It's been 15 months since my last chamber ride... :11:
Tim, thank you for sharing your story and welcome the club. Seriously though, I am very glad to hear that you are recovering and that you only had to take two rides in the chamber. Your story is a valuable lesson and reminder to all of us.
Heidi and Pascual (Dr. Piccolo) are great. Dr. Piccolo has been practicing hyperbaric medicine here in Cozumel for over 20 years. He is very blunt and tells you like it is, but he knows what he is talking about.
I think the fact that Aldora has offered you a complimentary Nitrox course is also very admirable. Even though this was not the fault of anyone there, I think its a very nice gesture and shows their commitment to safety. I am impressed with that and will do the same in the event that one of my divers goes through this.
I went through the same thing in December (Christmas Day) 2002. I was ashamed of it at first and tried to keep it quiet, but when it happened to me, people (other diving professionals on and off the island) came out of the woodwork with support and encouragement. The reality is that a majority of the cases here in Cozumel are divemasters, instructors and commercial spear fishermen. We are high-risk divers. It makes sense, we are ALWAYS in the water, constantly subjecting ourselves to excessive absorption.
For those of us who are instructors, we subject ourselves to other risk factors like several ascents per day in some cases. You would probably be surprised at how many of us have visited the chamber. Since then, I let my story be a reminder to myself and my divers that we can never be too careful, and that it DOES and CAN happen to anyone.
My initial symptoms were also flu-like symptoms, body aches (no localized joint pain), extreme fatigue (that I contributed to how hard I was working). I was in denial at this point (2 days before Christmas). Fortunately for me, I had no dives scheduled Christmas Eve day because my group was taking the day off. I spent that day in bed, barely able to wake up and barely able to move :06: ...again, thinking I had the flu...but no fever. That evening, (Christmas Eve) and feeling terrible, I went to have dinner and spend the holiday with my local "family." Several people made comments that I was spacey and glassy eyed and not myself . Several also made comments that I may be bent :06: , but I ignored them (sort of). I had no alcohol and was barely able to eat because I KNEW that one drop would put me out. I spent all of Christmas day in bed, progressively getting worse (ding, ding, ding). I started noticing localized joint pain, numbness and tingling (ding, ding, ding). I knew at that point what was going on. I probably suspected it before that, but I was obviously in denial. I made a decision that I would call the Dr. the following morning (it WAS Christmas Day after all...I didnt want to bother Heidi and Pascual
BIG mistake). I woke up the following morning with no feeling on my right side...at all (BINGO
Im BENT
and BAD). By mid-morning I was taking a long ride in the chamber (US Navy table 6). I felt immediate relief while at 60 feet, and when ascending to the 30 foot mark, symptoms started to return. Yep, clear sign that I was bent. Youre right, it basically SUCKED.
I spent the next day at table 6, and the next day too. Finally, on the fourth day, I only had to do a table 5
but I did that for several days. I had 9 treatments in all. My bill
over $40K. DAN paid their portion of the claim within 90 days (I previously thought 60 days, but was corrected). Fortunately for me, since I am a local and live here, I didnt have to pay this up front
they filed my claim for me and I authorized payment directly to the Dr.
*side note: DAN has recently reduced policy limits for dive professionals in Mexico to $3000 (this another story entirely that I will not get into here)
I suffered a neurological hit and have permanent damage in my right arm (although not debilitating). Had I gotten immediate treatment, obviously I would have been in MUCH better shape.
My discharge instructions were no diving for at least 6 months (I stayed out almost 8), no alcohol, no heavy exercise for a month, weekly follow-ups for the first month, and nitrox ONLY on air tables when returning to diving, and to watch bottom times.
What do I do differently now?
- I dive Nitrox on every dive unless I am planning a deeper dive and I use air settings on my computers
- I drink A LOT of water all the time
- I drink A LOT of water all the time
- I get plenty of rest before I dive
- I do deep stops regardless of what my computer(s) say
- I do long safety stops regardless of what my computer(s) say
- I do long surface intervals (minimum 1.5 to 2 hours)
- I watch my bottom times (trying never to exceed an hour)
- I make sure I am warm with appropriate thermal protection
- I ascend very slowly
- I dont dive everyday
I have a staff and I make sure they take time off too
- If I do not feel 100%, I dont dive
period!
Does this mean that I wont get bent again? Absolutely not, but it will reduce the risks significantly.
The thing about decompression theory is that it is just that, THEORY. It is not a perfect science and we are still learning more and more about it.
I would like to add to the depth/time etc. discussion. Whether most of the dive was spent at 100 feet or 50 or 60 feet,you are still absorbing nitrogen and you should keep this in mind.
Remember Henry's Law? It states that the amount of gas (nitrogen in this case) that will dissolve into a liquid at a given temperature is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas. While depth is definitely a factor to consider, the TIME at depth is actuallly just as important (if not more), as is the temperature of the water. The amount of nitrogen absorbed by a diver is directly related to depth AND duration. While deeper depths equate to faster absorption, longer times at shallower depths can have virtually the same effects because your body has more time to absorb the nitrogen as long as you are breathing compressed air under pressure (whether at 10 or 20 feet or 100 feet). So long bottom times at shallower depths are not necessarily safer.
I am not criticizing those shops who advertise longer bottom times or those who enjoy them. Actually, we routinely do 50 - 60 minute+ dives with the AL 80's. The point I am trying to make, is that just because you are shallower, does not mean you are safer...and just because you are deeper, does not mean you are in more danger. It is the combination of time and depth, as well as surface times, etc. that should be factored in when planning your dive or reading your computer.
Another very important thing to consider is warmth. If you are chilled and doing long bottom times...get out of the water. Do not stay down to get your long bottom time if you are cold, it's just not worth it. I'm not talking about the tolerance for being cold, I am talking about the additional and significant risk you add to getting "hit" if you are cold.
Tim, when you get back into the water, it will be scary, but you will have an entirely new appreciation for the sport. If youre like me, you will be concerned with every little ache and pain after diving for awhile, but you KNOW what its like now and you KNOW how your body feels. Trust me, you will know your body ALOT netter now no matter how well you thought you knew it before.
Sorry this was so long, but this topic needs to be brought up and remembered sometimes.
Thanks again for sharing your story Tim! Take care of yourself!
