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Post-Surgery: Advice for Bonaire
- Thread starter tcpip95
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Jersey
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The only thing I'll add is to be sure to communicate the plan to the boat crew and DM's about how you want to handle on/off. They may be able to suggest best practices. I've seen a variety of situations - amputees 1 below the knee, 1 total arm. Neither did giant strides, rather sat on transom edge and slipped in. Couple young adults who were on the autism spectrum wanted to be last to enter the pool. Folks who've had various hip/back surgeries and wanted to kit up in the water and de-kit before getting back on boat.Clipped the kit on the tag line and hauled it aboard after the diver. Some friends who are well into their 80's dive with smaller tanks. Scuba is the great equalizer, just takes a plan. The nice things with boat diving is there will be a guide in the water who may be able to assist in the water. I like boat diving Bonaire, some days I just don't feel like loading the truck, dealing with the sand - roll me on a boat, kick me off, and I'll see you later. As others said, most Klein sites are benign and guides usually do a current check before starting off. There are a couple that are deep water moorings and require a swim across, but usually not frequented unless requested and the group can handle the swim. Other easy shore dives may be Tori's Reef - you can kit up in an outflow pool and float. Something Special is the north end of town, park on the street, sand beach entry. I would suggest evaluating her abilities after the surgery as both sites have sand and some rocks/coral rubble to contend with.
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VIP Diving offers valet shore diving if your wife's knee starts bothering her but it's $60/dive. Pretty sure that includes all needed gear handling.. Home - VIP Diving Bonaire
The latest BDSME book is available from the author here: Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy, BSDME, Author Susan Porter
The latest BDSME book is available from the author here: Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy, BSDME, Author Susan Porter
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morecowbells
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It is wonderful that you are working so hard and determined to continue your wife's passion for diving! Great choice with the Den Laman Resort. Even though your wife is medically cleared, has she been doing some range of motion exercises with a physical therapist? Some ROM challenges and even a few visits with a fitness instructor focusing on core exercises and resistance weights will help her re-strengthen some of her accessory muscles to help with balance. I don't know what kind of BCD or weight system your wife owns, but I think gearing up (on the non dock sites) on a truck bed or bench and having her weights inserted once in the water may be less challenging with her shoulders.
OP
tcpip95
Contributor
She goes in for the knee surgery on Feb 8th. Her shoulders have fully recovered (as best as they're going to), but she's doing her ROM exercises for them, which keeps her in the game.
For the BCD we both have ScubaPro; she has the Bella BC, with the integrated weight pouches
She's one tough bird....
We were heading down to Islamorada with some friends for a week vacation. We were taking the boat and our dive gear. The night before, I'm dropping the hounds off with the dog sitter when she calls me and tells me, "I tripped over your backpack in your office, and I think I busted my OTHER shoulder. The ambulance is here to take me to the hospital" (she fractured the other shoulder a year earlier when she slipped on some water on the floor in the kitchen). I go to the hospital, and sure enough, it's fractured in 3 places. I told her that I'd call our friends and tell them we're not coming. "NO!" she tells me. "They can't operate on me for a week, so if I've gotta be miserable, I'd rather be miserable in paradise". OK, but we won't take the boat. "Bullsh**! Let's take the boat. If I can't dive at least I can watch topside."
She's All-Madden
For the BCD we both have ScubaPro; she has the Bella BC, with the integrated weight pouches
She's one tough bird....
We were heading down to Islamorada with some friends for a week vacation. We were taking the boat and our dive gear. The night before, I'm dropping the hounds off with the dog sitter when she calls me and tells me, "I tripped over your backpack in your office, and I think I busted my OTHER shoulder. The ambulance is here to take me to the hospital" (she fractured the other shoulder a year earlier when she slipped on some water on the floor in the kitchen). I go to the hospital, and sure enough, it's fractured in 3 places. I told her that I'd call our friends and tell them we're not coming. "NO!" she tells me. "They can't operate on me for a week, so if I've gotta be miserable, I'd rather be miserable in paradise". OK, but we won't take the boat. "Bullsh**! Let's take the boat. If I can't dive at least I can watch topside."
She's All-Madden
OP
tcpip95
Contributor
Yeah, I looked into diving with VIP, but they were a little high, and didn't really seem to offer boat dives.
I just ordered that book last night. Looking forward to reading it.
Doctorfish
Contributor
If my spouse/partner had just had knee surgery as you described, I would personally save Bonaire for another trip and instead go someplace that has true valet boat diving. The boat dive ops on Bonaire, in my experience, do not graciously provide the sort of service she may require. Why not go to Coz or the Caymans where the boat crew will really help your partner in and out. Shore diving seems like an accident waiting to happen until that knee has healed fully, which won't be the case with just a 3 month interval since the surgery.
Further, if something were to go wrong, the health care facilities on Grand Cayman are far superior to Bonaire.
Further, if something were to go wrong, the health care facilities on Grand Cayman are far superior to Bonaire.
OP
tcpip95
Contributor
Doc, thanks for that input. I appreciate it. Wife is meeting with her surgeon as we speak to discuss this. If we have to cancel then so be it, but we'll have a better idea once we talk to him today. His initial take was that she'd be ok as long as we take it easy and don't overdo it.
Letting the cat out of the bag: This is going to be our honeymoon, and Bonaire has always been our dream. We're actually getting married next month.
Letting the cat out of the bag: This is going to be our honeymoon, and Bonaire has always been our dream. We're actually getting married next month.
darook
Contributor
Congratulations!!
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+1, congratulations on your upcoming marriage @tcpip95 . I just made 38 years.
If you want to make it as easy as possible, go to Little Cayman Beach Resort or Cayman Brac Beach Resort. You walk to the back of the boat and sit down on a seat. Put on your fins and mask, they bring you your BC and tank, put it on and take a step. The exact reverse when you get out, they change out your tank by the time you get to your seat. In 2010, I went to LCBR soon after a hip replacement, they even gave me a nice assist in standing up when I told them of my recent surgery. Both of these resorts do 3 boat dives per day, maybe that would be enough for you. Both resorts are perfectly fine for relaxing. There is some shore diving on Cayman Brac if you rent a car. Some of it is challenging, some of it is very easy.
Best of luck in your marriage and in your diving.
If you want to make it as easy as possible, go to Little Cayman Beach Resort or Cayman Brac Beach Resort. You walk to the back of the boat and sit down on a seat. Put on your fins and mask, they bring you your BC and tank, put it on and take a step. The exact reverse when you get out, they change out your tank by the time you get to your seat. In 2010, I went to LCBR soon after a hip replacement, they even gave me a nice assist in standing up when I told them of my recent surgery. Both of these resorts do 3 boat dives per day, maybe that would be enough for you. Both resorts are perfectly fine for relaxing. There is some shore diving on Cayman Brac if you rent a car. Some of it is challenging, some of it is very easy.
Best of luck in your marriage and in your diving.
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