I have a dilemma

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I can only speak from experience. On December 2002 I had open heart surgery to correct an arrhythmia problem I suffer from. The procedure I had is called a surgical maze, and it's intent was to put my heart into sinus rhythm, which it did. But as a result of the operation, I now have idiopathic cardiomyopathy . It has taken me since that time to get my ejection fraction to 30%. I am a New York heart association category 1, meaning I am non symptomatic, meaning if you looked at me, you would not know I am sick. I have seen doctors at the Cleveland clinic who sit on the board of directors at the American Heart Association. I am 56 years old.

The reason I am telling you this, is to let you know that if your doctor clears you to dive, you will be able to dive. I still dive and I will continue to dive, as long as I want.

I know everybody has an opinion, but this is not my opinion, this is my experience. I went diving today.

You have to look straight ahead, and will yourself to do what you want to do. If medical professionals balk at what you want to do, and you feel you are capable of doing it, find another doctor. My current cardiologist also has a degree in physics from MIT, and I very much enjoy debating with him.

But only you know what you are capable of doing. I also had polio at 5 years old, and had I listened to a lot of people, I would have given up. But my parents always encouraged me to do whatever I wanted.

I will end with a story my mom told me about the humming bird. My mom said that by all scientific data, and research and study, it was virtually impossible for the humming bird to fly.

But the humming bird did not know this........so he flew everyday.

I also, weather permitting, walk 5 to 10 miles a day wearing a knapsack with a 32 pound cinder block in it. I am affectionately know in the neighbor hood as knapsack boy. I kinda like that.
 
Keep your chin up. Over the years I have had 2 heart transplant patients that have had their cardiologists sign off on diving. I'm aware of others that have had physicians sign off following other procedures. Of course they were following the protocols their physicians had set up and passed stress tests and such. You're diving is something you'd need to have cleared with your cardiologist, but it's not unheard of depending on various factors.

Good luck.
 
Medical clearance aside...

Why the ROV again? Why not a conventional scooter? An answer didn't jump out in the previous posts.

As divers were used to seeing scooter, and sometimes are envious of them.

Personally I don't think I would want to be on a charter boat with umbilicals and ROVs running around. They tend to be cozy enough as is.

On your own boat? It is your own boat, do what you want.:D

Edit here...

Sorry, I think I found the answer to my question. You would use the ROV to get to see from the boat you would otherwise see if you were diving?
 
well now im curious, does aneyone know a cardiologist familiar with scuba?

I do mean scuba diving, but alotta diving near me is below 30 feet thats why im saying if i get a no-go ill be sad. i could prob get a aparatus and sutch, and ill swim around and look at things, but im saying i prob cant go below 30.

im sorry if im confusing. i have ADHD XD though i would love to learn to scuba since its only $150 compared to a 1.5k pricetag on hang gliding and paragliding, which im planning to learn also.


Sorry, I think I found the answer to my question. You would use the ROV to get to see from the boat you would otherwise see if you were diving?

Yes, you got it perfectly.
(and cute dog by the way Paddler)
And i was thinking of getting a inflatable kayak and such, so if it was a charter and i get stares or somthing feeling unwelcome, i can inflate my kayak, sit around at dive site 1 and ask the boat to retrieve me when they were done at location 2 and 3. im planning on getting a nice burly handheld HAM radio capable of running 2m and larger frequencies since i will be doing hang gliding and paragliding. so a boat finding me after site 2 and 3 wouldnt be a problem.



And thank you to tight rope walker. I had a mitral valve repair and a MAZE proceidure(Sp?) to fix palpatations, so although it was a full on open chest surgery, its great to hear of another heart patient who dives, just raises my hopes.
=)
Can i ask who your cardiologist is so i can get a 2nd opinion if my UCLA cardiologist says no?
Send me a PM, would love a convo
 
I've dove with this one extensively, even had it as a buddy on a bunch of dives.
 
So, my dive buddy would be the ROV?

I'd dive with you!
 
I've done some work that way. Is the buddy the ROV or the pilot? I guess your buddy's both.
 
Ha ha ha!! the phantom is a nice ROV i will admit, but i DONT have that kinda money!!!
Ill paint it neon pink and put a smiley face on it!!!
XD
And i wouldent feel ok with being a singular dive partner, id rather have 3 ppl on 1 team, me, and 2 divers. a ROV cant share oxygen or anything. although i do know i can piggyback a tank or two and other goodies to help a partner. anyhow, im being hopefull, but if worse comes to worse, ill be making first a small DIY PVC vehicle, and paying for a bigger one sometime.

(but, SHHHH!!!! i wanna get one either way to play with. plus some of the small buggers can go more than 600 feet!!!)
 
FightingDrag, I am sure there are some very competent cardiologists at UCLA. But if you are not satisfied, then I would look into the Cleveland Clinic. I have wires in my chest also but they are only there to hold my sternum together until it healed. It makes for a lot of fun going through metal detectors at the airport.

Good Luck!
 
OK, I'm just a bit dense, but I get it now. The ROV would be your surroget diver.

As you said, there is some value in having you and your ROV as a buddy. Kinda an underwater sherpa. Extra gas, schlep a camera rig....could be some value in that. It's almost like virtual reality diving. If you get find a helmet that would privde a 360 deg view and provide the sounds (plus block out the surface sounds) that would be the next best thing to being there....plus you could go deeper and stay longer. More I think about it, the cooler an idea it is.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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