200ft dive, but avoids the Chamber

[Cacia]

I'm pretty much a layman at this point Don...I haven't worked in years. I just think people get better health care when they are assertive and not too subordinate.

Yes, they are the expert, but you are hiring them. If they chew you out it sometimes means they are more invested in the partnership in your healthcare and care more that you have a good outcome. so...it can be a good thing. The ones that don't seem phased by anything are the ones to watch out for. IMO, Managed care and budget restraints can produce apathy.

 

[gangrel441]

Yep. Prior to Trimix, lots of divers dove the Doria (190' minimum, 240' maximum) without problems. And, no one died. Deaths have all been post Trimix. Go figure...

You sure about that? I seem to recall in Shadow Divers a story of a rich playboy diver who dove the Doria, got narced, lost bouyancy control, and plummeted into the bowels of the ship, never to see the surface again. This story was before Chatterton started diving Trimix, and I though he was one of the first to use it in cold water wreck diving.

 

[Sharky1948]

You sure about that? I seem to recall in Shadow Divers a story of a rich playboy diver who dove the Doria, got narced, lost bouyancy control, and plummeted into the bowels of the ship, never to see the surface again. This story was before Chatterton started diving Trimix, and I though he was one of the first to use it in cold water wreck diving.

I don't recall that part of Shadow Divers, though you may well be correct. My source was The Technical Diving Handbook by Gary Gentile.

BTW, I just saw that he (Gentile) has a new book out: Shadow Divers Exposed: the Real Saga of the U-869. Here are two reviews of that:

1) There is much to learn from the numerous corrected accounts of the fictionalized concepts that were within Kurson's previously written story. Instead "Shadow Divers Exposed" provides you with reality, not fantasy, and honesty rather than deception. It is based on the most accurate account of history obtainable through dedicated research and interviews.

2) This book is very petty with the aim being to indict the divers in the original book both personally and professionally. I found this to be juvenile, pitiful, much like a first grader telling on a classmate.

I can't decide whether to read it or not. I had the opportunity to dive with John and Ritchie. They are truely nice guys. (Hey, Ritchie convinced my wife that I needed a GPS for the car! What a guy!) Sorry to hijack the thread!

 

[MasterGoa]

Wow i've done some stupid things in my life but never for a t-shirt. After a stunt like that i understand why lions eat their young, to weed out the stupid ones.

Off topic.... But no:

http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/Behavior/Spring2004/shelburne/infanticide.html

 

[The Chairman]

Denial: not just another river in Egypt. Divers have enough reasons to NOT see the doctor when the caca hits the fanola. EMERGENCY physicians adding to the angst does not make sense, especially if there is real contrition on the other end of the phone.

At the opposite end of Denial are the rapids of anxiety. Here the little things get way blown out of proportion and your mind plays tricks on you. I have had students call me after their first "deep dives" (less than 60 feet mind you) calling me with a plethora of symptoms. They have done two 50-60fsw dives for about 30-40 minutes each and they have convinced themselves into a chamber. You can hear the anxiety in their voice and the first thing you want to do is to stop them from hyperventilation and panicing. After you discuss the reality of the situation for a few minutes, their symptoms fade into nothingness. If you tell them that they will feel like a truck hit them in the morning, you can BET that they will feel as such. The power of suggestion to a person like this is incredibly strong. Obviously, I caution them to go to the emergency room if they feel the symptoms getting any worse, and they are free to call me anytime!

I agree with Don... the publishing of the letter was to prove to ANY DIVER that calling DAN is a positive thing no matter how stupid of a diver they are.

 

[smatterchu]

Denial: not just another river in Egypt. Divers have enough reasons to NOT see the doctor when the caca hits the fanola. EMERGENCY physicians adding to the angst does not make sense, especially if there is real contrition on the other end of the phone.

At the opposite end of Denial are the rapids of anxiety. Here the little things get way blown out of proportion and your mind plays tricks on you. I have had students call me after their first "deep dives" (less than 60 feet mind you) calling me with a plethora of symptoms. They have done two 50-60fsw dives for about 30-40 minutes each and they have convinced themselves into a chamber. You can hear the anxiety in their voice and the first thing you want to do is to stop them from hyperventilation and panicing. After you discuss the reality of the situation for a few minutes, their symptoms fade into nothingness. If you tell them that they will feel like a truck hit them in the morning, you can BET that they will feel as such. The power of suggestion to a person like this is incredibly strong. Obviously, I caution them to go to the emergency room if they feel the symptoms getting any worse, and they are free to call me anytime!

I agree with Don... the publishing of the letter was to prove to ANY DIVER that calling DAN is a positive thing no matter how stupid of a diver they are.

Hmmmm, that scenerio sounds awfully familiar. :anon: (say, 4 weeks ago??)

Thanks for being the voice of reason on the phone...just needed to hear it from someone who knew. And things pretty much went away once you confirmed my hopes that it was nerves....and I certainly would have seen about it if my symptoms had worsened...thanks!!

 

[do it easy]

what NetDoc said

I've come up from deco dives and my toes were numb, but then again, it was a long dive in 40 degree water. I usually wait a few minutes to see if I warm up. I suppose I should get warmer undergarments.

 

[DandyDon]

Hmmmm, that scenerio sounds awfully familiar. :anon:

Thanks for being the voice of reason...just needed to hear it from someone who knew. And things pretty much went away once you confirmed my hopes that it was nerves....and I certainly would have seen about it if my symptoms had worsened...thanks!!

When in doubt, tho - call the divers 24 hour friend: DAN. I have a few times when I was anxious, usually we just talk thru it. Once they told me to get to ER ASAP. :11:

I've come up from dives and my toes were numb, but then again, it was a long dive in 40 degree water. I usually wait a few minutes to see if I warm up. I suppose I should get warmer undergarments.

Yeah, that happens to me. I have good cold water boots, but they're a little too large, and I used cotton socks. Bad! Got some neoprene socks. Good!

 

[smatterchu]

When in doubt, tho - call the divers 24 hour friend: DAN. I have a few times when I was anxious, usually we just talk thru it. Once they told me to get to ER ASAP. :11:

I agree, Don. At the time, less than a month ago, I had been certified for about 10 hours and would have called DAN if i hadn't gotten ahold of Pete. I wanted to check in with him first, because he was the one to cert. me....and knew exactly what we had done during the dive - and knew me, personally. DAN was my next phone call if necessary - you bet. :nod:

I'd thought/hoped it was a combination of nerves and sore muscles (from swimming and carrying gear/tanks), so I was glad to get the same reassurance from him. And yup, as soon as he put some authority to my thinking, things very quickly started easing up. Before that, my shoulders and chest were really tight and sore - making it harder than normal to breathe. I took a hot shower and a Tylenol and I was good to go....and dive the next morning.

Mostly, it wasn't that I thought I needed a chamber as much as I needed to know if it was safe to dive the very next morning - depending on what I had done to myself. :shrug: - But if he thought I'd needed urgent care, that's what I'd have done...

 

[DandyDon]

Great...!

I took a hot shower and a Tylenol and I was good to go....and dive the next morning.

What is it with Tylenol, tho? It's my understanding that it does nothing to treat sore muscles and joints - like aspirin and ibuprofen do...?