Asthma/depression - BUT I WANT TO DIVE

[cogaritis]

Its funny you say that. If the Army took anyone my job would be much easier. I always wondered why people who have never been in think that anyone can join. We turn people away everyday to include people with no medical issues and people with college educations. The Army doesnt take everyone. In fact I would say most Americans are not qualified for service for one reason or another. If you didnt hear the military is drawing down.

That's what I've always been told, but that doesn't mean it's true. I can see that in the early 20th century, America needed soldiers for the world wars, and I assume that recruiting standards were more lenient back then, as well as the lack of knowledge about medical conditions. Now that we know more these days, and that the economy was hit so hard recently, it doesn't surprise me that the numbers in the armed forces are reduced, and the recruiting standards went up. It's common sense really - if you have (for the sake of this remark) an unlimited pool of candidates, why not choose ones that are healthy and edumacated?

---------- Post added March 10th, 2014 at 03:00 PM ----------

Terry, thanks for the input. I just read an article yesterday that said people recovering from a lung infection or something like that can breathe Heliox and it actually helps them breathe and increases the healing rate. Interesting, if that's the case.

---------- Post added March 10th, 2014 at 03:21 PM ----------

Why are you so keen and convinced that the diving life is the life for you? You tell us nothing has hit you like this before, yet you've never been diving at all; not even a Discover SCUBA.

This is along the same lines as asking an astronaut why they want to do it, or a pilot, or <insert here>. I live in the middle of the desert - I have for my entire life - and honestly, it never crossed my mind until I looked into the Navy. I didn't even know it was an option. I do, however, love the ocean and ocean life. I always have. I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was young, but I listened to everyone else instead of myself and wound up where I am today.

You tell us that you want to be able to work under water doing things that you cannot even do above.

Such as? Welding? Yeah, I'm getting the hell out of dodge (the desert) and since I have no family and soon no obligations, why not try to find a school where I can learn all of these things, diving included? There is an upside to not having been trained in a field - you don't have to 'unlearn' the bad to 'relearn' the good. I like learning and teach myself new things all the time by reading books and watching documentaries. The only reason I haven't started school yet is because I don't want to commit to stay in the desert for another 2 to 4 years. I also try to learn skills that will help me in life. (Mechanics, plumbing, electricity, chemistry, etc.)

Are you reaching for a handhold to try and pull you out of your depression? What are your friends and family saying to you in response to your desire? Have you discussed all this with your psychiatrist?

I think not, but it's always good to examine yourself. I think it was Socrates who said the unexamined life wasn't worth living, but I could be wrong about that. (Straight from House M.D. on that one; ironically, I learned a lot about the medical field.) Anyway, my family told me to not let anyone tell me I can't do something and to never give up. They were glad that I wasn't accepted into the service (for obvious reasons - hello parents). My psychiatrist didn't seem concerned, though I'll ask his opinion at our next meet. We meet once every 3 months to talk and refill prescriptions.

 

[cogaritis]

So a school called me back and said they'd enroll me if their recommended physician signs off. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I can't lie, I'm ecstatic! Fingers crossed!

 

[Easdem]

Good luck.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[cogaritis]

And.... no.

I guess that is my answer.

Time to move on.

 

[Tigerman]

Maybe time to look into the recreational dive industry? Commercial/saturation diving probably have more strenous requirements on physical and mental health than if you want to dive recreationally and maybe guide/teach recreational scuba diving? (It would be much less well paid though)

 

[flots am]

So a school called me back and said they'd enroll me if their recommended physician signs off. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I can't lie, I'm ecstatic! Fingers crossed!

OK, it's time for a reality check.

I'm sure that somewhere in this world, with enough money or enough incompetence there is a a doctor who will certify you as "OK to dive".

This doesn't mean that it's actually OK for you to dive.

It's your life. You need to decide if you're willing to die horribly if you happen to suck on a reg that has mold growing in it or if your hose or tank is contaminated, because eventually, it's going to happen.

While I have no personal knowledge of what school you're thinking of or who their doctor is, they have maybe 50,000 folding green reasons (more?) to accept you into their training program if they think they can keep you alive long enough to graduate, or alternatively, keep your tuition and boot you out for being physically able to continue.

If you like the water, I'd suggest snorkeling with flotation. That way if you have an attack, at least your tissues will be at 1ATM, so your lungs won't be bubbling like like alka-seltzer in syrup when you can't breathe and go bolting for the surface.

SCUBA is just a really bad idea.

flots.

 

[avenger79]

you know there are a lot of great welding jobs top side as well. you said physics interest you, mech eng, welding and diving. so diving won't happen, you can still put the rest to use.

understand welding is a very strenuous career choice, it pays well if you are very good at it. you won't come out of a tech school and be considered a master welder or be offered the best positions, but you can work at it.

I have a few years working in the fabrication industry, I loved it, however it was also part of the reason I went back to school and entered engineering. many friends missing limbs and many scars of my own to remind how harsh that environment can be.

you can weld on ships in a yard right next to the ocean. ever seen one commissioned? it will put pride in your heart that will last forever

just thoughts here

 

[cogaritis]

It's your life. You need to decide if you're willing to die horribly if you happen to suck on a reg that has mold growing in it or if your hose or tank is contaminated, because eventually, it's going to happen.

While I have no personal knowledge of what school you're thinking of or who their doctor is, they have maybe 50,000 folding green reasons (more?) to accept you into their training program if they think they can keep you alive long enough to graduate, or alternatively, keep your tuition and boot you out for being physically able to continue.

If you like the water, I'd suggest snorkeling with flotation. That way if you have an attack, at least your tissues will be at 1ATM, so your lungs won't be bubbling like like alka-seltzer in syrup when you can't breathe and go bolting for the surface.

SCUBA is just a really bad idea.

$22,500, actually. Their physician told me right away, "No." I don't doubt their credibility - Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle, WA.

No one knows my asthma better than me, so I'll leave it at that. I'm more than willing to die doing something that I love (funny that I feel that way since I've never even been, just principle I guess), but it's also selfish and no one is willing to risk the liability.

---------- Post added March 27th, 2014 at 07:53 AM ----------

you know there are a lot of great welding jobs top side as well. you said physics interest you, mech eng, welding and diving. so diving won't happen, you can still put the rest to use.

understand welding is a very strenuous career choice, it pays well if you are very good at it. you won't come out of a tech school and be considered a master welder or be offered the best positions, but you can work at it.

I have a few years working in the fabrication industry, I loved it, however it was also part of the reason I went back to school and entered engineering. many friends missing limbs and many scars of my own to remind how harsh that environment can be.

you can weld on ships in a yard right next to the ocean. ever seen one commissioned? it will put pride in your heart that will last forever

just thoughts here

I appreciate your thoughts. I'm definitely interested in working on the aircraft carriers and such. I don't expect to come out of a 2 year school as a master, but I'm willing to do what is necessary to be one of the best in my field, whatever that may turn out to be. I can make $80 - $120k in my current profession, but money isn't everything.

 

[diversteve]

I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was young

Maybe pursue that now instead. Back to school for a degree - and get certified recreationally at the same time. I'm no medical expert but rather than living here in the dusty desert wouldn't your asthma be better in moist ocean air like SoCal or Florida? There's at least one university in Florida that has diving as part of their marine biologist curriculum - I read about it here once. If you pursue diving certification then get a Solo diver card, the only person you'd be liable for is yourself. Except consideration for the safety of those who would be involved in body recovery.

The only hurdle might be that you'll be required to be AAUS (American Association of Underwater Scientists) certified to qualify for certain marine biology jobs. And they also have stricter medical standards than recreational diving. Unfortunately both of your conditions are on their list - however the heading at the top of the page says "May" not does.:

Conditions Which May Disqualify Candidates From Diving (Adapted from Bove, 1998)
...
e) Psychiatric disorders including claustrophobia, suicidal ideation, psychosis, anxiety states, depression.
....
w) Asthma.

Full document plus more info: http://www.aaus.org/diving_standards

So you might check. If you want a practical answer, one of their DSO's (Dive Safety Officers) posted in the South Florida forum recently. Maybe he has some insight into what they regularly allow. The people I know that work in Marine Biology often work shallow also, studying coral reefs or such. An acquaintance does DNA research with Whale Sharks - probably 90% of her non-lab time is snorkeling with them. She just became a certified diver a few years ago. I was on some of her first research dives in 2009. Off Utila where only snorkeling with them is allowed.

 

[lv2dive]

There is a world of grey in between "no diving" and commercial diving. Hang around forums enough and one sees people come in who have never dived before, or dived but never cave dived before, or dived but never tech dived before... who plan on going from point A to point Z with absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE of what points B->Y look, feel or taste like. And after the first exposure to point B or C.... they disappear from the forums because they absolutely hated something about it! A diver who just knew they were going to love caves got claustrophobic from the first entry in a cavern, or a diver who knew tech diving was going to be THEIR THING freaked out when they realized they had a virtual overhead and could NOT go to the surface.... This happens a lot. Not all the time by any means, but more than one might think.

That is not to say that goals and aspirations are not laudable... they are! They kept me going when I otherwise might have wanted to throw in the towel. BUT... I would say... it makes sense to sample something before deciding on the end goal. Plus, getting some experience in the real world gives one the opportunity to meet people in real life who have *lived* some of the options that might be appealing in the dive industry... whether it is commercial diver, diving professional, marine biologist with a diving focus, etc., or even diving support for water show like at the GA Aquarium or "O" in Vegas...

And in the meantime... a job that makes good $$ would allow one to indulge in a lot of fun diving recreationally!

Just my 2 cents. FWIW.