CosmoKramerOfTheDeep
Registered
Very brief history here, I'm a relatively new OW certified diver . . . aside from my checkout dives in a lake the only dive I had done was Venice Beach off the shore.
2 Sundays ago I went on my first boat dive, went out of Pompano. I nearly aborted my first tank, wreck dive, as when I was holding onto the bow line that led to the wreck, I was just feeling very skittish and like it was too much for me . . jumping off the boat into the big blue was feeling quite a bit different than just prancing my way down the shore, I dunno, just freaked for no reason. DM calmed me down a bit on the boat and I decided to give it another go (one set of people had just started their descent down the line so I was able to catch up to them and subsequently catch up to my actual buddy/ies, we were a group of 4). Due to the exertion I had on the surface freaking out, I was the first to hit our PSI mark for ascent. We went up rather uneventfully, aside from me worrying about being low on air, the computer printout of my buddies computer (here is a point I'm sure to catch flak on, my comp's battery compartment leaked as soon as I hit the water and thus was out of order for the day, I've since been able to revive it; so I was at the mercy of staying by my dad (buddy) and watching his) indicated that we had a very brief period (15 sec. or so) where we were ascending a bit too fast, but the rest of the ascent line on the graph was OK. We had max depth (deck of the ship) of 60-65 fsw . . I was only down for about 15-17 minutes due to the surface freaking out having used up so much air and that I sat on the boat for about 5-7 minutes deciding if I was going to go back in.
I had a blast on that dive after the initial freak out so I went ahead with the 2nd tank after about 1:15 surface interval. This was to be a drift dive, bottom was about 76 fsw. I know I know. . . shouldn't do any deeper than the first dive, not to mention the 60 fsw on the wreck was the deepest I had ever been. Regardless, we were in for about 25 minutes. Had another slight section of the ascent where we were going up a tad too fast, we also did safety stops on both dives.
All is well on the boat, on the drive back to Orlando between dozing off (don't think this was DCS fatigue, there just isn't much to do on that long of a drive in the passanger seat) . .I noticed that there was a spot on my wrist that was itching a bit . . I hadn't been wearing gloves on the dive and there was a point where that hand had scraped the side of the wreck we were on a bit so that's what I chalked it up to . . . no rash at this point/no discoloration, maybe just a slight line that looked like a tiny scratch, which is what I was thinking it was. Also saw several small jellyfish on our ascent, but believe I stayed away from them pretty well.
The next day, nothing is bugging me, the itching on the wrist has even subsided considerablly. Next day same thing, all minor muscle soreness from diving (calf muscles were just a tad tired) the wrist wasn't constantly itchy, only realized there was something amiss if I were to apply pressure to the wrist, and again, just felt like an itchy sensation. Well here I am one week and 2 days removed from the dive . . it must have been about 5 days after it that I noticed that the wrist does indeed have some little raised bumps (almost like tiny little zits or something) and it is reddish like it is irritated. The entire spot is about the size of a quarter. It is not getting any worse, but nor is it getting any better. It doesn't bother me at all unless I scratch it and it's been the same size/same area fom about 5 days after the dive to now. Do I have skin bends? Should I be concerned? Did I get the open water chicken pox? Is it possible that this is just a healing scratch (i'm doubtful because of the raised bumps)?
Now, I assume that the majority of the responses are going to be along the lines of, should have gone to a doctor, need to go to a doctor, blah blah. . . I completely understand. As the problem is not worsening and I have no other DCS type symptoms, I plan on letting it ride. Would another trip back down with very careful attention to NDL's and ascent rate possibly help if it is indeed skin bends? or would I have to go to the chamber?
I'm OK with being blasted for the mistakes on made on this one, I don't offend easily. I made sure to note everything I feel I did wrong on the dive from the planning to the ascents and intend to be much more attentive on all future dives. I'm just hoping that this isn't something that I've let go for too long and will prevent me from diving in the future. . . I mean heck, it's just an itchy spot on my wrist.
Much appreciated!
2 Sundays ago I went on my first boat dive, went out of Pompano. I nearly aborted my first tank, wreck dive, as when I was holding onto the bow line that led to the wreck, I was just feeling very skittish and like it was too much for me . . jumping off the boat into the big blue was feeling quite a bit different than just prancing my way down the shore, I dunno, just freaked for no reason. DM calmed me down a bit on the boat and I decided to give it another go (one set of people had just started their descent down the line so I was able to catch up to them and subsequently catch up to my actual buddy/ies, we were a group of 4). Due to the exertion I had on the surface freaking out, I was the first to hit our PSI mark for ascent. We went up rather uneventfully, aside from me worrying about being low on air, the computer printout of my buddies computer (here is a point I'm sure to catch flak on, my comp's battery compartment leaked as soon as I hit the water and thus was out of order for the day, I've since been able to revive it; so I was at the mercy of staying by my dad (buddy) and watching his) indicated that we had a very brief period (15 sec. or so) where we were ascending a bit too fast, but the rest of the ascent line on the graph was OK. We had max depth (deck of the ship) of 60-65 fsw . . I was only down for about 15-17 minutes due to the surface freaking out having used up so much air and that I sat on the boat for about 5-7 minutes deciding if I was going to go back in.
I had a blast on that dive after the initial freak out so I went ahead with the 2nd tank after about 1:15 surface interval. This was to be a drift dive, bottom was about 76 fsw. I know I know. . . shouldn't do any deeper than the first dive, not to mention the 60 fsw on the wreck was the deepest I had ever been. Regardless, we were in for about 25 minutes. Had another slight section of the ascent where we were going up a tad too fast, we also did safety stops on both dives.
All is well on the boat, on the drive back to Orlando between dozing off (don't think this was DCS fatigue, there just isn't much to do on that long of a drive in the passanger seat) . .I noticed that there was a spot on my wrist that was itching a bit . . I hadn't been wearing gloves on the dive and there was a point where that hand had scraped the side of the wreck we were on a bit so that's what I chalked it up to . . . no rash at this point/no discoloration, maybe just a slight line that looked like a tiny scratch, which is what I was thinking it was. Also saw several small jellyfish on our ascent, but believe I stayed away from them pretty well.
The next day, nothing is bugging me, the itching on the wrist has even subsided considerablly. Next day same thing, all minor muscle soreness from diving (calf muscles were just a tad tired) the wrist wasn't constantly itchy, only realized there was something amiss if I were to apply pressure to the wrist, and again, just felt like an itchy sensation. Well here I am one week and 2 days removed from the dive . . it must have been about 5 days after it that I noticed that the wrist does indeed have some little raised bumps (almost like tiny little zits or something) and it is reddish like it is irritated. The entire spot is about the size of a quarter. It is not getting any worse, but nor is it getting any better. It doesn't bother me at all unless I scratch it and it's been the same size/same area fom about 5 days after the dive to now. Do I have skin bends? Should I be concerned? Did I get the open water chicken pox? Is it possible that this is just a healing scratch (i'm doubtful because of the raised bumps)?
Now, I assume that the majority of the responses are going to be along the lines of, should have gone to a doctor, need to go to a doctor, blah blah. . . I completely understand. As the problem is not worsening and I have no other DCS type symptoms, I plan on letting it ride. Would another trip back down with very careful attention to NDL's and ascent rate possibly help if it is indeed skin bends? or would I have to go to the chamber?
I'm OK with being blasted for the mistakes on made on this one, I don't offend easily. I made sure to note everything I feel I did wrong on the dive from the planning to the ascents and intend to be much more attentive on all future dives. I'm just hoping that this isn't something that I've let go for too long and will prevent me from diving in the future. . . I mean heck, it's just an itchy spot on my wrist.
Much appreciated!
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