Starting Over After a Few Years and Terrible Experience

[AfterDark]

Good for you trying again after such a painful experience, not many people get back up on the horse after being thrown and hurt. You should try advertising for a private instructor, not all instructors work out of dive shops. If you find any private instructors you should ask for references such as former students. Take your time and ask a lot of other questions like how long have they been teaching scuba. What is their primary job? If you find someone that is a teacher as their primary job you may be on to something! Good luck hope your diving by this summer.

Many years ago I burst an eardrum due to a infection. That was during the month of December 80 something, I think. I went to an ENT doc the following March and was cleared to dive. You should be ok but do go to the ENT doc. as others have advised.

 

[durham64]

Good for you trying again after such a painful experience, not many people get back up on the horse after being thrown and hurt. You should try advertising for a private instructor, not all instructors work out of dive shops. If you find any private instructors you should ask for references such as former students. Take your time and ask a lot of other questions like how long have they been teaching scuba. What is their primary job? If you find someone that is a teacher as their primary job you may be on to something! Good luck hope your diving by this summer.

Many years ago I burst an eardrum due to a infection. That was during the month of December 80 something, I think. I went to an ENT doc the following March and was cleared to dive. You should be ok but do go to the ENT doc. as others have advised.

AfterDark,

That is excellent advice. I had not given any thought to advertising for an instructor myself, but it would definitely allow me to "interview" people who were actually interested in teaching. Thanks for that! It was a bad experience, but your analogy to the horse is oh so true for me! I actually got my collarbone mangled by being thrown from a horse, had surgery, metal plates, etc. but as soon as the doctor let me, I was right back in the saddle again. I guess I just never give up if I have my mind set on something.

Thanks for your help!

Holley

p.s. to all: I finally got my new computer today! I have been without since my laptop crashed and burned, but now I am back with a brand new laptop, so hopefully, I'll be around!

 

[TSandM]

Holley, you and I are two of the rare people with plated collarbones, and mine was from a horse accident, too! (Although it was from having a horse fall on me when I was trying to change a dressing on his foot.)

I'm going to suggest you PM katepnatl here on SB and make a connection with her. She'll be great moral support, and might be able to help you with some advice on shops and instructors.

 

[Sea Dwellers Rob]

Whatever you do, don't give up! Not all instructors are the same, you just got one that didn't work for you...stick with it, get suggestions from your local dive center on good Instructors in whatever area you are looking to go to.
Don't give up, it will be worth the effort you seem to really want to do it despite you bad experience...which is important!

 

[alan_lee]

I started off pretty much the same way except I burst mine on my first dive and earned a yelling from my instructor who reckoned that since he had taught me how to clear my eyes, it had to be my fault. The whole thing with pulling the student down is a common phenomenon in the diving industry. People just can't comprehend that some people have more difficulties than others when it comes to clearing their ears. Do take your time to talk to your friends for recommendation of a good dive instructor, "good" being someone who is patient, not "good" because the person is a lot of fun. Then talk to the instructor about your past experience and get a sensing of how he/she feels about it. But of course, get your ENT doctor's clearance before you start diving again.

I continued diving after my accident and I'm glad it got me looking for better alternatives, and years after my accident, I'm now an instructor and ears had healed completely. Good luck with your journey!