John "Jack" Babowicz became the first person to successfuly complete a series of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatments. His wound is now 90 to 95 percent healed and Wound Center staff celebrated the moment by giving Babowicz a special certificate. The document makes fun of the fact that the HBO chamber can feel like a deep diving experience. Staff recognized Jack for "successfully completing his undersea adventures without even getting wet."

If you have a stubborn wound that won't  heal, Jack Babowicz has a word of advice for you: "If you need it [treatment], do it. Don't hold yourself back."

John "Jack" Babowicz was facing a possible amputation of his left foot because of a diabetic pressure ulcer that refused to heal. The risk of loosing his foot caused him great distress.

Babowicz came to Southwest's Wound Healing Center, where staff and physicians evaluated him. It was clear that he needed extensive, multi-disciplinary care. They recomended deep tissue cleaning and vascular surgery to improve the blood flow to his foot.

After surgery and extensive wound care, Babowicz still had an exposed tendon that was slow to heal.

Southwest physicians ordered hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment to increase the circulation to his ulcer. Babowicz says he began to see improvements in his foot and his skin almost immediately. He completed 40 HBO treatments over eight weeks, or 40 "naps" as he likes to call them.

Babowicz says he's very happy he could benefit from this system and that it became available when he needed it. "Otherwise they would be calling me Pegleg right now."

His ulcer is 90 to 95 percent healed and he is delighted with the results. He now has healthy new skin covering that tendon and he even has feeling in his foot for the first time in many years.

"I was faced with the prospect of amputation, and now we're not even talking about that anymore," Babowicz says. "I'm going to be chasing these nurses down the hallway soon.