Wife has 1/4 functioning left arm

[LakeCountyDiver]

My wife has an interest in getting certified but has her left arm partially non functioning. It is completely there and can grab things but not like a "normal" arm.

What type of certification should she go for? Are there any modifications allowed to the skills needed for OW?

 

[tbone1004]

one of my buddies *well known UW videographer* totally lost his left arm in an O2 fire.

If I were you, I would contact @The Chairman and beg/plead/grovel to see if he can help you/her out as he has done a lot of adaptive scuba and his particular knack for teaching would be ideal for this type of course. He's also in cave country up by Little River so you can do it in warmish/clear springs.

With patient and knowledgeable instructors, you can make anything work, but you want to have a 1:1 course for her with someone who really knows what they're doing from both teaching and adapting gear. There's going to be some gear adaptations to make this work

Here's a photo of Rick after he lost his arm. Main thing is the longer inflator hose so he can move it with his left arm but manipulate it with his right comfortably.

 

[flyboy08]

Dude looks like a Christmas tree! That’s a lotta gear dangling from him....kool that his disability doesn’t get in the way of his life!

 

[tbone1004]

@flyboy08 pony bottle and camera on the same side add a lot of stuff, especially when you have mobility and grabby issues. Pre-incident he looked as good as any cave diver out there, but you have to prioritize and adapt to make it work

 

[divad]

Dude looks like a Christmas tree!

DUDE........are you TRYING to get into HELL?

 

[RyanT]

I've had the privilege of diving with some of the SUDS (Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba) folks. These guys are often missing limbs and they dive just fine. So yes, it can be made to work.

 

[diversteve]

Many BC's with right shoulder dumps can have the inflator moved there instead.

Also on some wings - like DSS it's centered so can go down either side.

Usually all that takes is repositioning the inflator itself so it turns in from the right.

Also there's the I3 inflator on the better Aqualung BC's it's a small lever on the lower left side that replaces a normal inflator - easy to push/pull to inflate/deflate. On the deflate it opens all the dump valves so works in any position.

 

[The Chairman]

Every diver is an adaptive diver: some more than others.

 

[Marie13]

DUDE........are you TRYING to get into HELL?

 

[Manatee Diver]

What type of certification should she go for? Are there any modifications allowed to the skills needed for OW?

TBH I can't see why she shouldn't be able to get a full standard cert. My instructor did some talking to PADI they don't care how you may have to change a skill from the default procedure to work for you, as long as you can demonstrate the objective of the skill safely. For example I am missing a leg, so I couldn't do a giant stride if I wanted to, but a back roll entry or my basic flop forward while seated was good enough.

I am sure some of the other mainstream agencies have similar policies.