Diver Sickened During Lobster Mini-Season
PALMETTO BAY (CBS4) ― The lobster mini-season continues to take a toll on divers looking for a catch. 41-year-old Manuel Garay was diving off Islamorada when he tried to surface too quickly and came down with a case of caisson disease.
Caisson is also known as "the bends" or decompression sickness. Garay was not using any protective diving gear such as an oxygen tank, goggles, or any other equipment.
"I was running out of air and I just shoot up quickly and I continue to do it over and over and over," Garay said of how his problem started.
He didn't initially know he had a problem until a few days after the dive when he began to complain of a feeling of paralysis.
He was taken to the hospital and then transferred him to Pembroke where they have a hyperbaric chamber.
Garay spent much of the day in the chamber, but was scheduled to be released from the hospital tomorrow. "The heaviness I had since last night and this morning when they brought me to the hospital it's gone," Garay said.
Family members say he will probably not be paralyzed after the illness. Still, doctors still say divers need to beware of the potentially fatal illness.
"Decompression illness has to do with coming up too fast and you actually develop air bubbles in your bloodstream... Those air bubbles can then go to your brain and cause a weakness or a neurologic illness," said Dr. Blane Shatkin.
Manuel said he's been quite humbled by the experience. "Respect the ocean and don't abuse the macho man feeling cuz what i did was wrong," Garay said.
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