Just returned from Cozumel. Seven day trip staying at the Presidente with wife and kids. Got bent.
Took the first day off from diving and did the family thing. Started the day with a workout at the resort gym. Did the same workout I do here at home. Twenty minutes of cardio and then 40 minutes with the weights. Had a few drinks that night. Nothing out of control. Drank water before turning in. Drank plenty of liquids the next morning. Dove with Aldora as usual. Drank a pint of water on the ride out. First dive Palancar Gardens. Max depth: 105 feet. Most of the dive spent between 60 and 80 feet. Duration 70+ minutes. Interval was almost two hours. Drank a pint of water at the interval and another on the boat out. Second dive was max depth of approximately 80 feet for 70+ minutes. Most of the dive spent at or above 60 feet. I dive with two computers a Suunto Fusion and an Oceanic Veo 200. The Oceanic never had a problem with my profile the first day. The Suunto called for a five minute deco stop at fifteen feet. It cleared in less than three minutes. I stayed at the safety stop for a total of seven minutes.
That night I had approximately four alcoholic drinks. Once again, two glasses of water before bed, Juice and water with breakfast. Two cups of coffee. Water on the boat ride out. First dive was Colmbia Normale. Once again max depth approximately 105 feet. Duration a little over an hour. Most of the dive was spent between 60 and 80 feet. Water at the surface interval of approximately 2 hours. Second dive was max depth of 80 feet. Most of the dive was between 50 and 60 feet. Duration was over an hour. My Oceanic said no problem. The Suunto called for a three minute stop at 15 feet. I stayed five minutes.
Upon returning to the boat my left shoulder immediately started to hurt. Dull ache consistent with a muscle sprain. I blew it off as just that (Nobody gets bent after four dives right?). The pain subsided somewhat but was still notceable for the remainder of the day. I self-medicated somewhat with alcohol (yeah, yeah, I know). I posted a thread under the "Ask Dr. Decompression" category and received responses later that day basically telling me not to be stupid and get it checked out. The most effective post was "Denial is the last step before recovery." I still didn't want to believe I got bent. I woke up at 2 in the morning and believed it. The pain was worse.
First thing in the morning I called Aldora and they set me up with Dr. Pasqale Piccolo. I met him at the hyperbaric chamber that morning.
http://www.islacozumel.net/services/chamber/ He did a few neurological tests and said I was clearly bent (heel-toe walk, follow the finger with your eyes, squeeze my hand as hard as you can). He also pointed out skin discoloration in my fatty tissue (hard to find thank you very much). Into the chamber I went. Five and a half hours at US Navy Table Six. Pain was abated somewhat. They have the chamber set up for two. I rode with the doctor's wife/nurse Heidi. We watched a couple movies shot in through a porthole onto the wall of the chamber. I was constantly drinking water and breathing oxygen with a couple fifteen minute breaks. Basically, it sucked. When I came out of the chamber the two divemasters that I had dove with were there. Aldora also made sure that all transportation was taken care of and offered me a free Nitrox course next trip down.
I was given a prescription for a mild painkiller. The pain was basically one-tenth of what it had been.
The next morning I was re-evaluated and rode again. US Navy Table 9 for 2 and a half hours. Happy Easter!
The total tab for the treatment was $6,620.00. My primary care insurance will cover 100%. I have DAN Master insurance as well and it will likely only have to cover my $50 co-pay. I had to leave the doctor with an open credit card authorization to cover the fees. My insurance company will not pay out of network directly. They will pay me and then I pay the doctor. Apparently they have been burned repeatedly by divers who simply keep the check (Where the hell is honor in this world?).
WARNING. If you do not have health or dive insurance and cannot pay you will not be treated. This is not the USA. No pay, no treatment. Think carefully about this when you get on that scooter after a few beers or follow your DM past 100 feet. Get DAN or a smiliar insurance.
I cannot dive for six months. When I do dive I have been advised to dive Nitrox on air tables. I will. No strenuous exercise for two weeks. No alcohol for one week. Water, water, water every day. I'm drinking a pint right now.
Was this a justified hit? I don't know. Was I dehydrated? Well after hearing the doctor's idea of hydration I guess I was (I drank at least 3/4 of a gallon in the chamber on the first ride).
As I sit hear I feel lucky it wasn't worse. I wish I hadn't denied the symptoms for 18 hours. I probably would not have needed the second ride if I went right away. I still have some residual pain in my left elbow and wrist. Nothing really to complain about, just an occassional twinge to remind me of what happened. Oh, and flu symptoms not related to the flu. Thats a treat.
Be careful out there campers. Approximately two divers die per month in Cozumel. Half are cardiac related and the other half are cases like mine. It could be you. I know that many of you will say. . . "Well he was drinking the night before, and I don't drink, so it couldn't happen to me." or "He wasn't properly hydrated, I drink more water so it can't happen to me." Wrong lesson kids. Be prepared for the unexpected. Thank God I had the right insurance and was able to beat back the denial in time to not really screw up my vacation, my health or my life. Okay analyze and beat me up to your hearts content!
