Infrequent Blackouts, still scuba?

[spectrum]

No way...!

The diver candidate's condition is not defined well enough to support that conclusion.

I agree that is negative until understood and potential mitigations are established. If Scubaboard can rally around Matt Johnston we can certainly guide this person to a rational determination.

 

[DandyDon]

The diver candidate's condition is not defined well enough to support that conclusion.

I agree that is negative until understood and potential mitigations are established. If Scubaboard can rally around Matt Johnston we can certainly guide this person to a rational determination.

I referenced him earlier when I mentioned a small army of support divers and large budget. The original question was about her being approved for normal scuba training, in the Basic Scuba forum.

 

[scubajcf]

The diver candidate's condition is not defined well enough to support that conclusion.

I agree that is negative until understood and potential mitigations are established. If Scubaboard can rally around Matt Johnston we can certainly guide this person to a rational determination.

It sounds pretty well defined for the purposes of whether or not this person should be diving. The OP Stated, "she has an occasional medical problem in which once every 1-3 months she will black out for about 30 seconds".

There is absolutely no data that supports whether or not diving (which has pressure, exposure, exertion and other factors) that may trigger or enhance this condition.

Should a blackout occur she will be an unreliable buddy to someone who is depending on her. She would put rescuers at risk. And, she has the potential of hurting herself. During an episode she could drift off to depths that trigger possible O2 Toxicity, Decompression Illness, she could accidentally trigger an uncontrolled ascent, she could drop the regulator out of her mouth and drown. Closed airway resulting in an emblosim. This list goes on to the various incidents that could occur as a result of her 30 second blackout.

I don't know any doctor who would support a person with such a condition to dive. I hope they have their malpractice insurance up to date. Any instructor certifying this person should ask if, in a court, a reasonbly prudent scuba instructor would certify someone with this condition to dive. And while she can't sue, her heirs can and my insurance goes up because of it. And, they have a good case. Anyone who is this person's buddy is literally taking their life and the person with this condition's life in their hands. Are they ready for that? Truly? They say yes, but how prepared are they for a life and death situation. Very very few divers (thank god) have really been in that position which makes it an uniformed decision if not cavelier decision at best.

Furthermore, if this person started diving, god forbid something should happen, it would be a stain on the sport, the shop she was certified through, the agency who certified her, etc.

While I support individual freedom, I do not support random stupidity and the fallout to innocent people effected by an individual's rash and illogical thought processes. Can this person dive ... yes. Go get a tank and jump in the water. Should this person dive ... no way. I don't even know why this thread is still ongoing.

BTW - She shouldn't drive either. Those could be my kids she kills on the road!

Respectfully submitted, knowingly with little objectivity ... jcf

 

[Charlie99]

Charlie 99 hits on something I was thinking about, a full face mask and a partner (husband/bf) that holds her hand every--EVERY--inch of the way and of course limiting the dives to shallow snoozer pretty fish dives. No doubles at 165 feet inside a wreck.

A subtlety you missed in my response (although it was underlined) is that IMO she should have a buddy pair diving with her, since she cannot be counted upon to be a reliable buddy for whoever is diving with her. In other words, an appropriate dive team would be her and 2 buddies.

It's all about informed decision making and informed consent of all involved.

 

[Fastmarc]

An option is do those dives not with SCUBA, but with the hose to the surface (forgot what's it's called) in shallow water with a full face and informed buddies.

 

[vladimir]

An option is do those dives not with SCUBA, but with the hose to the surface (forgot what's it's called) in shallow water with a full face and informed buddies.

It's called a hookah, and I don't see how it would impact the risk in any way.

 

[Charlie99]

It's called a hookah, and I don't see how it would impact the risk in any way.

It doubles as a tether, thereby reducing the likelyhood that she could drift out of sight if her buddies were momentarily inattentive at the moment she passes out.

 

[spectrum]

It sounds pretty well defined for the purposes of whether or not this person should be diving. The OP Stated, "she has an occasional medical problem in which once every 1-3 months she will black out for about 30 seconds".

There is absolutely no data that supports whether or not diving (which has pressure, exposure, exertion and other factors) that may trigger or enhance this condition.f

I think that is my point, we do not know.

 

[rollerboi]

It doubles as a tether, thereby reducing the likelyhood that she could drift out of sight if her buddies were momentarily inattentive at the moment she passes out.

Only as far as her mouth remains tight enough to keep the regulator in.

 

[scubajcf]

I think that is my point, we do not know.

What is causing it is irrelevant. The fact that it is happening and does happen and we cannot predict when it will happen is precisely the ONLY issue.

She is a danger to herself and to others around her.