An 8 x 11 notebook, coil-bound. That's how I keep track of everything I need to do, every day. Without it, I'd be in spinning confusion. I got to Shady Grove Adventist on Thursday, talked to Dan and Dr. Wenk, who also talked to Dr. Polun. I took notes on everything. How do the doctors evaluate progress, in my case in wound healing? Color and tissue viability.

Because of the flammability of the oxygen, great care is taken to keep any risk from the chamber. Patients/divers wear cotton scrubs, no makeup, no cream, no ointment, no deodorant, no jewelry, no bandages with velcro attachment (risk of a spark).  No petroleum-based products.  I was to go to the equivalent of 33 feet down, taking 10 minutes to reach that pressure, staying there for 90 minutes, and taking 10 minutes to repressurize. It sounded promising to me, it sounded promising to Dr. Polun. I was able to start the next day, Friday.

Fran took me out that day, and talked with Dan once I was in the chamber. I couldn't hear them but I could see their lively conversation on either side of the glass barrel I relaxed in.  It was like being in Starbucks with inter-table discussions around you.

A TV above the chamber and sound piped in bring whatever DVDs or videos you want. Over 30 sessions, I watched the Great Courses Understanding the Brain series, and a lot of movies I had missed lent me by Mary Gautier -- Akeelah and Bee, Remember the Titans, A Beautiful Mind. A bottle of water, labelless. It was pleasant.

You can feel the pressure as you are "descending" -- and as on a plane landing, you swallow, chew, yawn, and occasionally inhale, hold the breath and gently force the breathe interiorally into the ears to equalized the pressure.  There can be some pressure on "ascending." Same drill.  Don't give a thumbs up to indicate OK...that means "Take me up." Ok is the thumb-forefinger OK sign. Dan is very attentive to how the divers are feeling. I had only a feeling of well-being after almost 2 hours of each treatment.  And just to be clear, the chamber is absolutely stationary.

At the end of the Friday session, Dan told me Dr. Wenk recommended, and Dr. Polun agreed, that if I could get in on Saturday, they would open the unit for me. Once started, it's good to continue.  I called the cabbie.  He could do it. I was grateful to all of them.