Diving saved my wife's life

[kelemvor]

I've finally worked up the courage to share an incident that led Jennifer and I to stop diving. While I mentioned it to Pete some time ago, posting about it publicly has been unexpectedly hard.

Last February, right after Jennifer and I went to bed, her heart stopped. Thankfully, she made a strange sound when it happened, which prompted me to check on her. She wasn’t breathing, and I couldn’t feel a pulse. Fortunately, I’d taken DAN first aid, CPR, and other courses. I called 911, moved her to the floor, and performed CPR for a few minutes until the paramedics arrived. They used an AED to get her heart beating again, though her pulse was very irregular and low, and her heart stopped six more times on the way to the ER.

After a week in the ICU, Jennifer was moved to a regular room. They implanted an automatic internal defibrillator and sent her home a day later. Despite every test imaginable—heart, blood, urine—the doctors couldn’t find a cause.

When she was discharged, the surgeon said she could return to normal activities, with one exception: diving. Since they don’t know what caused her heart to stop, it could happen again, and the defibrillator might not be able to save her underwater.

It wouldn’t feel right to go on exotic dive trips without her, so we’re both stepping away from diving.

I’ve made a lot of friends on Scubaboard and through group dive trips. I’ll miss you all. In fact, I already do—I’ve been avoiding the site for months, knowing I needed to post this message.

Were it not for diving, I wouldn’t have taken the CPR course, and my wife might not be here today. While I’ve heard CPR isn’t always successful, in this case, it saved her life. If you’re reading this and haven’t taken a CPR class, please consider it. You never know when you might need that skill.

 

[tursiops]

So sorry you had to post this, but thanks for doing it. You may have helped some other people, too.
Fair Winds and Following Seas.

 

[scubadada]

Thanks @kelemvor

I couldn't decide which reaction was appropriate, chose like because your wife is alive due to your action.

 

[wlecyt40]

As a paramedic, whenever I hear a story like this, I always say this: no matter what the ambulance crew did, you saved her life because you started CPR immediately. I am sorry for you and your wife no longer being able to dive together, but you still have the rest of your lives to be with each other. Live life and cherish her!

 

[boulderjohn]

I am sorry to hear about this, although I am very happy your wife survived. You will be missed here. I am sure you will find some other activity to fill your lives.

For those who are not trained and may be reading this, although it is true that CPR by itself is not usually successful, it is frequently successful when it keeps the patient alive long enough for more effective intervention (AED) to begin. If you are worried that you aren't trained enough, CPR done poorly is better than no CPR, and it could be all the patient needs.

 

[NetG]

Congratulations on your perfect response to such a difficult situation.

I'm sure you'll now be able to enjoy life in a different way.

 

[Tigerpaw]

The important thing is that your quick reaction helped saved her life and that is what is important. Wishing you all the best and hopefully you all can find another hobby to do together.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Thank you for sharing your story. I think I will schedule a CPR refresher course.

 

[uncfnp]

Thank you for sharing, I know it had to be very difficult for you to relive but it may save another life.

It seems there has been so many people near and distant that I have lost these past few years. I now try to remind myself each day to appreciate what I have and yet to grab every moment and wring as much LIFE out of it as I can!

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Wow! Thanks for sharing your story. Glad to hear your wife is OK and I hope you two can find a new way to spend $$ LOL