Scuabamau diving accident

[scubawife]

Got it, thanks Don. I normally just go to a fb page or click a link. I'd never even noticed that option a the top of pages.

 

[DiverG]

This post seems to have been removed from the fb page, as have a few others from yesterday. Newest post I'm seeing is from 10:52a yesterday morning. The link to where Jen's letter requesting donations was on fb is also no longer valid. Wonder what's going on there? The person who set up the page, do they have any real connection to the families, Opal or Gabi, or was it just a diver customer friend who wanted to do something? It's weird that such important informative posts would just disappear.

When I click on the link it takes me to the post. I htink there is some glitch though because I have never seen it actually posted on the Rally page.

 

[scubawife]

When I click on the link it takes me to the post. I htink there is some glitch though because I have never seen it actually posted on the Rally page.

Don obviously spends more time on boards and fb then we do, he got me sorted out. See his message.

 

[DandyDon]

You could have just said I was skilled. No, I noticed posts by visitors missing and poked around. The default is to show posts only by the page originator.

When I click on the link it takes me to the post. I htink there is some glitch though because I have never seen it actually posted on the Rally page.

Besides this...

That report is still there, twice, by two posters. Click Everyone (Most Recent) on the wall. The paypal links are on the Info page.

One of the two copies of that post is a linked article within FB.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

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.

Unfortunately, those ventilators aren't intended to function in a hyperbaric chamber. The relatively minor pressure changes found in helicopter transfers don't cause problems with "standard" transport vents.
There ARE ventilators specifically designed for chambers, but since most people in the chamber don't need one, I'd not be suprised to hear that lots of chambers don't have one.

 

[dmoore19]

The first case of what we now call DCS was reported in a coal mine in 1841. I am no mining expert by any means, but it is my understanding that DCS symptoms in mines in the 1800's were fairly common, and Paul Bert's pioneering work on "Caisson Disease" had an impact on mining practices.

On the other hand...

It is also my understanding that mining practices today are different, and elevator rides to caves are different still. The 1841 coal mine was pressurized to keep water out, and I believe it was fairly common to pressurize the mines where miners worked during that time period. I also believe that this is not done any longer. (Someone with a more encyclopedic knowledge of this please correct me if I am wrong.) If a person in the depths of a mine or a cavern is not under artificial pressure, the danger would be greatly reduced or even eliminated.

Again, I wold be happy to be corrected if wrong.

I have been in an underground coal mine, I worked (topside) there for a few months. To my knowledge, there is a tremendous ventilation system but not pressurized. Water is pumped out with centrifugal pumps at different stations along the way. One of the shafts went under a river.

 

[JenLoves2Dive]

OK. I am so sorry for the lack of an update but we've been going a hundred miles an hour here and there seems to be not enough hours in the day!

First of all, I am not sure what ScubaWife is referring to, so maybe I misread in my haste, as anything I post on Facebook stays there and I have not removed any posts. Would really appreciate it VERY much if you wouldn't post things like that, as it may lead people to believe that we are no longer actively seeking donations for Opal & Gabi's medical expenses and have an unintended affect on our ability to recieve donations for them. I know you are trying to help, but if you are unsure of the particular circumstances then PLEASE contact me directly and I will be happy to update or inform you.

There are many, many posts about how to donate on various boards. Please feel free to cut & paste my words (in entirety please) or the link to this post and repost on your Facebook or blog.

With that being said, there is no Pay Pal "link" to the email addresses. It's much simpler than that.
Anyone with a PayPal account can donate to anyone else with a PayPal account.
The email addresses ARE the PayPal accounts but you can not click on the email address for the link.
INSTRUCTIONS:
So, to make a donation, you go to:
www.PAYPAL.com then click on the "Send Money" TAB.
Type in the email in the TO: box (e.g., MedicalCare4Opal@gmail.com OR MedicalCare4Gabi@gmail.com. Please don't click on the email addresses but cut & paste them into the To: box.
Click on "I'm Sending Money to Someone in the U.S." Currency should be in U.S. Dollars or can also be in Pesos.
Please make sure to Click on the Personal Tab and then click on "Donation".

We (ScubaMau Staff, Jen and Denise) want to make sure that people understand that we set up these two accounts to specifically pay any Medical expenses for Opal and Gabi. I am a longtime friend of Gabi Loco and Opal and they are dear friends of mine and my dive buddies. I have been coming to the island for 18 years and have a home hear and a business here and just moved here full time. Denise is an instructor and worked with Scuba Mau and before that was an instructor in Hawaii. She's been also coming to the island for over 25 years and has a home here in Cozumel.
We personally set up these accounts and are making sure that these bills get paid. Since we all all dive professionals and have a long extended dive family with a long history of activity and participation on several dive forums and with the dive community (both in the U.S. and in Cozumel), we felt we could help Opal and Gabi by reaching out to all our personal contacts for help through the people we have come to know over these many years. Also, it would be very easy for anyone to verify who we are and what we are doing to help them.

This was a labor of love set up by us to assist in getting these bills paid and make sure money is distributed fairly.
We have collected receipts and bills from the San Miguel Clinica (hospital), Medical Hyperbarics Inc., (Hyperbaric chamber hospital), AeroAmbulance International (air ambulance) and other medically-related expenses they have both incurred as a result of the accident. We have met with the head of the chamber as well as speaking with a representative of the hospital. We have also met with the family to discuss and review the medical costs to date and discuss how things are going to be paid.
It is important for people to understand that the total of the medical bills to date (For Cozumel Only) is way more than actual donations. (Again, there are separate costs for Gabi and Opal as we have separate bills for both.)

Payments from these accounts need to be equitable and fair and distributed proportionately.
We just received the total for all the medical bills here in Cozumel (including air transport). Obviously Gabi's bill with the hyperbaric chamber changes daily and he has a very long road to recovery. I am quite sure he is going to need rehabilitative assistance for some time to come. We do not have any costs for Opal's bill in the U.S. right now, so again, these cost keep going up.

We are going to visit with Gabi right now to discuss more about his needs. He is in great spirits and is so appreciative of everyone's support.

We have heard from Opal's mom (see a copy of her post above) and we are praying for her. The news today is disheartening and we all just continue to pray for her and her recovery.

Please, please understand that this is absolutely devastating to all of us and its been pretty hard on us...which is making it pretty difficult to follow all the posting and comments made. Some of the posts have been hurtful and its better for most of us not to read them right now. So please think twice about posting your criticisms and try to post from the heart.
We are all in survival mode at the moment and everyone is pretty exhausted. Its heartbreaking, and every day I close my eyes and I see my friend's faces and I pray for them and I ask you to do the same.

Anyone...please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have about how to help Opal and Gabi.
If you would like to make a donation straight to the chamber or the hospital, please let me know and I will help arrange that.

I can not even begin to thank this diving community for the caring and love that is pouring through Scuba Board and other forums and the donations made to date. Anyone who personally knows me, knows that I am taking this responsibility seriously and am dedicated to making sure that we do everything we can to help Opal and Gabi during this tragedy.

With much love and respect,
Jen


Contacts: Jennifer - JenLoves2Dive (at) gmail Dot com
Contact: Denise - cozumel_girl09 (at) hotmail Dot com
You can also contact us through our Facebook Accounts.


I apologize for poor grammar and typos!!! Thanks!!

 

[DiverG]

Thank you Jen and Denise for your hard work in helping Gabi and Opal.

 

[jeancmo]

Jen and Denise- You are GREAT friends for taking on this responsibility for Opal and Gabi. I admire your efforts! Jean in MO

 

[pjhansman]

If that's the case, you'd be surprised by your results related to some light research of "Caisson Disease".

You'd be surprised to note, a vertical half-mile trip into a mine would immerse yourself in an approximate pressure of 16psi. I can make no claim any of this is scientifically accurate, but I do know how many PSI of "differential" it takes to make the passengers happy and the drinks taste just right.

Wouldn't be surprised at all....after working in mining for more than 35 years, including several more than 8,000 ft deep. However, even in the deepest mines, DCS problems are non-existant.

And Caisson Disease was named after (oddly enough) the caissons they use for bridge construction. In that case workers were working in a pressurized environment to help keep the water out. That technique is not employed in modern mines nor, to my knowledge, has it ever been to any real extent.