What is a TABI? If you were not born with a disability, then you are a Temporarily Abled Bodied Individual! At Diveheart we keep this top of mind as we work with our Adaptive Divers and we hope that we have the courage and heart to Scuba Dive when we are no longer TABIs. Keeping the Diveheart vision and mission in mind helps
Are you A TABI?
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The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
It's days like the last few that make me really understand what Diveheart is all about. I really hurt my knee a few days ago, and am hoping that this is temporary. Not being able to do things like dive is a real bummer.
You will be ok. Worst case scenario, go get a rebuild...you will be up and running in a year. Mind you that's worst case. Best case you will be back at it in a few weeks.
I've battled knee and spine surgeries since I was 17...the dark side of childhood athletes.
I don't find myself to be inspirational...the real warriors are the folks with parts missing, paralysis etc that are still motivated to live life to its fullest.
Adam Grose
Contributor
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Thanks for the sentiments. It's healing and I'll be in the water soon. Let's see how we can assist those who can't get in the water permanently. The great part about the DiveHeart training is that it's empathy based. You get to dive blind. That means putting your gear together, doing a giant stride and being led around, doing a CESA, doing a bailout with recovery and doing other skills with a black bag stuffed in your mask. Then you get to lead another so encumbered diver. Think your neutral buoyancy skills are good? Wait till you try without sight or maintaining it for two. Then you get to bind your feet together to simulate a paraplegic, then a quadriplegic. You hear all these tales of daring do skills from yesteryear divers. They ain't done nothing like this. I guarantee you that you will never be this challenged in the water. I also guarantee that you will never as good after a dive helping another human being see our underwater wonder world. Or just experience neutral buoyancy if they're blind or almost so.
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
You know, one thing I left out. You'll never understand why a blind person dives until you dive blind. You won't understand their bravery, their drive or their motivation either. Until you swim a few hundred yards in their fins, you just can't get it. That's true for any issue, medical or psychological. In one of our Diveheart DSD events, I had the great pleasure of taking a guy in the water who lost his legs in a motorcycle accident. It was obvious on the deck, in his wheelchair that he was pissed at the world. To say I was a bit apprehensive at trying to get through to this gentleman is an understatement. As an instructor in the pool, I'm more responsible for his welfare than he is until he gets certified. He wouldn't even let anyone help him in the water. The man needed some FUN. So, once we got the BC on and mask adjusted, I got him to play underwater. Somersaults, barrel rolls, one armed push ups off the bottom... I kept throwing stunt after stunt at him and he loved it. He went from being pissed to being enthused. From being a double amputee to being a Scuba Diver. I kept him in the pool for a long time... they can't tell you his time is up if you don't surface.
But at the end, as we floated on the surface and a huge smile on his face, he looked at me and asked me a question that changed the way I teach adaptive Scuba. He asked what this signal was:Uh, that's how I dive! It's my signature position in the water. My hands are always together and I swim only with my legs... legs which you don't have... DOH! Sometimes I can be such an idiot!
So now, I only use my hands when I'm teaching a double leg amputee. How else can he imitate me, if I don't constantly demonstrate? As a TABI, we often overlook the obvious for the not so TABI. Find a Diveheart class. Donate your time, your money and most importantly: your emotions. You'll get so much more out of it than you put in that it will make your head spin and your heart grow. I have so many stories of people who have given more to me than I could ever give to them. There is nothing more humbling than to help someone, only to have them give you so much more. But you'll never experience this until you get your hands wet and volunteer.
Adam Grose
Contributor
Hi, Pete....
I have worked with the Arizona Disabled Scuba Divers Foundation (before it folded). Most of the time, I was taking pictures for the pool sessions. I want to become more involved with DiveHeart. To that end, I have picked up the Dive Buddy manual, and will be taking the training soon. More on that as it happens. Give my best to Elena.
Adam
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Good for you, Adam! As Jim always says: put your heart where your dive is. OK, I'm not sure he's ever said that: but he should!
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