Diving after 55 - split from: Tavernier fatality - Florida Keys

[MaxBottomtime]

If I had a heart condition or other ailment that forced me to take it easy I would still dive. I may not take doubles and a deco bottle to make a strenuous dive but I would still dive. If a Doctor told me not to dive I would ask him/her to give me a good explanation why not before deciding. If I had a fatal disease with little time to live I would probably dive every day.

 

[kelemvor]

My points are:

• the original premise for the thread was stupid, as most posts on here acknowledge
• other than chest-thumping (I'm older than you are! Naa Naa Naa Naa Naaa) does it really add anything to announce one's age and "I'm still diving?" Do you think anyone who reads SB is going to say, "I stopped diving ten years ago and was only 48?"
  
• Is anyone going to post, "I dived too long and now I'm dead?"

So, if piling on is good, have at it. @boulderjohn, is this the equivalent of a blamestorm, which you always criticize and even disallow? That is, piling on and adding nothing new or useful? Is this an "agingstorm?"

I dove too long and sadly, I am now dead. I will miss myself.

 

[AdivingBel]

Would rather an over 55 have their heart attack diving than driving. We could ban driving over 55. It would employ all those under 55 as uber drivers hauling our old a**es around. Hey you kids get off my lawn...and give me a ride to the store.

 

[KeithG]

as i get older, diving is just about the only activity that i think i will be able to maintain into my infirm years. diving IS a past time for old people.

curling is starting to get iffy as it puts a LOT of stress on your knees. maybe i will have to think ahead to using a stick to deliver the rock.

hockey is a whole different ball game. i thought i was doing an okay job of almost barely keeping up with the young 35 year olds on the team until one guy brought out his 18 year old son. after a good game my body hurts for only a few days..

 

[KeithG]

heart attacks? yep. seen 2 of them at the rink. the first one occurred late in the third period just before our game. and they ended up cancelling our game. not sure why. both teams had a full bench...

 

[boulderjohn]

Would rather an over 55 have their heart attack diving than driving.

when I die, I hope I die in my sleep, in complete and utter peace, the way my grandfather died. I definitely do want to die screaming in terror, the way the passengers in his car died.

 

[Bubblesong]

Ageism is no different than racism or sexism. But society is more accepting of it.
To think that my death would upset someone so therefore I should not participate in an activity, is to say your feelings are more important than my life.

Not following your logic on that sentence.
I am not saying anyone should not dive due to age, or even pre-existing conditions, (consider Diveheart examples!!!), I recommend that we all get the check up from a doctor educated in diving, take the right medicine, steps, precautions,, whatever, and then be as prepared to survive a heart condition we are to survive any underwater challenge. I plan to dive with an older friend this summer who has had heart surgery, but who I know is a "good patient", and takes best posible care of his health.

 

[Bubblesong]

heart attacks? yep. seen 2 of them at the rink. the first one occurred late in the third period just before our game. and they ended up cancelling our game. not sure why. both teams had a full bench...

My hubby is at the rink now, skating off those Holiday pounds, so he won't leave me a watery widow!

 

[Bert van den Berg]

Everyone is focusing on "what if I have a heart attack" but how would things go if your buddy had a heart attack, or another diver you don't know, but who is on the same boat, has a heart attack? Would you have a different reaction if you knew the guy had been ignoring health warning signs, maybe even complained about feeling poorly to mates, but didn't want to sacrifice the money already spent on trip? So this thread can ask people to think not just about their own outcomes but everyone else's, and even solo divers too.

I'm not completely following your premise but agree that if people ignore health warning signs and dive then that is playing Russian Roulette.

The originator of this thread didn't specifically mention heart attack and was likely generalizing about age related issues for people over the age of 55. But as far as anyone having a heart attack while diving off a dive boat, all the dive boats I dive from have O2 and defibrillators. I was taught in my first aid/CPR class that the likelihood of successfully resuscitating someone is very low if a defibrillator is not readily available. So I guess I'd rather have a heart attack while diving off a dive boat with defibrillator and people trained to use it nearby than anywhere else. Not fun for the other people involved but a better potential outcome for me.

 

[Charles2]

I have a rule with my children and grandchildren. "If I die while we are diving together, you can split my gear". They are always asking me to take them diving. I love it.