Part 1
I’ve been spending a lot of time recently in a deep dive chamber.
In fact I was going to title this blogpost ‘Hilary Dyer and the Chamber of HBOT’* Let me explain…
It became apparent in January 2023 that I would need some planned, but highly risky, oral surgery, after complications set in following head and neck cancer radiotherapy treatment (which I had in 2017). In order to prepare for this surgery I needed to complete 30 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) beforehand, and 10 sessions of HBOT after the surgery. The aim of the HBOT sessions was to prepare the soft tissue in my mouth for the surgery, provide it with high quality oxygen, which would improve the blood supply, facilitating the surgery and more importantly the healing process. Long story short, it was successful! And after spending 90 minutes a day, five days a week for several weeks, at 33 metres depth, the benefits of the HBOT were that the healing process was much speedier, and there were no post-op complications. Hurrah!
It was impossible to predict how my body would respond to the sessions of near-100% oxygen delivered to it. The oxygen we normally breathe in our atmosphere at sea level, is about 21%. So some days I’d get home from Leeds and have a surplus of energy and do a range of activities; on other days I’d struggle to drive home and would then collapse – and sleep.
All of this, understandably had a considerable impact on the book’s progress. I had completed most of the chapters in draft form, but alas found that they were way too long. So a major re-think and edit is required. I’m making progress with that. But there are still decisions to be taken about what content to leave in or take out. So bear with me intending purchasers and readers of this still lengthy work.
Part 2
Alas earlier this year the PDA world was rocked by revelations about the alleged behaviour of a certain prominent individual. I chose not to comment publicly about these allegations, but that does not mean I didn’t feel the same sense of anger, pain, hurt and revulsion that many of you shared via various social platforms. I spent time sharing with trusted confidantes my recollections of past engagements with this person, to help me to make some sense and to try to understand matters which caused me deep angst.
Part 3
And finally, let me end with some good news for those of you needing my PDA assessment service…
I am delighted to announce that I am now able to offer a small number of appointments for PDA assessments and reports. I am resuming my small clinical practice specialising in PDA alongside the major edit of the book draft. For those parents/carers who live within about 60 miles of York, I am still able to offer a home assessment (and visits to educational providers too). For those who live further afield I have secured the use of a wonderful specialist clinic facility called The Derwent Clinic up here in York. I can hire the whole clinic for a day’s assessment, and make good use of the mats, sensory equipment, weighted blankets, bean bags and theraputty to facilitate and underpin the engagement of your PDA youngster’s anxiety driven presentation in a variety of cognitive assessments. It’s like having an on-site sensory diet facility. Here’s an image of the clinic set up ready for a PDA assessment.
So if you are looking for a PDA assessment, diagnosis, and report, for an EHCP or EOTIS package, do get in contact with me, and we can discuss an appointment to meet your needs. You can send an email to hilary@drhilarydyer.co.uk or you can fill out the contact form on my website. Do please spread the word via your various social media and other networking parent support groups.
In all senses, it’s great to be back up and running again.
Wishing you all some relaxing summer days and down times.
Hilary
Footnotes
* Inspired by the title of the second Harry Potter book: ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’