My little bend.................again

[ScubaKing]

Well , I have to admit I have something to add to this thread on the danger of denial. My only ever hit came with no alarms or warnings on two sunto computers on my birthday (nice) of the coast of Tynemouth in 2004. After a thousand odd dives such was my confidence in “ I’ll be Ok if the computers are happy “ I even refused oxygen on the boat and went 48 hours before presenting and getting treated, ultimately doing a US Navy table 6 in the pot. It’s hard to believe but I honestly think we should start teaching that a main symptom is the patient denying there is anything wrong with them.
It was a very mild bend and to start with it felt just like a strain in my elbow and shoulder, which also seemed to occur just as I bounced myself back onto the rib and hence I was convinced that was what had happened. As for the cause, probably dehydration, also dive was a reverse profile – after reading the DAN report that this was now OK I was happy enough to do this when the skipper suggested it to everyone, but now if I have to do a reverse, I set the puter up to P1 and stay well back and do a deep stop as I’m not convinced it’s as safe as we are led to believe. I had done hundreds of dives with similar profile and hydration levels with no problems, but never reverse profile until that day.
Well anyway after a 6 month ban I’ was pretty much Ok, just occasional pain in the shoulder and elbow. The real annoying thing is if I had the logical thing and gone straight onto O2 and then straight to A&E, I would have probably been Ok and diving again in a week or two. Still live and learn and I just hope someone might read this and learn from my mistake rather find out for themselves.

Cheers
Richie