She believes that it all began 35 years ago when she suffered a tick bite in Texas and began developing Lyme disease.

This led to years of illness that ultimately brought her to a point -- seven years ago -- where she could not even get out of bed.
Doctors gave her multiple possibilities for her symptoms, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, but the illness remained undiagnosed.

"I kind of had a reputation of being a hypochondriac with the doctors," she said. "The Lyme disease bacteria moves around the body. It mimics other diseases and is difficult to diagnose.

"Meanwhile, I was almost dead. I spent most of my time in bed. My blood pressure was way down to 60 over 40 and I continually had flu-like symptoms.

"The doctors eventually found an infection in my jaw from when I had my wisdom teeth out, and it was the surgeon who removed the bone infection who suggested that I be tested for Lyme disease."  

Swanson was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease, but by that time it was in the late stages with high levels of bacteria.

"The typical medical approach is long regimens of antibiotic cocktails, which are hard on the body and which I could not take due to a yeast-related illness.

"My doctor had just started using Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in his office and I began treatment with that."

Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a treatment that increases the amount of oxygen a body can absorb by breathing oxygen under higher-than-normal atmospheric pressures.

The treatment utilizes an inflatable chamber that achieves these higher pressures and allows greater absorption of the oxygen by body tissues, accelerating and enhancing the body's natural healing capacities.

Among many other benefits, oxygen saturation has been proven to stimulate cell growth and regeneration, increase neural brain function, and displace toxins and other impurities to assist in detoxification of the system.

The therapy has a history dating back as far as 1662 and has long been used for decompression sickness, inhibiting the growth of anaerobic bacteria, and brain injuries.    

The treatment is now recommended for a widening range of ailments including cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

"I began the therapy five or six years ago. I used it three years before I finally became symptom-free. I was in the late stages of the disease, though, and that is why it took so long. I am not sure how long it would take someone else; it would depend on their health profile."

She said that she also continues to use the therapy to maintain her health.

"The treatment keeps me feeling good and healthy and I have a normal lifestyle. Without it the jaw infection flares up and my energy levels begin to go down again."

Her doctor saw the benefits of the treatment and asked if she would be interested in purchasing one of his chambers and letting others use it.

"He had two of the chambers and I used this one so much that they called it `Lindy's chamber' anyway.

"I thought it was a good idea. As I researched it more, I felt that I really did need to make this available to more people. There are so many health conditions that it can help."

She accepted the opportunity and began Hyperbaric O2 Therapy two years ago. The business, however, lost momentum when her husband, Keith Swanson, suffered a heart attack last August.

She said she found that even though the heart attack slowed her business, the therapy became a vital factor in her husband's recovery.

"The doctors have been amazed at his recovery both mentally and physically. The type of heart attack he had carries a 99.9 percent chance of not surviving. We attribute much of his recovery to the therapy."

With her husband's recovery, she was able to once again offer the therapy from her home.

She said that the inflatable chambers made the treatment more affordable and flexible and that ultimately it could help many people.

"I think that people are interested in getting better. They are tired of being defeated and unhealthy and having no hope. This is a means of therapy that is restorative and can give hope where other methods can't."

For more information on the therapy you can contact Swanson at (503) 364-4262 or visit hbo2t.com.