This could happen to you.

[Simon TW]

A combination of several things recently saved my life, hopefully by reading this you will have a better understanding of one of them. Recognising the symptoms of Decompression Sickness.

I arrived on the Caribbean Island of Bonaire with four pairs of shorts, four tee shirts and 58 kilo’s of diving equipment. The diving equipment was the important stuff, I could buy clothes. I was set on getting the maximum amount of diving in as possible. Bonaire markets itself as “Divers Paradise” for me it was to be Diver Hell.

It took more than a day to acquire everything that I needed to dive a rebreather but I was sure that it would be worth it eventually. I was staying with an old friend, Marjolien who was working as an instructor with a dive centre on Bonaire. She had booked a weeks holiday to dive with me but for the rest of my three week stay I was to be diving solo.

I found that the diving system on Bonaire was very relaxed, the whole Island is geared up for divers and there isn’t really anything else to do. The Island has all the dive sites marked with big yellow rocks and the name of the site is written on the rock. Maps and information of the islands dive sites is available everywhere for free. Divers rent a pickup and put as many tanks as they like in the truck and set off to a site and dive. No guides and no rules, you can dive 24 hours a day where you like. This diving freedom is ideal for a solo rebreather diver.

I had already had a few done quite a bit of diving before Marjolien got a afternoon off, we did a one hour dive right off the beach where she was working. The following day we did a further two dives, nothing big or difficult, 16 metres for an hour but this resulted in her receiving a skin bend. I spent the next two days going between doctor and Chamber with her. I was off diving as I had an ear infection so it allowed me the time to explore a little and do the laundry.

In order to help Marjolien understand the bend I found stuff on the net that I had read previously about other peoples accounts of their bends. Some of it very detailed and informative. I re read it and knew that it could happen to any diver but you do what you can to prevent it. I read a lot on the internet about diving and I’ve learned much.

The ear infection cleared and off I went to dive again, I drove down to the South East which was a journey of 15 minutes, I stepped out of the truck and a sharp piece of wood lying on the ground ran straight into the sole of my foot. I had to return to the dive centre to have the bit that broke off in my foot removed. So just a short Afternoon dive that day. This seemed to start a pattern of only being able to dive once a day, two trips to the Dentist, Marjolien at the Hospital, the Laundry needed doing etc. I did do a very interesting trip on a boat and despite all the efforts of the captain to kill me I survived to dive again, that’s a whole other story.

One of the other instructors from the Dive Centre had arranged to dive with me on Wednesday, his day off. he had a cold so he canned it that morning. I drove up the coast and prepared to dive, it was then that I realised that I had my mobile phone with me so I had to de kit and return to put the phone away. This needs to be explained…. When you are diving on Bonaire you leave your truck open, you are told by the car rental companies never to lock it. The reason for this is while you are underwater a local chav roots through the truck and removes anything that takes his eye. I had my loose change go missing from the pocket of my shorts and Marjolien didn’t think that they would want her cheap plastic sunglasses but they did, I heard of some divers who thought that they could lock their truck but returned to find that the local chavs just take a cylinder out of the back of the truck and throw it through a window, they stole a pair of flip flops on this occasion.

Eventually on the Wednesday I entered the water at 2pm the dive wasn’t spectacular nor was it adventurous it was just a pootle up a reef, I hit 45 metres for about 15 minutes and gently ascended the total dive was 111 minutes but really it was about 90 minutes to complete the deco and the other 21 minutes was just me at 5 metres mooching around. I did have a little back ache after the dive and made a mental note to adjust the trim weighting. That evening I spent with another instructor at his home, we had a Chinese, talked about diving and I had a few beers, a litre to be precise. I was in bed asleep before 11pm.

Thursday morning at the dive centre I sorted my kit, this involved repacking the scrubber and filling the cylinders. I did the cylinder filling myself as they had to get o2 in specially for me and I don’t think that they liked messing with it. I re-calibrated the sensors, adjusted the trim weights and all good to go.

The plan was to drive down south to dive the salt pier, however if a ship was at the pier then I would have to choose another site. I also had the laundry to do but all sorted and at 11ish I was at salt pier looking at a ship, I couldn’t decide if it was a salt ship or a tug but decided not to dive there in any case and to travel south. I was passing the sites some with the odd pickup parked and others where there was no sign of civilisation just happy and content that all was good and thinking that Bonaire was a surreal place to visit. On my right was deep blue sea fading to turquoise as it approached the shore then there was the white of the shore the black of the tarmac in front of me and the green and pink waters of the salt lakes on my left with the pink flamingos as decoration. I approached a site named “Vista Blue” not a soul around or any sign that it had ever been visited in the past I pulled off the road and parked the truck.

After kitting up doing the checks and pre breathing the loop the water was welcome as it cooled my skin. The temp was 31 deg C as I slipped under the surface and checked my instruments, I slowly made my way seaward to the reef, I had been underwater nearly 15 minutes when I was ready to descend on the reef, I looked around for some strange looking marker point and settled on a coral block with a tree coral on top of it at 17.1 metres. This would be my exit route.

The current was running north so I set off southerly. The coral was different here to what I had seen on the rest of the island, lots of soft corals. I slowly made my way down to about 45 metres and I could see the bottom of the reef, On the sand I could see Eagle ray’s and Stingray’s sleeping, nothing moved. In the silent world of rebreather diving you become part of the marine world and not an intruder. This for me is the real benefit to diving a rebreather. I just slowly made my way south a curious ray came of the bottom and swam along side me for a short while then went back to his slumber. I started to slowly ascend, 50 minutes into the dive and turn around to head back north. I have 19 minutes of deco showing and I’m in no hurry to get out of the water. I know I can stay at least another 3 hours.

I spend the next 30 minutes drifting north in the current at around 20 metres and I then rise to 17 metres keeping an eye open for the exit point. Within a couple of minutes I spot it and there is a turtle waiting to bid me farewell. I complete the remaining deco on the computer then start to make my way shoreward. The journey shoreward is at 5 metres and I don’t want to get out of the water. Its warm and there is plenty to look at I spend 20 minutes just making my way out.

As I walked to the truck I suck pure o2 from the loop, I have always done this for a couple of minutes post dive then I de kit at the truck, I am all alone standing naked on the beach feeling the warmth of the sun and thinking that naturism must be ok, well ok if I’m the only bloke allowed. I get into the truck and set off for some lunch.

After driving further south for a few minutes I can sense a pain, not a sharp pain or a muscle pain but like a bruise pain the same that you get after you had pinched your flesh, it’s on my chest and I kook and can’t see anything but I think to myself that it could be with altering the trim weight, I’ve tightened the straps a little too much, It can’t be a skin bend, I then think it could be skin bend and I’m in denial, everyone goes into denial. “Bollocks! I did 20 minutes at 5 metres after I completed the deco and I’m on o2, utter bollocks, all this with Marjolien has made you paranoid.”

A few more minutes and I’m approaching the restaurant, it’s a shack on a beach way south east and secluded. I park the truck and get out, as I start to walk my breathing is hurting if I take a deep breath, like I smoked too much the night before (I only gave up again a few weeks before the trip) I think “I’ll be ok I just need to sit down eat and relax. Wait a second, you are being a twat, you are in denial you know that you don’t feel right. At least get into town instead of being miles from anywhere and if it is a problem then your close to all services.” What a bugger not having a phone or a buddy to drive me.

Back in the truck the breathing is hurting more and more. It’s a long straight road back to town, it’s the only straight road on the island and the locals use it for drag racing. I’m doing 100 kph and the breathing is getting more difficult, I have to take shorter breaths because it hurts to take deep ones. I put the air con on full, position the blowers at my face but it doesn’t help it’s like breathing through a drinking straw. It’s because the air con is on! open all windows, it doesn’t help. Look at the speedo, I’m doing 30 kph and it seems fast but I know that I need to go faster. I’m so tired and I need to sleep. I could pull over and get on o2 from the kit in the back but I can see a truck up ahead if I can catch them I can flag them down and ask for help.

As I approach the truck it starts to slow and go slower, I have to slow, the truck starts to turn left and as I slow my truck starts jumping, the clutch? What’s wrong! I know I’m pressing the clutch but my leg isn’t, I reach down to feel my leg with my left hand and my hand isn’t doing what I want, fuck I’m paralysed on my left side. By now each breath is a long as a hiccup and as often as possible. I’m in second gear and I’m in town. I know I can’t stop because I’m loosing consciousness, but it won’t matter if I crash because an ambulance will come.

Marjoliens’ incident the previous week saved my arse, I knew where the hospital was and where the chamber was so I stopped the truck with a stall outside the door of the clinic and used it to hold on to, keeping me upright until I got through the door. I fell on to some chairs. There were people behind a glass screen looking at me, I couldn’t get to the screen, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t breathe, I know I couldn’t control my bodily functions as I could feel myself. I held on. I mouthed “help me” they just starred at me and didn’t move. Fuck! They don’t speak English. I used my right arm to gesture to them to come. I knew I was gone.

A small woman stood in front of me I wanted to talk but words wouldn’t come out “doctor” “help” “dive” I just needed her to know. She was shouting at me “wake up” I can’t wake up, I’m led on a bed and people a running at the side of me the woman is shaking and shouting “wake up, come on” people are pushing and pulling “get him in NOW!” “Wake up” I try but I don’t know what, where, who, I need to sleep.

A guy is standing over me holding my nose and moving my mouth “blow”. I understand now, I have to equalise. I do my best but I have nothing to blow with. It’s hot and the noise is terrible “blow”.

There is a guy doing things to my body but I can’t feel anything, another has a mask pressed on my face, the light is dim and it’s cool, whooshing is a constant sound and the guy with the mask is talking to the other guy, I don’t know what they are saying but he looks at me and says “what’s your name”? I answer, “do you have insurance?” “who is paying for this” , “who can we call”?.

I come to my senses, I know I’m in the chamber, I can breathe, it doesn’t hurt I can breathe and it feels good. The guy with the mask tells me he’s Jonny and the other guy is the doctor, he’ll be doing the tests. He asks questions, can you feel this? That? What about that? They then have a conversation more loud noise and the guy opens a hatch and is gone. I’m left with Jonny, the pee bottle, the tubes in my hand and the wonderful mask delivering cool breaths on demand.

When I exited the Chamber there were quite a few people around and they were just stood watching me without moving or saying anything. I walked over to a chair and they gestured me to get into a bed that was waiting. I was taken to a ward and was wrapped in a web of wires and tubes. The doctor from the Chamber returned and started testing again. This was a well equipped hospital with lots of electronics and I was the only person on the ward the other three beds were empty. Marjolien came and she talked to the doctor. Why when people can speak perfect English do they insist on speaking in their native tongue, I wanted to know what was being said but really I was just happy to rest.

As it turned out the hospital is not that well equipped, I was in Intensive Care. The hospital stopped admitting patients five days after I was discharged as it had run out of cash. I had over 30 hours in the Chamber and was told that I was the worst case of DCS that they had ever had. I was 10 minutes from death I didn’t have blood it was just soda and it’s a miracle that I recovered as fast as I did. They have never seen such a fast recovery. They never expected me to walk again and that’s why they stood in amazement when I came out of the chamber.

The Diagnosis :-

Brain/Spinal Cord Decompression Illness.
Lung Decompression Illness
Inner ear Decompression illness
Skin Decompression Illness
Blood pressure 70/40 and resp rate 20/min

I arrived back in the UK on Friday evening and will see a Neurologist as soon as possible to see if there is any lasting damage. In myself I feel fine apart from the o2 has burnt my lungs and I get out of breath going to the loo but that will recover in time.

I don’t know why or what caused it. I don’t want to jump to conclusions until all the tests have been completed. When I know I’ll write about it.

In conclusion, the fact that a friend had been bent alerted me to the whereabouts of the chamber. I had re read accounts of other peoples bends and the denial that seemed to be common throughout. When I was in denial I knew that I was in denial and sought help as soon as possible.

If in doubt, any doubt. There is no doubt.

Dive safe.

[Helen F H]

Mate, im so pleased you are ok.

Take care.

xx

[Adrian Kelland]

That's quite a story Simon.

I am glad that you are making a recovery from what was a very near miss.

Adrian

[Fiona]

Wow scarey

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Simon.

[dry suit diver]

Bloody hell, scary story.
Glad you made it to the hospital lets hope people read this and take notice of the denial bit.

[Rob Dobson]

Damn - that was close! Scarey stuff!

I hope the neuro gives you the all clear and thanks for taking the time to write that up and share it with us.

[wilbo]

Firkin hell.. lucky boy.. really lucky. someone must be keeping an eye out for you..

Simon, glad to read that you are making a steady recovery. thanks for writing this up and hopefully it may serve or prevent someone else in the future..

all the best and take care,

[LisaR]

Hi Simon
scary stuff, glad your here to tell us of your experience.
Hope all goes well for you.

We can all learn something from this
Thanks for posting your report

Lisa xx

[JAG]

Fuck me sideways Jack!!

Glad to hear you are making a recovery. Will be very interested to take a butchers at your test results when you share them.

All the best to you.

Ian

[Nikki Noo]

Glad you're ok dude.
Skurry stuff.