For the past 25 years, Belize’s Hyperbaric Chamber continues to record successful cases among its patients. In February 2017, Canadian National Brittany Heinrichs was referred by Frenchie’s Diving in Caye Caulker after developing decompression illness. After effective treatment at the chamber, she shared her experience with The San Pedro Sun.
“I was on group dive trip with Frenchie’s, and when I got ill, they referred me to see Dr. Dimas Sanzores from Caye Caulker. He made the call to the recompression facility,” said Heinrichs. Frenchie and his staff were amazing! Frenchie and my dive master came to check on me at Dr. Dimas’ clinic, picked me up, and boated me to San Pedro. Frenchie even put my fiancé up in a hotel and took him out to dinner as I had to spend most of the night in the chamber.” She further stated that the evacuation was organized and timely, leaving her no room to worry.
Although she was nervous entering the chamber, Heinrichs was more than pleased with the outcome of her treatment. “I was taken care of the minute I walked into the clinic. I was treated by Dr. Giovanni Solorzano and assisted by Dr. Cornelio Teck. They were both professional, excellent, and made me feel very at ease. Andy [Albeño] was incredible in the chamber and made me feel comfortable, even though I was quite nervous the first treatment.” Her treatment was a sound success and Heinrich is “feeling great.”
Belize’s Hyperbaric Chamber is glad to have been of assistance to Heinrich. “This is the kind of service we have given for the past 25 years, and the kind we expect to continue giving for the next quarter century and beyond!” said Albeño, chamber operator. He shared that the is working on establishing a system to train the dive community and dive masters in order for them to properly access and manage dive accidents. The training will include First Aid, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and how to administer oxygen in emergency cases. “We are trying give back to the diving community because we need them as much as they need us,” said Albeño.
