From Rock Bottom to Recovery: Larry’s Hyperbaric Healing Journey
Larry, with Healing with Hyperbarics staff, completed his course of hyperbaric treatments and celebrated with a completion certificate.
At Healing with Hyperbarics of North Dakota, every patient who walks through our doors brings a story — often one marked by confusion, exhaustion, and frustration after brain injury. But with every session, we work to turn that story into one of recovery, resilience, and renewed hope.
Larry Shereck, a former business owner, Mechatronics instructor, and passionate biker, is one of those stories. His experience speaks to the hidden aftermath of concussions and brain trauma, and how hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) helped him reclaim his life.
The Accident That Changed Everything
Larry’s journey began at a red light. A routine day turned life-altering in an instant when he was rear-ended by a distracted driver. The force of the crash pushed his vehicle into the car ahead, creating a jolt that, while not catastrophic in appearance, caused a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that would unravel life as he knew it.
“That was it. From that day forward, my life spiraled downward,” Larry said.
For weeks and months after the accident, Larry began experiencing invisible but devastating symptoms — the kind many TBI and concussion survivors silently battle every day.
TBI Symptoms That Took Over His Life
Larry's brain injury impacted nearly every system in his body. He described himself as “a mess,” and the symptoms were life-changing — touching his mind, body, and relationships. They included:
Cognitive & Neurological Challenges
Constant brain fog and memory loss — Larry couldn’t remember what he read or even manage daily tasks
Cognitive confusion and chronic fatigue
Aphasia — difficulty finding and expressing words
Emotional & Personality Changes
Severe mood swings and emotional instability — His children said he became an “ogre”
PTSD symptoms — Larry often felt like a stranger to himself
Sensory & Physical Impairments
Headaches and ringing in the ears
Loss of smell and taste
Difficulty regulating body temperature
Physical imbalance — He couldn’t walk through a doorway without bumping into the sides
“I used to be the guy people came to for solutions. Suddenly, I was the problem. I grieved the old Larry, because I didn’t know if he’d ever come back.” — Larry S.
Larry's ability to work, parent, and simply function was slipping away. A business he once ran with 8 employees dissolved, and he found himself unable to focus, manage finances, or hold a thought long enough to complete a task.
When Hope Runs Low
By 2018, Larry hit what he called the darkest point in his life.
“A provider told me, ‘This is it. You’re not going to get any better,’” Larry explained. “I was served debt papers on Christmas Eve. I didn’t see joy in anything.”
The emotional toll of an untreated or under-treated brain injury is often misunderstood, but for Larry, it was all-consuming. He experienced isolation, hopelessness, and a deep loss of identity. This stage of his journey is familiar to many concussion and TBI survivors — especially those navigating invisible symptoms for years without answers.
Searching for Relief: A Long List of Therapies
But Larry didn’t give up. Over the years, he tried nearly every therapy available to him:
Speech and cognitive therapy
Dry needling and cupping
Craniosacral therapy
Vision therapy and auditory training
Water therapy
Chiropractic care
Omega-3 supplementation, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and pain management
While each helped in small ways, Larry still felt stuck, until one divine turn in his story introduced him to something new: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
Discovering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
After years of piecing together treatments with only partial relief, Larry was exhausted—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Then came a turning point that felt almost divine. A provider introduced him to something he hadn’t yet tried: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). At first, Larry was skeptical. Like many patients with post-concussion syndrome and traumatic brain injury (TBI), he had already invested time, energy, and resources into therapy—with no lasting solution. But this felt different.
What truly convinced him wasn’t just the science (though he read everything he could find), or even the clinical results. It was the people. Larry visited Healing with Hyperbarics and spent time in the clinic’s waiting area, talking to patients actively undergoing treatment. Their stories mirrored his own: brain fog, emotional swings, exhaustion, and many of them were already experiencing life-changing improvement. That personal connection, coupled with the welcoming and transparent atmosphere, gave Larry something he hadn’t felt in a long time: hope.
And then, there was something else … a sign. After his mother’s passing, she had left behind a small inheritance. Larry realized it was enough to cover treatment, and in his words, “It felt like her final gift to me.” With new courage and renewed faith, Larry committed to his first session. What followed was the start of a transformation that would change the trajectory of his life.
Larry’s completion of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Certificate, a life-changing milestone in his traumatic brain injury (TBI) recovery.
Healing Under Pressure: Larry’s HBOT Results
Larry completed 42 HBOT treatments at Healing with Hyperbarics, beginning slowly — just once a week. As his symptoms and confidence improved, so did his pace and progress.
By session 7, Larry noticed his ringing ears and mental fog lifting. Around session 22, the shifts became undeniable. He could think clearly, stay present, and measure his healing through improved journaling, energy, and emotion regulation.
“I visualized the oxygen reaching my brain, my neck, and my back. After a while, it became relaxing. My fight-or-flight responses started to calm.” — Larry S.
He even found joy again … in the simple act of riding a bike. For the first time in a decade, Larry was able to ride a recumbent bike. Since then, he and his partner have logged nearly 1,000 miles together, a goal they try to reach now every single year.
Life After Treatment: A New Purpose
“Now, I’m a job coach for people with disabilities,” Larry said. “I’m surrounded by great people. I got a second chance — and I won’t squander it.”
Larry’s recovery isn’t just about symptom relief — it’s about purpose, mission, and empowerment. He now helps others facing similar challenges, using his own story to give them a voice and a pathway forward.
Watch Larry’s story on his YouTube Channel, Hope After Humpty Dumpty Fell.
Larry’s Message to Brain Injury Survivors
Larry knows firsthand how isolating and hopeless brain injury recovery can feel — the setbacks, the silence, the fear that nothing will ever change. But after his experience with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, he wants other survivors to know: healing is still possible, and you’re not alone in the fight.
“If someone told you that you’ll never get better, don’t believe them. Your old self might just be hibernating. HBOT helped wake me up. This treatment put me back in touch with the world. I once lived like miracles weren’t real. Now, I live like they are.” — Larry S.
You don’t have to go through this alone. Healing with Hyperbarics is here to help you take the next step toward healing — with science, compassion, and a team that truly cares.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This process allows oxygen to dissolve deeply into the body’s tissues, promoting healing, reducing inflammation, and restoring damaged cells, especially in the brain.
At Healing with Hyperbarics, we use HBOT to treat:
Acute & post-concussion syndrome (PCS): Helps reduce inflammation in the brain and supports faster cognitive and functional healing after concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries
PTSD & traumatic brain injuries (TBI): Improves blood flow, promotes neuroplasticity, and supports emotional regulation — making it a powerful option for veterans with invisible injuries
Acute & chronic injuries (ankle sprains, overuse injuries): Accelerates recovery by increasing oxygen in damaged tissues, helping reduce pain, swelling, and downtime from athletic or service-related injuries
Radiation injuries & damage from radiation: Stimulates new blood vessel growth in scarred tissues — effective for treating radiation cystitis, proctitis, and osteoradionecrosis
Pre- and post-surgical surgical recovery: Enhances healing and reduces complications before and after surgeries by increasing tissue oxygenation and supporting recovery
Diabetic foot ulcers & other chronic wound conditions: One of the most-studied uses — improves blood flow and tissue repair in diabetic and chronic wounds when used alongside standard wound care
The hyperbaric treatment room at Healing with Hyperbarics in Fargo, North Dakota, where many patient’s healing journeys first begin.
Additional Resources:
Larry’s YouTube Channel, Hope After Humpty Dumpty Fell
Progressive Therapy Associates, where Larry found relief after brain injury