Need adaptations after spinal fusion surgery.

[Tina5269]

I just got the OK from my surgeon that I can return to diving after having my lower spine fused a year ago. But I have a giant problem now. I can't bend at the waist anymore and I can't lift more than 40 lbs.

My new rules are that I have to don & doff my gear in the water, and have my dive buddy or the boat crew put it in the water & lift it back out into the boat for me. My buddy will do this for me, but I want to make it easier on him.

With the tank, regs, weights & stuff my gear is nearly 70 lbs! (45 is the tank alone.) I'm thinking that there must be a way to lower a bag into the water so I could put some / most of my weight in that before having someone lift the rest of my stuff out.

Has anyone done this or seen this? I don't want to give up diving but there's a limit on what I can have others do for me, too. Please help!

 

[Barefoot_Lawyer]

I don’t think this would be any problem on a vacation dive boat. My wife is small and often needs to doff her equipment and hand it up (or give it to me). Some dive ops insist on it, especially in rough water. It’s easier if the weight belt is separate / not integrated weights and you can hand those up first. But honestly the boat crew is going to have done this a bunch for other people with different conditions that make it in advisable for them to carry that much weight too.

I also have no problem exiting the water with my equipment on and then jumping back in to don hers and exit again. It is a lot easier to carry the same weight on the shoulder straps twice than to lean over and pull up from below your feet.

 

[Tina5269]

Here's my gear setup... Maybe that will help. Bear with me... I'm new with only 27 dives so far.

I've got a bp/w with a stainless steel plate (UTD) and I had to modify the rest a little... Regs are also UTD, long hose style but I shortened this to a 5' hose & added a 90 degree swivel. I had to change the 1pc webbing to a dive rite quick release style because I just can't twist like before. I use a console computer that I clip to my harness on a retractor... I need the big screen because my vision sucks and I can't get it right with prescription lenses in my mask. Wrist computers didn't work well for me.
Also, I get really cold so I have to use a 3 or 5 mil suit which mean I need more lead. (I carry about 20 - 22 lbs weight depending on the mil.) Usually 12-16 lbs is distributed in 4 pouches i put on the cam straps. The rest is ditchable & in pouches on my waistband.

I know, this is a lot of crap to carry. I haven't figured out how to streamline it yet.

 

[Tina5269]

I also have no problem exiting the water with my equipment on and then jumping back in to don hers and exit again. It is a lot easier to carry the same weight on the shoulder straps twice than to lean over and pull up from below your feet.

Thank you! My rig has a crotch strap and a weight belt hits me right where my back is bad, so I'm trying to figure out how to make it so I could take weight out of my rig & send it up via a rope & bag or with my boyfriend/dive buddy. He's planning to do as you do... Go up on the boat with his stuff, then jump in and carry my stuff up.

 

[-JD-]

There are pouch-in-pocket weight systems that you could use on your waist-belt that should be pretty easy to pull and hand-up, instead of a weight belt, like:

20 lb QB Weight Pocket - Dive Rite

20 lbs mounted vertical or horizontal with quick release handles. For use with the TransPac and other harnesses.

www.diverite.com

Those are rated for 10lbs/side and they have 6/side versions too. OMS has similar ones as well.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I would get rid of all that weight on the cam straps and put it somewhere you can remove and hand up to the boat separately.

As you dive more, your required weight will be less.
Maybe look into something like a lavacore or sharkskin suit. Less buoyant and thinner than neoprene but just as warm.
You can always hand up ditchable weight pockets like JD is suggesting. Just be careful not to drop them.
I commend you for sticking with diving even after such intense surgery.
I just had two discs replaced in my neck and won't be diving until August. I wish I was still 25.

The more you dive, the easier it will become for you. My dad turned 82 this year and has just started diving with me. We do the in-water gear up with him and it works out just fine.

 

[Marie13]

I have bad knees/sciatica so I have some experience with having to adapt my diving.

You’re only diving on vacation in warm spots, correct? From what I read here, those crews are very accommodating.Take your gear off in the water/on the ladder and let crew haul it up. Tip well. Let the dive op know what help you need when you book to make sure they can accommodate you, and again when you get on board. Don’t make things more complicated than you have to by trying to figure out things for weights and such.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

There used to be a device, the Dacor Nautilus Constant Volume System (CVS), that would fill the bill for you, but it is no longer available. This video shows my Nautilus CVS in use, and maybe by watching it you can get an idea of a BCD that could be arranged much like the Dacor Nautilus CVS. Use the BCD to have both the weight system and the tank in an integrated system. Have it placed in the water, inflated, then slightly deflate it to get it vertical, and get into it. Look at the video on YouTube, “Trieste II and Dacor Nautilus CVS Dive," and go to about 11:30 in the video to see donning it in the water.


SeaRat

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

That's a pretty ripping current. I hope you have a ride back to your car.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

That's a pretty ripping current. I hope you have a ride back to your car.

Nope, no ride. But the river there goes in a kinda “U” shape and flows downstream from High Rocks Park to another park, where I exit. I then walk back up a different route to my car.

SeaRat