My friend took a bad hit.

[BIGBLUE]

I hope to find a buddy like you. One who stays close and follows the rules. I hope your friend gets well soon.

 

[SueMermaid]

Thanks for telling the story. You have obviously done the best job you could to get Paul to safety. I read your account with shock and sadness. Please let us know how Paul fares in the chamber.

Crap. That's just scary.

 

[mccabejc]

It is important to realize, however, that if we hydrate properly pre-dive, watch our ascent rates and our limits, do our stops properly, and avoid heavy post-dive exercize, we will have less risk than we assume every day driving to and from work.

Cheers!

Yikes. One more area (now I'm up to 3 or 4 major areas) in which I feel seriously shortchanged in my PADI OW training. From what I've read here, good hydration prior to diving is very important. If we covered that in our training (I don't even recall it being mentioned as a serious factor), we certainly didn't stress it as possibly being a critical factor in your safety. Thanks to all of you on this board I'm learning a LOT.

Anyway, I was planning a 3 day weekend of nonstop diving, possibly 5 or 6 dives in 3 days. Nothing deeper than 40 feet. But now I'm not so sure.

 

[miked]

Scubakevdm,
My thoughts go out to your friend and to you. Thank goodness he had as good a buddy as you were in his time of need.
As a recent "chamber rider", I sympathize with what he is going through, and will keep good thoughts for his quick and complete recovery.
Please extend to him our best wishes.
Take care,
Mike

 

[mccabejc]

I do not mean to scare anyone, but we all have to recognize that there is always a probability of risk in diving.

I'm "eyes wide open" in realizing there's a risk in diving. Not a problem. What's scary is the part you can't train or practice or prepare for because nobody understands what's going on. And it seems like, in a relatively small diving community, there's a "stuff happens" report like this on almost a weekly basis.

He's lucky he had such a good dive buddy. I'm gonna be that good.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Scary stuff.

It's hard to imagine getting hit on a dive like that. I hope he gets fixed up fast.

 

[DandyDon]

Rough experience for your friend, Kev, and not much fun for you, either. Best wishes to you both, but his body just can't handled it. There are good sports. Glad y'all handled it well and without it getting worse.

Anyway, I was planning a 3 day weekend of nonstop diving, possibly 5 or 6 dives in 3 days. Nothing deeper than 40 feet. But now I'm not so sure.

Hits are very rare. I'm 57 and did 8 dives in 3 days last March, all but 1 beyond 100 feet. I'm lucky to not have a body prone to problems, I used Nitrox on all, and I followed careful diving. Your 2 shallow dives a day plan is not aggressive at all; good strart for a newbie.
(1) Plan the diving with everything you learn here on SB, good hydration, slow ascents & good stops, don't push limits;
(2) But have good emergency plans - DAN insurance, good buddy work, fast access to Oxygen and EMS, carry a Sausage and Storm Whistle.
:ermm:

 

[Uncle Pug]

Good Job Kevin. Hope your friend has a satisfactory resolution... he would be dead if it weren't for you, so in that sense he was very fortunate.

 

[sapphire]

Kev, thank you for sharing your friend's experience. How scary for both of you. You had a good plan for getting him back in the water and you were a great buddy... Tell Paul he is in our thoughts and prayers.

jennifer

 

[RobJon]

Sad news, hope Paul recovers quickly. Good job Kevin, I hope if I ever need the help theres someone like you around.