Perhaps the kind of thinking represented by the chart above is a reason my hit was misdiagnosed as "backache" by a resident island physician (from Chicago). Fifteen minutes on the surface, I collapsed with stomach pain, back pain and severe weakness on the right side. I told the captain to phone in ahead of our arrival, eg, that a diver had the bends. The physician responded that my symptoms arrived too quickly and I likely had a back problem. A call to Miami returned an entirely different opinion. This guess, cum misdiagnosis, resulted a delay in treatment but eventually was followed by 5 days at Miami Mercy undergoing hyperbaric oxygen treatments, day after day in the chamber and some therapy, not to mention being fed stuff (called meals) that would make a dog puke. After the conclusion of treatment, I walked with a cane. Two years for 95% recovery. To relieve numbness (oh, yeah, parathesia) and extreme coldness in the limbs, I plunged my feet or my whole body into hot water. I exercised even when my whole body would shake with a slight effort. I ran in sand, etc, etc. That's only the half of it. I took a range of supplements with anti inflammatory and other properties. On cold, winter days, my right leg remembers.
