I have been very impressed with my treatment team that I have seen, especially Amanda Lausch. I trusted her right from the start,” Hyde said. “When you go through a multi-hour procedure numerous times each week, you get to know a person.”
“Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is considered adjunctive therapy. Meaning, it is the frosting on the cake so to speak,” shared JRMC Wound Center Family Nurse Practitioner, Amanda Lausch. “It is important that we provide additional therapies such as advanced wound care, taking pressure off the area, treating infection and many other factors. Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy gives a wound the much-needed boost to continue healing, but it cannot do the job alone. That is why we have a holistic approach here at JRMC.”
Thirty is the average number of ‘dives’ a patient experiences as part of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy process. Patients dive for two hours a day, five days a week. That’s a small price to pay, Hyde said, saying he will soon walk again after a full year in a wheelchair.
“I recently got a scooter,” he said with a smile. “It works great for outdoor use or for long corridors; however, I have a lot of upper body strength, so it’s easier to work a wheelchair for indoor use.”
As soon as Hyde receives the all-clear, he wants to get back on his bicycle.
“I have always been a cyclist. I like it more than running because you can go further in 30 minutes on a bicycle than by running. You see more too. I hope to ride 30-40 miles again soon.”
Most medical insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Contact your health insurance provider to find out more about what is covered and what costs may be out of pocket. If further financial assistance is needed, contact the JRMC business office and speak with a financial counselor at (701) 952-4823.