Doug Kristensen of Kearney
Doug Kristensen, University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor, recently shared about his experience as a patient at the MLH Wound Center:
When Doug Kristensen was told hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy could help him, he was worried.
The Minden resident did not relish the thought of driving to Lincoln or Omaha every day to get the treatment for his bladder, which was damaged from radiation therapy at an independent facility. But he was encouraged when he found out the treatment was available just 45 minutes from his home.
“I had no idea there was a wound center or HBO treatment available in Hastings,” Kristensen said. “For an everyday commitment, I was still able to have a chance to have a personal life, a job and recreation during some pretty intense treatment.”
Better still, he said, was the wonderful care he received at the Mary Lanning Healthcare Wound Center during his 60 days of treatment over the course of four months.
“The staff was just tremendous,” he said. “They could have made it very antiseptic but they went out of their way to make it a positive experience. I couldn’t be happier.”
He said everyone from the nurses and providers to the front desk staff made the process easier than it could have been. He said they paid attention to him as a person, and smiled and welcomed him each day.
“What they did was they thought about me every day and not their jobs,” Kristensen said. “That’s what made a difference to me.”
