Scuabamau diving accident

[DiverG]

Today is Opal's birthday. This makes me feel sad.

The facebook date is wrong. Her bday is in March.

 

[scubavaquera]

Ahhh -ok. Thanks. It popped up on my FB today. I still feel sad, though.

The facebook date is wrong. Her bday is in March.

 

[DiverG]

Yes, there are a lot of reasons to be sad.

 

[Darol]

No matter what happens in life, there are blessings. Sometimes I feel there is more happening all around us, than we will ever understand.
Prayer can work miracles, no question.
I can't help but look back at all the times I've rolled the dice. I'm very blessed.
All are in my prayers...

 

[suprane]

Some facilities have larger chambers that can accommodate a patient and attendants...

Others are smaller for less complicated needs, like CO & wound treatments. I have seen them smaller than this one...

Don, the second photo is a chamber intended for wound therapy. In other words, for patients with a chronic wound that will just not heal. This includes things such as a diabetic with non-healing foot ulcers, decubitus ulcers, etc.

It is a relatively low pressure vessel and will not nearly achieve the pressures needed to treat most DCS injuries. I have never heard of one being used for that purpose.

As far as ventilators. We now now have some really rather compact transport ventilators available that could easily be used in all but the smallest of the chambers. They are routinely used to transport patients between facilities in helicopters and ambulances.

 

[DiverG]

Here is the latest update from Opal's mom. This was posted on facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rally...-double-click-for-full-post/10150291490183167

Well guys, after two great days with Opal smiling and blinking, this morning her blood pressure bottomed out, her heart rate went over 100 and she had a temp of 104. Seems they have discovered her brain stem is also injured and is very swollen. This means the signals from the brain to the body is being shorted out and causing the erratic stats. She can't be placed in the chamber due to this latest event. Her stem was swollen when we first arrived, we just found out today. We were trying to get her transfered to Mercy hospital for the chamber, but, that option was never on the table as we found out today. We were told Jackson Memorial was the best for neuro medicine, then found out it wouldn't do any good to move her there because the same doctors work at both Miami University and Jackson Memorial hospitals.
I'm sorry I don't have any good news to tell you, but, hopefully this is just her brain stem trying to sort things out so things will straighten out. Right now it is still just one big wait and see. This isn't good plain and simple. Keep up the prayers and positive thoughts as she needs them now as much as ever.

 

[cicopo]

As bad as that reads THANK YOU.

 

[DiverG]

As bad as that reads THANK YOU.

It doesn't sound good, and is a turn for the worse. Praying for a better news tomorrow.

 

[DandyDon]

Don, the second photo is a chamber intended for wound therapy. In other words, for patients with a chronic wound that will just not heal. This includes things such as a diabetic with non-healing foot ulcers, decubitus ulcers, etc.

It is a relatively low pressure vessel and will not nearly achieve the pressures needed to treat most DCS injuries. I have never heard of one being used for that purpose.

As far as ventilators. We now now have some really rather compact transport ventilators available that could easily be used in all but the smallest of the chambers. They are routinely used to transport patients between facilities in helicopters and ambulances.

Yeah, we tried dad in one of those once, altho I think I remember it being smaller. Dad refused to go after a session or two. I spoke with the doctor who ran the facility and I swear I remember him saying that he had treated a boy for DCS, from riding the elevators at Carlsbad Caverns, so either I misunderstood or - well?

I can see why they would be lower pressure. With those plexiglass walls, I wouldn't want to take one to 100 psi.

The info I got on the ventilator might have got mixed up in the passing...?

 

[suprane]

I spoke with the doctor who ran the facility and I swear I remember him saying that he had treated a boy for DCS, from riding the elevators at Carlsbad Caverns, so either I misunderstood or - well?

I don't think that is possible. The elevator ride is 750'. That is a tiny fraction of a one atmosphere change. Compare that to the differential that passengers experience in a commercial airliner with a cabin pressure of 8000ft.! Or a ride to the top of the World Trade Center (when it was standing!) at 1368 ft.