Hangingupthewetsuit
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Hi All,
My husband has spinal cord DCS as a result of a dive last Monday. He is 42 and in excellent health, although he does have asthma. He dove safely within the limit. He used a bronchial dilalator (albuterol) just before the dive. I don't have his dive profile handy, but from what I recall he dove @80 ft. maximum depth for 20 minutes, 3 minute saftey stop, dive time was @30 minutes.
He finished the dive last Monday @3:00. When he got off the boat he felt a little queezy. By the time he rinsed off his wetsuit (@30 minutes after the dive) he felt a pain in his neck for @1 minute. It then went away. Immediately after, he began having difficulty walking. He went to the hotel, slept for an hour, woke up, started to work on his computer and began to feel numbness and tingling, @6:30. Saw hotel doc @8:00. The doctor said it was high blood pressure caused by a side effect of a sea sickness patch he had worn for the first time.
He disreagarded the doctor's diagnosis, left the hotel by 9:00. He arrived at the chamber @10:00. At that point he was shaking when he walked. He did a 4.5 hour chamber session. By the time he completed the session, he couldn't walk. He went back to the hotel, slept, then checked into a hospital in Santo Domingo by 8:00 am Tuesday.
The hospital did a catscan, gave him vitamin B12, and muscle relaxants.
The catscan didn't show any problems. He was still numb, tingling, shaking and inable to walk.
He left the hospital the next afternoon, Wednesday, in order to get on a 3:00 flight home to California. He arrived into SF @9:30pm. By 10:30 we were in the Stanford Hospital ER. He was admitted using a wheelchair.
Thursday: The Neuro team at Stanford performed many tests, most importantly, a spinal MRI. The MRI showed lesions on his spinal cord. He has been given huge quantities of intravenous steroids to reduce inflammation and valium for spasticity.
Friday: The diagnosis is most likely spinal DCS. Although very anxious and uncomfortable, he is in good spirits. He has shuffled around the hospital with a walker for a total of @1 mile.
It is now Saturday. He still has parathesis and girdle-like pain. He is now using one crutch to get around. He walks slowly and purposefully with the crutch. He needs to think about every step. He is off of the IV and is taking oral prednisone and valium.
At this point I'm looking for (and sympathize with) anyone with this experience. We are wondering what to expect next. Also, any constructive recommendations are welcome.
My husband and I had been divers for @15 years and have done @150 dives.
My husband has spinal cord DCS as a result of a dive last Monday. He is 42 and in excellent health, although he does have asthma. He dove safely within the limit. He used a bronchial dilalator (albuterol) just before the dive. I don't have his dive profile handy, but from what I recall he dove @80 ft. maximum depth for 20 minutes, 3 minute saftey stop, dive time was @30 minutes.
He finished the dive last Monday @3:00. When he got off the boat he felt a little queezy. By the time he rinsed off his wetsuit (@30 minutes after the dive) he felt a pain in his neck for @1 minute. It then went away. Immediately after, he began having difficulty walking. He went to the hotel, slept for an hour, woke up, started to work on his computer and began to feel numbness and tingling, @6:30. Saw hotel doc @8:00. The doctor said it was high blood pressure caused by a side effect of a sea sickness patch he had worn for the first time.
He disreagarded the doctor's diagnosis, left the hotel by 9:00. He arrived at the chamber @10:00. At that point he was shaking when he walked. He did a 4.5 hour chamber session. By the time he completed the session, he couldn't walk. He went back to the hotel, slept, then checked into a hospital in Santo Domingo by 8:00 am Tuesday.
The hospital did a catscan, gave him vitamin B12, and muscle relaxants.
The catscan didn't show any problems. He was still numb, tingling, shaking and inable to walk.
He left the hospital the next afternoon, Wednesday, in order to get on a 3:00 flight home to California. He arrived into SF @9:30pm. By 10:30 we were in the Stanford Hospital ER. He was admitted using a wheelchair.
Thursday: The Neuro team at Stanford performed many tests, most importantly, a spinal MRI. The MRI showed lesions on his spinal cord. He has been given huge quantities of intravenous steroids to reduce inflammation and valium for spasticity.
Friday: The diagnosis is most likely spinal DCS. Although very anxious and uncomfortable, he is in good spirits. He has shuffled around the hospital with a walker for a total of @1 mile.
It is now Saturday. He still has parathesis and girdle-like pain. He is now using one crutch to get around. He walks slowly and purposefully with the crutch. He needs to think about every step. He is off of the IV and is taking oral prednisone and valium.
At this point I'm looking for (and sympathize with) anyone with this experience. We are wondering what to expect next. Also, any constructive recommendations are welcome.
My husband and I had been divers for @15 years and have done @150 dives.
