J.V. McKinney Raves About Wound Care Staff & Treatment Outcome

At the age of 88, Hickory resident J.V. McKinney has never been a traditional underwater “diver”. However, as of August 2016, he has logged an impressive 40 two-hour sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy “dives” at the CVMC Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbarics. While the treatments followed the recommendation of his oral surgeon, McKinney’s extraordinary experience both with the advanced technology of these procedures and the caring staff at the center motivated him to share his story with our readers here.

A cancer survivor, McKinney’s oral surgeon sent him to the center for a series of hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments before and after a tooth extraction. The adjunct treatment helped stimulate healthy tissue in his jaw area where prior radiation treatments compromised blood flow to his bone. The successful outcome of his treatments involved bathing the body in pure oxygen to promote robust tissue generating maximum healing outcomes — essentially from the inside out.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy takes place in a clear chamber that you can see out of while lying comfortably on a bed inside. There, McKinney could watch TV and/or relax in the pressurized chamber simulating depths of 53-feet while inhaling one hundred percent oxygen that his blood then carried to the injured area. In particular, he credits two of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Technicians at the Wound Care Center for easing his anxieties and providing daily care during the total 80 hours of treatments.

“Elise Lewis, RRT-RCD and Robin Shook, LPN were both outstanding and helpful in every way possible,” says McKinney. “Not just for me, but also for the other two male patients who shared my 1pm appointment times. During my first appointment with Dr. Alan Keys, he introduced me to his staff members and then had Elise take me to the treatment area for a thorough explanation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.”

McKinney knows a thing or two about customer care. Retired now, his extensive career in manufacturing, engineering, marketing and sales as a vice president and then president of two companies called for laser focus on quality, service, teamwork and customer satisfaction.

“Elise and Robin were just two of the kind and compassionate individuals who made us all feel important in a healing environment full of caring staff,” says McKinney. “During the innovative oxygen therapy sessions, professionals at the center proved to be skillful, efficient, friendly and caring. They are all determined to go the extra mile to ensure total care and help for patients. This stands out clearly as a main objective of the entire organization – which I believe is a role model for healthcare. All the people involved in my care from the first appointment on are the reason I feel this way.”

To learn more about what impressed McKinney and further explore the comprehensive wound care services offered at the CVMC Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbarics, prospective patients are asked to call 828.485.0924. A physician referral is not required.

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