I had my equipment serviced getting ready for a new scuba season. The Thursday before the dive I was in the pool checking out my gear. The problem I encountered was a possible small leak in my mask. The shop owner had given me a loner just in case. That reminds me, I need to return it.
All was set, until my dive partner canceled. I had to decide if I was willing to drive alone or try and find someone to travel with. I tried several friends but, on such short notice no one could go. I decided to go alone and pair up with someone on the boat.
That night I went out and had about 6 beers and Billys cuisine and a shot of tequila. In the morning I ate a couple of yogurts courtesy of the hotel. I registered and drove to the boat dock. I unloaded and met almost everyone. I got up and down several times to take advantage of the going out of business sale for Hydrospace. Great deals and freebees.
Anyway, out we went. We stopped at one site and we all got ready but the fisherman would not give it up, so we went on to another. I did not want to un-robe so I sat and got hot and thirsty. Finally we came to the next site. I decide to drop the tank and get some water while the crew tried to tie off. Waves, 1 to 3 and current up top, fine below. Best vis. I have had yet in PC.
The dive was great. I had a non-stressful dive. I was getting a little cold but not bad. I was trying out a new suit configuration. I had got a cheap 2.5 shortie to go over my good .5 wet suit. On every dive of mine the most stressful part of the dive is getting out of the pond. Navigating from the rope to the rails on back on the boat really bother me. I have a hard time getting my fins off and staying on the bronco buck of a ladder for some reason. No matter the wave height it still is a prob for me.
I got to the rail (ladder) and removed my right fin first. I handed it up and the boat hand took it. I then went to remove my left fin and could not find it. My thoughts took a leap and all I could think about was a shark had just bit off my foot. I turned and looked at my foot; thank God it was still there. There was something peculiar, I could not feel it. Strange. I turned and grabbed the slats on the water deck and spit out my regulator and said something to the effect, Help I cant get up. My memory said that I put my regulator back in and I heard the deck hand ask me loudly to try and help push with my leg. I was thinking that I need to put my regulator back in so I would not drown if I feel back in.
My eyes started to swim and I hate to puke so I closed my eyes and could hear the deck hand yell for help. I kept my eyes shut so I would not toss the cookies. I really do not know if I could have opened them. I could feel them grab me and move me around. My eyes were closed so I did not know where. My mind was not in panic mode at all, it just kept telling me to move my fingers, toes, hands, legs and to breather or I was dead. I could feel hands all over me and I could hear some cussing sorry guys, I had not lost enough weight yet. 192 lbs of dead weight could not be easy to lift.
The next thing I felt was what I thought was my equipment being removed. I felt the pulling sensation like my suit being removed and someone pulling my regulator out (this is probably when /Rick had to pull my tongue out of my throat). I had put the regulator back in my mouth moments after asking for help?
From the point of going limp I was continuously telling myself to breath and to keep my finger, toes, feet, hands, legs moving or I would die. This thought was constant through out this whole experience.
When my regulator was removed (remember these are my memories), I felt something cover my face (nose and mouth). Still refusing to open my eyes for fear of puking I COULD HEAR 4 OR 5 VOICES IN THE DISTANCE YELLING AT ME TO BREATH. I could mainly hear a female voice, who I assumed was the nice female police officer, sometimes close and at a distance. There were a couple of times I could distinguish Kevins voice and Ricks and then there was some I could not place. I remember thinking, I could hear myself sucking in on the tank, why cant they? If they would stop yelling they could hear me!
I would peak a look every so often but everything was still out of focus and I could see 5 or 6 faces around me. They looked like I was looking out a ship portal and they were all ringed around the outside looking in all distorted like a funky mirror. I did not want to puke to shut they went.
I was getting a little scared because I was trying to move my extremities and sometimes it felt like I was cramping or someone was holding me down. Like trying to keep me from living (moving).At times I felt someone rubbing my arms and legs, they would tingle and I would try to move them faster and more. I was trying to move everything so fast I was over working my muscles any they felt like they were close to cramping.
BREATH CHRIS, BREATH. The yelling continued.
Until I could talk I was never panicked or scared. I felt really calm and in control. I knew that I was being taken care of and they had me on the boat. I heard someone say the ambulance was at the dock thank goodness. I was beginning to wonder what had happened. I thought about what I had read in Shadow Diver the book and what those divers had experienced with DCS and embolisms. I thought, oh my gosh, this cant be it they were foaming at the mouth and spitting up blood. I knew I was not doing that. I was okay, but why did I lose my motor skills? The trip seemed real short only about 5 minutes. I know it was an eternity for the others.
I heard the nice police woman tell to open my eyes **** I dont want to puke. Everyone started yelling at me to open my eyes okay Ill try blip - there you go, did you see that this time? They really wanted to open them because they kept yelling. So I did nice and wide slam vision still not good. Chris can you talk, say something? I tried to say something; but all yall got was a mumble because of the oxygen mask. Oh yeah I was glad you put oxygen on me I remembered that from Shadow Diver. That was one of the things that gave me comfort early on.
CHRIS CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING? CAN YOU OPEN YOUR EYES? What I had tried to say before was I dont want to puke so I dont want to open my eyes! This time all that came out was, Im scared ****less - of tossing my cookies. I heard them chuckle finally they can relax some.
I opened my eyes and everyone looked normal thank goodness. To be safe, I decide to lay back and keep my eyes closed. We docked. The medics put me on a board and everyone helped get me to the ambulance.
Thank you Captain and boat crew, thank you dive partner Peter. Thank you Police woman, Rick, Kevin and who ever else. Thank God I am alive. I hate being a statistic but I rather be a live statistic, than a dead one. I have been waiting to give some updates from my doctor but alas, no such luck. He has been talking with DAN, which I will now become a member of, and they are saying this they do not think it was a reaction to any drug (people have been using them without any problems for years?), they think it may have been a bubble based on the experience of dealing with navy divers but because I did remember some of my experience they(DAN & my doctor) are not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that it was a bubble I mention that several people said my episode appeared to be like their stroke experience my doctor said that there is a test for that and we will do it to be able to rule something out.
I will send another blog on my experience in the chamber. Yes, I did have to do the navy six.
Again thank you to everyone who had a part in keeping in this world.
EYES WIDE SHUT Scuba Joe
