Road Runner Matt - Projects and Progress.

[Tonto]

Originally Posted by purple vonny

That would be, in Americanese:

"Nice buns/ fanny (US for bottom) Ma'am and excellent hooters too if I may say so - have a nice day"

Reminded me of the guy we met somewhere along Big Sur in California, we had met him and told him we were on honeymoon and got pleasantly drunk on his pepper vodka, and at the time he had invited us over for breakfast.

Next morning not wanting to turn up empty handed we looked through our meagre stores and settled on some glazed teacakes, as we're walking towards him carrying the cakes he said "what have you got" and I replied "sticky buns".
His face was a picture

[Matt the Aquaman]

Ha ha. Yep we definitely have different terms for things!

Matt

[purple vonny]

Originally Posted by Tonto

Reminded me of the guy we met somewhere along Big Sur in California, we had met him and told him we were on honeymoon and got pleasantly drunk on his pepper vodka, and at the time he had invited us over for breakfast.

Next morning not wanting to turn up empty handed we looked through our meagre stores and settled on some glazed teacakes, as we're walking towards him carrying the cakes he said "what have you got" and I replied "sticky buns".
His face was a picture

so that's why you walk the way you do!!!

[Matt the Aquaman]

I wanted to share my latest article with everyone here. I attached
a copy to this email, let me know what you think! A little bit of
it is outdated since I wrote it but it still turned out good. Scuba
News has been good to me as well.

Matt

Scuba News
Oct. 2005 vol 22 No. 10
Diving Dreams Becoming Reality

by
Matthew Johnston

Six months ago, Scuba News ran an article about my quest to dive.
For those of you that did not get the opportunity to read it, here
is a brief rundown. I am 28 years old, from Woodbury, MN. I have
always dreamed of scuba diving, and for the past year have been
working hard at making that dream come true. Diving is more of a
challenge for me because I have a tracheostomy, am dependent on a
ventilator to breathe 24/7, and am mostly confined to a wheelchair.
I have been living with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy my whole
life. To overcome these challenges, a new life support system needs
to be developed, or an existing system will need to be modified, for
me to spend longer times time under water.

I am writing this article as an update on my quest. Since that last
article my persistence is paying off in a big way. I have been in a
few different publications. I was interviewed on Scuba Radio. A
local newspaper, the Pioneer Press, ran an article on me after I got
in the water for the first time in 10 years to begin water therapy
sessions! Since that first water therapy session in June, with some
help from friends, family, sponsors, and some specially configured
gear, I took my first plunge underwater. Then on July 14, 2005, I
extended my underwater experiences to almost half a minute. I was on
my back looking up from under the water for the first time in
years. I was also then filmed on UPN news locally here, with Chris
Conangla on July 28th. On August 5th I was under water for 45
seconds, with one of my submergence sessions being vertical in the
water instead of on my back. I loved every second of it! Next time I
hope to be face down and go for a longer time.

I have several friends that are working on developing and testing
possible new life support systems that would enable me to stay
underwater longer, and eventually allow me to bring a self-contained
system with me underwater.

A huge part of the success of my dream so far has been from the
support of all the divers I have met along the way, both locally and
internationally, especially my local dive friends Drew Gerling,
Marcie Stone, Frank Fabio and my nurse Sara Freking. My friends and
family have helped me as well, along with the crew at DUI from the
fantastic work they did on my custom dry suit. They figured out a
way to make a special watertight connection for my ventilator to
hook up to my dry suit. Another important part of my dream's
continuing success has been the help of Mike Lombardi. He's the
Director of a not for profit organization called Project Innerspace
which is sponsoring my dream, and he is also assisting with project
coordination.

I wanted to extend a big THANK YOU for all the continued support, I
wouldn't have gotten this far without your help.

Every time I get into the pool, I feel happier. I feel like one with
the water! It's an amazing feeling finally being weightless. I can
see where you divers have the urge to submerge. I just can't get
enough of it. To move forward with my project, funding is one of
the main concerns, to make the special equipment, get formal
training through one of the many excellent handicapped scuba groups,
and to help with travel for me and my dive team and caregivers to
finally go diving in the ocean. I am hoping to dive in the Florida
Keys by next Spring or early Summer. I still have not decided where
in the Florida Keys to dive.

For those of you that would like to learn more about my project or
become a sponsor here are my web sites. www.divingadream.org and
www.scubadivingdream.com

For those of you that have obstacles to overcome in your life I want
to say this… If you have a dream, don't give up on it. If you want
something bad enough, it will happen if you are persistent! Life is
short so try to enjoy it.

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hey Friends,

I was under the water in the pool yesterday for 35 minutes! I felt
great once again. I would have done longer, but we were monkeying
around getting my mask positioned correctly, it kept leaking in the
beginning. But we got it worked out. Next time in the pool I would
like to hit 45 minutes and go to the deep end and see how I can
tolerate going deeper than 5 feet.

My friend and dive buddy Drew moved me around under the water all over
the pool as well. At one time in the pool I was about 5 feet under.

I was able to be rolled onto my stomach at the end of my dive session,
it was a blast. I didn't even need anyone to support my head in that
position.

My other friend and dive buddy Frank took some great pictures and
videos, the pics are posted on my page here...
http://matt55125.tripod.com/scuba/

This is so much fun to be doing! Take care everyone.
Matt

[LisaR]

Hi Matt
Nice to see your getting ever closer to the dream
Great photos

Lisa xx

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hi Lisa, Yes i am getting a lot closer and I love every minute of it. Glade you like the photos.

Take care Matt

[Matt the Aquaman]

Here's a link to the local news segment on my quest to dive! One of my friends got it uploaded.... http://www.grunzster.com/misc/Matt.wmv

It's a little dark in spots and might take a short time to load, but I thought those of you that wanted to see it would enjoy it.

Let me know what you think!

Take care all,
Matt

[purple vonny]

Hi again Matt. That TV clip was fabulous. I was going to ask about the trach and the ventilator and how it all worked. Isn't technology amazing? And the dry suit too. I watched the clip twice.
It must be a bit scarey while the trach is undone and you are getting the suit on. God, you've got some guts.

Any idea for the date when you will be in sea? I would really love to be there too.

Amazing to think that not long ago you were in the water for 45 seconds and now it is 35 minutes. I can see how much you are loving it and I am loving following your progress.

Thanks for the joy you are bringing to us, your internet mates, and for the continuing inspiration that shows us anything is possible if you want it badly enough.

keep it up
love
Vonny X

[Matt the Aquaman]

Hey vonny,
Glad you enjoyed it. And no it doesn't bug me too much to be disconnected while I am getting my suit on... besides, I have good help with me. As far as dates when I'll be in the sea, I want to do my first OW dive in the colder water in Wazee Lake, WI. Sometime shortly after that, in the early summer, I want to do a warm water dive somewhere like the Florida Keys or Crystal River. It's all up in the air, who knows with so many great options! I really enjoy sharing my updates with all you guys here.

Here's the new link to my video...
http://www.scubadivingdream.com/scubadivingpage7.html

And yes, that would be cool to have you in on my dive. You take care.

Matt