A Nasty incident

[barb]

... that would be too horrible to allow. I agree that Rescue should be mandatory in Diver Training. However, even with that training if someone panics .... This is a good arguement for practice drills so it becomes second nature - no thinking required.
Thank You for your openness. I hope when you get some answers you will let us know.
I'm very sad for you that you are giving up diving but after what you have been through I can understand why. It has lead me to ask myself why am I diving and is it worth the possible risks?
It is truly frightening that you don't know what went wrong!!!
Barb

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear Dr Paul:

I am most relieved to hear that you are back safe and sound. I do hope that things will settle down for you, and you will be able return to your normal life. This is wonderful!

I hope that someday we will be able to get together in England.

Mike Powell :doctor:

 

[The Chairman]

but it is soooooooooooooo great to hear from that cranky old doctor entering his second childhood... Now I guess his third! I will check back when I have more time.

 

[KyMermaidDivr]

I only came on board after your accident, but have followed your recovery and have kept you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. (I almost lost my sister, so I understand something of what your family was experiencing. ) I was very happy to sign on to tonight and see your personal post. So many people take diving as a happy go lucky sport and don't give mortality a second thought. Let those that do read your post as a wake-up call and think harder about improving their own skills and being safe. It's a great and fun sport, but it's one to be taken seriously and you're, I'm sure, by what I've followed on this board, a prime example that even with the best, things can go wrong. I'm sorry you've had to make a difficult decision, but for you and you're family, a brave one. Glad to see you back and hope to continue to see your input. I've learned so much since being a member on this board and I'm sure you could add to my learning experience! I know you've been missed. Take care and enjoy that next childhood!

Monica

 

[Natasha]

Welcome back, Doc. You were on my daily prayer list. God is good.

 

[Genesis]

and one of those "big puzzlers".

I'm assuming that the mix has been checked in the tanks, and its known that you really were breathing what you think you were...

This is one of those "nightmare" scenarios. You just "lose it" for no obvious reason.

I hear you on the rescue being something that should be mandatory. Unfortunately, training can't prepare you for the real thing, and of course we don't want to go through what you did for "practice", so how people will react when the real !@## hits the fan is unknown. But it can't do anything other than help.

When I heard you were "on the mend" and had come out of the coma it was definitely time to give thanks to the "big guy" upstairs - you had been in my prayers, and from what I can see here, those of many, many others.

Sometimes they are answered.

Welcome back....

 

[DiverBuoy]

I am very pleased to hear from you again. I had the very unpleasant position of being the last person to post a reply to you prior to your near-fatal dive. Now that you have return from the near-dead it's nothing short of a miracle. I'm so happy for you and your family. Proud of you for making the decision not to dive too. My wife and I talked about you and your experience, what your family might have been going through, I have a durable power of attorney/healthcare proxy that I executed last year which make very specific demands of my family in the even of coma. It basically says unequivocally - pull the plug. If I was in your fins, I would not have survived because following my last will and testament would have meant pulling the plug before I spent so many weeks on a hospital bed. With no hope after so long a time I can't imagine the decisions your family must have been going through. Again welcome back...

Please do share the police report conclusions on your kit when it all returns. Perhaps there are some clues in there. Have you returned to your patients yet?

Also I saw that you found the "Dr. Paul on the Mend" thread, but did you see the original ... With heartfelt sadness...

 

[Kayla]

It's so good to have you back on the boards! You were missed! My best wishes to you and your family, hearing from you truely made my day!


Kayla

 

[Saturation]

Dear Dr. Thomas,

I am Dr. Gozum, a DAN referral physician hosting the divingaccidents@yahoogroups.com forum.

I'm VERY glad to hear you are back in shape and hopefully, back into practice.

To help everyone who has heard your tale, could you post the results of the police and the Health and Safety Executive report on your gear? I am very curious as to your actual breathing gas mixture and any contaminants, the amount of remaining gas and the profile of the dive.


With Best wishes,

Marv

 

[WreckWriter]

Welcome to the board Marv! I've read your posts on other forums and corresponded with you a time or two. I hope you will stay around Scubaboard as I feel you have much to contribute here. I feel that we are the best diving forum anywhere and you would only make us better!

Tom