Hi,
A year ago I got DCI from ascending too fast. Actually the dives themselves weren't too bad but I was emotionally and physically tired when I did them. So some mistakes mixed with bad luck gave me the DCI. As the diving company misjudged the situation and didn't bring me back to shore and I was later mis-diagnosed in the ambulance I didn't get any help and instead collapsed after a day. I then couldn't walk, move my hands or speak properly. With extreme luck I am now fine with no symptoms left.
The thing is that I now long to go diving again...I'm just insecure. My question is thus if there is anyone in this branch who has had DCI, recovered and went back to diving? Any tips on how you did it...both mentally and maybe practically with health certifications etc.
Oh what a frightening experience that must have been! No wonder you are insecure.
While I am sure that there are lessons for all of us in your story, and although some respondents may feel tempted to explore that aspect in their replies, I'll just offer two observations:
1) You are unlikely to find the answers to questions about your individual situation from an online discussion list. You need to talk about these things with medical experts who know. Even though you must have been under the care of dive medicine specialists, at the time you were in crisis and had a health issue to address. Now that the crisis is past and you are healed, these specialists are your best avenue of information and reassurance. Contact DAN and find the name of a diving doctor near where you live and make an appointment.
2) I personally know a number of people who have had DCS, recovered, and returned to diving (they all work in diving in one way or another). The most serious hit among my friends was a case of the 'chokes'. The victim is a professional nature photographer (with tons of magazine spreads to her credit). She is very lucky even to be alive, let alone back in the water. When she returned to diving, it was exclusively on Nitrox, and she stopped doing long, deep dives. In fact, most of the people I know who have taken a hit will only dive on Nitrox, and all are now much more conservative divers than they once were.
I hope you manage to make your wish to get back in the water on scuba a reality. Best of luck to you!
Good job quero,you just saved a layer of my fingertips:-) I was about to say the same.
Tild,contact DAN they will be happy to help.
A friend of mine,my technical instructor actually,had a pretty serious DCS hit,he's absolutely back to normal and back in the water.
All the best!
OP - for getting in touch with other divers who experienced DCI you might want to try the forum of www.scubaboard.com.
Err, limbo1, you know that you can edit your own posts!??
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