Category: hyperbaric therapy

The morning routine is just…so long. I’m genuinely surprised that no one has come up with an all-in-one solution yet. Something that just means you can roll out of bed, or maybe stay IN bed, and everything is done for you. Ding, here’s breakfast. Ding, teeth brushed. Ding, your hair is done, here are your clothes all laid out, facial hair trimmed to your specification…done.

I swear, getting ready in the morning is at the top of the ‘faff’ list, AND it means less sleep.

I got a bit of a brain-wave recently, when I was on a guided tour of the hospital’s new facilities. The place where I work has just jumped on the trend of those hyperbaric chambers to buy in Melbourne…you know, the ones that deliver oxygen therapy. Pretty sue our hospital is seriously behind the times even now, but then that’s exactly what I’d expect from a place with NO designated staff parking. Anyway, some of these hyperbaric chambers are portable, but others are all glass, with enough room for a person to fit comfortably inside. And at first I thought…gee, it’d be awesome if the beds of the future looked like this, and all that machinery down below was to brush your teeth and make you breakfast and do your hair. and the glass chamber was to keep the air at a perfect level so you get the best sleep.

But then I thought…people sleep in these things, right? And they’re in a new section of the building, so it’s not being used, right? I can basically sleep…AT work. And it’s all thanks to portable hyperbaric chambers, creating a wonderful atmosphere of comfort and general goodness. they said they’re opening up this wing in two weeks, so I’ve got that long to move my stuff here. That’s what…half an hour off my commute? Worth it. And I’ll learn how to use the oxygen chambers for maximum effect at the same time, for the benefit of my patients, so everyone can chill. It’s for a good cause in the end.

-Greg

Ever heard the expression “gym junkie”? This is not just a throw-away phrase to signify people who love working out. It actually comes from a serious disorder known as exercise addiction. Exercise addiction is a compulsion towards physical activity, and it’s a serious condition. You may be thinking, “I wish I had that!” because most people are lazy and have the opposite problem, but you have no idea how bad it is. Exercise addiction causes mental and physical strain and fatigue well above normal levels and can be damaging to one’s health. Since I joined AA — Athlete’s Anonymous — and started oxygen therapy in Melbourne, I’ve slowly been getting better.

My friends and family saw my condition deteriorating over a matter of months, as I could spend hours at the gym every night and wake up early for my 4 km pre-work run. Nobody could get through to me, I hadn’t faced up to the fact that I had a problem. Then the day came when I pushed myself way too far. I woke up at 5 am and decided to extend my morning run to 6 km. When I got to work, I was still not content with my work-out and so jogged during my half hour break instead of eating. After work, I went to the gym for my usual routine – treadmill, squats and weights. The last thing I remember is lifting a 10 kg dumbbell because I woke up twenty four hours later in hospital. I’d collapsed from exhaustion.

Since admitting that I have a problem and attending my AA meetings weekly, I’ve slowly been recovering from my exercise addiction. Now, I only workout once a day for half an hour and I spend another half hour afterwards having hyperbaric therapy. Melbourne doctors recommend sitting in the hyperbaric chamber after exercise to help the muscles regenerate, and mine are in a particularly sore and sorry state after how hard I pushed them. It’s going to be a long and tough road, but I’m looking forward to my recovery.