My personal experience getting bent...

[JohnnyH]

On July 4, 2015 (as in a few months ago) I was down in north central Florida in the middle of MOD2 and full CCR Cave training on my rEvo.

I've done many high profile dives in terrible conditions and under high duress as the dive went all pear shaped. And I've luckily always been fine.

Not on July 4th. Not by a long shot. Rather than describe the event, I think it easier to share a YouTube link of the presentation I gave to my coworkers at the New England Aquarium a week or so ago.

After watching it, I'd be happy to answer any questions, as I feel theres some good information in there for us all...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t8djdervQw

John Hanzl
Author
john h hanzl (author) | official site

 

[Littlerayray]

I just watched the video and wow glad you came out of it alive and let us know how your first splash after the incident goes very interested to hear I am also looking into getting checked for a p.f.o.r. because of your video thanks a lot it was very informative

 

[chillyinCanada]

Wow. Dude!

Thanks for sharing this. Scary as hell.

Wishing you all the best.

 

[dbulmer]

To JohnnyH,

First of all thanks for posting your video and I hope you are keeping well.

I'm pretty sure that most divers will find it informative.

I do have a question for you.

Early in the video you spoke about being in denial about your situation and you mentioned how Scott was there for you.

When did you come to terms with the situation ? What was it that Scott and your team mates did to make you realise you were bent?

I'm not the world's best diplomat so if I have pressed any personal buttons please do not be offended.

 

[Johnoly]

Great video!,,,Doug is the best. He's done 3 of my dive buddies.

 

[JohnnyH]

To JohnnyH,

First of all thanks for posting your video and I hope you are keeping well.

I'm pretty sure that most divers will find it informative.

I do have a question for you.

Early in the video you spoke about being in denial about your situation and you mentioned how Scott was there for you.

When did you come to terms with the situation ? What was it that Scott and your team mates did to make you realise you were bent?

I'm not the world's best diplomat so if I have pressed any personal buttons please do not be offended.

Happy for the question!

I think the more experience you have the harder it is to come to grips with something like DCS. I mean - I have thousands and thousands of dives, I train, drill, train others, drill more, train more. I mean, I do the diving thing for a living. It's impossible for me to get bent on a nothing dive! I do everything by the book - and even when things don't go according to plan, I have a plan for that too. I don't bend!

I was wrong.

Even when everything was falling apart for me, I was focusing on how I was going to get ready for the next day's dives. Mel knew - as I found out later she was making calls to set up the local ED and find a hospital with a chamber.

The last straw was when Pete pulled up my shirt and revealed all the welting on my abdomen and side.

---------- Post added October 28th, 2015 at 10:33 AM ----------

Ken - why am I not surprised...

 

[dbulmer]

John,
Thanks for answering.

 

[miked]

Scary. Thanks for posting,very informative. Best wishes for a healthy future.

 

[Seymour Fisch]

Wow, amazing story and glad that you seem to be doing great! Thanks for sharing this...

A newbie question: You showed the profiles for your dives, and I understand that the red area was your deco ceiling, right? And so the theory is that you shouldn't ascend into that area, but the closer you get, the faster you off-gas. So, in your profiles, you ascend right up to that depth and do a long stop there. But here's my question: there's that quote about deco theory being drawing a bright line through a field of gray; you extended your stop for extra safety, but would it be safe to do your stops further below the deco ceiling, to have some extra margin of error? You'd have to decompress longer, but you wouldn't ever get quite as close to the ceiling. (Sorry if this is a dumb question. I have zero training in decompression, but was just curious...)

 

[DogDiver]

Interesting story. I got bent at Hart Springs a few years ago. You spent some wasted time going to Lake City. The closest chamber to cave country is Tallahassee. Jacksonville is often not staffed. The local EMS would have you choppered directly to a DAN chamber.


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