So...you now have piqued my interest. Why the big time bug to dive? What did you do or see that stoked the dive fire? Just curious, not judging in anyway.
Doesn't that just figure??? Discover Scuba after the classes start.
We are going on a vacation basically to get more ocean snorkeling in before we go to the Galapagos. We decided it would be fun to dive while we are in Cozumel. I have zero interest in cold water diving, so if I want to be OW certified before the vacation, I need to do it in the summer. If I don't get OW certified this year, it is unlikely I will. Our next vacation is the Galapagos, and we will NOT be diving there (no way we could be experienced enough) and it will be awhile before we get to a tropical location. I didn't want to just do Discover Scuba in Mexico though, not being in aware of what things meant scared me...so I want to take the classes and such here.
The Discover Scuba class cost 1/3 of the OW classroom/pool, so I figured it was fine to just sign up. If it turns out it isn't for me, at least I have cool books to read... You don't have to pay for check out dives until you finish pool, so not too much money lost.
---------- Post added May 9th, 2013 at 06:26 AM ----------
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Actually, I am a primary care and a general practice MD. Despite your supposition it is possible for a general practice MD to determine if a person is physically for for any activity. Just because I dont play football doesn't mean I can't sign a high school kids physical clearance form. I am also required to verify that your answers are correct. How does PADI know that you didnt lie about having a medical condition to avoid a medical exam? And have you seen the PADI medical form? It is several pages long and very detailed. I'm sorry to be brutally honest but I don't care how long you have been a patient if you want me to sign a form I can lose my license and my house if I am sued you are coming into my office for a visit on my terms.
I see an NP. I LOVE my NP. I go to her specifically because for my general care issues and well-woman exams I feel she does a much better job than any MD I've worked with. However, there is a limit to her training. She probably does hundreds if not more football physicals a year. Without playing football, I bet she still understands the limits that most people have regards to whether they can play football. As a diver, you probably have a good understanding of what limits diving. I don't think people without that experience really know much about it. There are so many misunderstandings about diving, heck, I have them and have learned a whole heck of a lot in the past few weeks. How does PADI know I didn't lie? They clearly don't care, since you only have to even GET a doctor's signature if you answered yes to a question, of which I answered yes to one. Like I said- my husband doesn't have to go to a doctor AT ALL. So PADI is only requiring medical signatures based on self reporting anyway. The form I have for her is NOT several pages long. The first page was a form I filled out with Y/N, and any Y meant I had to get medical approval. The page for her to sign is short, a single "I find this participant fit for SCUBA" (or not). It is followed by some information for the Dr. about risk factors and information to contact DAN, that is what is several pages.
Oh, and now it comes out that you have a spinal cord injury?! You bet I am going to ask you very direct and very pointed questions about what you can and cannot do in regards to physical activity without pain. Please, I don't have to be a neurologist or orthopedic surgeon to ask if you have back or neck pain with activity.
It isn't just now coming out. I've never hid this. Go down three threads in this forum, this was the VERY first question I asked. I am very concerned about whether SCUBA has additional risks for me, and contacted DAN and some local hyperbaric dive medicine specialists to consult. I don't want to do anything stupid. But my NP also knows, due to treating me for 6 years during which time I was a competitive ice skater and rower, that I have zero neck or back pain and no neurological impairment. Unless she knows something very specific about SCUBA what is me going in going to show? She is going to do a regular sports physical- and if that was all I needed, I wouldn't be required to go into a doctor at all!
And in my view- it has NOTHING to do with pain. I have NO pain, I have no limitations. What it has to do with is whether the spinal cord injury poses a risk to me in the water. If you don't specialize in dive medicine (or have some knowledge of it)- how can you tell me whether I am at risk? Is the hole in my spinal cord going to fill up with nitrogen bubbles that won't outgas and explode and paralyze me? That doesn't seem like something general practice covers- because you can't learn -everything- and it isn't really an issue a lot of the population faces. I do know that the scar tissue in my spine will make out-gasing slower, but the hyperbaric people just told me not to skip safety stops and I'd be fine.
I understand why she wants me to come in, but I'm still resentful of it- because the entire thing is a needless step. Except for the fact that it takes 6 months to a year to get in to see a specialist, it would make a lot more sense if I had to get sign off by someone who is specifically informed of either dive medicine, or spinal cord issues.
