A life altering dive

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oldsalt
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A life altering dive

Post by oldsalt »

The short version: I was pulled out of the water, unresponsive, lungs filled with water, not breathing. I received CPR and survived.
If you care about details: Last Monday night I did the popular manta dive off the Kona coast of Hawaii. I hit it off with a group of physicians on the boat and we joked around on the way out. I have done this before, and had found it an easy dive. Upon entering the water, I found I was struggling to keep up on the surface swim. Wierd. During the dive I was breathing hard and consuming air. Unusual. While swimming back to the boat underwater, I realized something was wrong so I surfaced and called for help from a nearby diver. My next memory was awakening on the deck of the speeding boat with my new doctor friends leaning over me and delighted that I was awake. One was crying. Speaking through the oxygen mask, I thanked them. They told me later that one chose not to make the dive so he was on the boat when they brought me aboard. He started CPR. The others came aboard and relieved him. They told my wife it was the longest they had ever given CPR and have the patient recover. Next came an ambulance ride to the Kona ER. This was the most frightening time of this whole episode. The worst car crash on the island in years and a gun shot victim put these guys on overload. One of the boat crew brought Sharon to my ER station. I tried to tell her I loved her and realized I couldn't speak nor move. I was desparate for air but couldn't breathe. I knew I was losing consciousness and thought,"This is it." The staff scrambled with drugs in my IV and I started to recover. They told me I had atrial fibrillation. The air ambulance flew me to the nearest cardio care unit on Maui. I am now home. I didn't expect this. I have been going to the gym and doing a hard hour of cardio on an exercise bike followed by weights. On alternate days I do yoga and some form of exercise. In fact, one of the nurses when attaching the blood pressure sleeve to my arm quipped,"I see Obama hasn't taken your guns." The catheter angiogram found no blockages and my arteries clean. My prognosis looks good, my enzymes never spiked and only slightly elevated. The echocardiogram was "essentially normal" after two days. The cardiologist says I should have complete recovery, but he has no explanation for what caused this. Diving is out for now, but right now that is unimportant. I awoke this morning next to the woman I love. My sons and grandkids have all contacted me. My mom didn't have to bury another son. My extremely sore chest from the CPR reminds me to be thankful. I could write a book about all of the professionals and complete strangers who have helped Sharon and me make it through the last week. I will miss my friends that I know only through diving.
-Curt
Happy to be alive.
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Holy crap, Curt!!! Reading that just about damn near put me over the edge. I am so very glad that you are okay and that you were diving with that particular group of divers that day. You are one of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting while diving. You are not allowed to leave this earth yet!!!! Please take care of yourself, and keep us posted on how you are doing.
Jenn
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gymratdiver
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by gymratdiver »

Wow. What a story! So glad to hear you are doing well.
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Tom Nic
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Tom Nic »

Oh my goodness, Curt!??!? Wow wow... Thank God you are OK, and Thank God for wonderful people to care for you.

And I second Jenn's comment - "you aren't allowed to leave earth" just yet...

My head is spinning... I can only imagine what you and your family experienced...
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doubtingGunnel
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by doubtingGunnel »

I don't know you in person, but I'm extremely grateful to hear you're doing alright. I'm glad you didn't dismiss something was wrong, surfaced and called for help. I hope your recovery goes well. Take care.
Last edited by doubtingGunnel on Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Scubie Doo
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Scubie Doo »

Very sorry to hear about the ordeal. Glad you are doing better.
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Jan K
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Jan K »

Curt, I sure hope you are OK, that is a scary story, but thank God you are in good spirit.
Life is precious, your guardian angel sure did a good job out there in Hawaii ...
Looking forward to see you around for a long, long time. My thoughts are with you
and you family.
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dwashbur
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by dwashbur »

I'm glad you're doing well. I know diving is out for you right now, but has there been discussion about the future?
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Dusty2
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Dusty2 »

Damn! What am I going to do for a buddy my own age now??? Take care my friend we both know what it's like to loose buddies and besides, Your my age :eek:
I was totally incredulous reading that. I kept waiting for the punch line. I know your in as good of health as I am, actually better. I was just reading an article the other day about a study that said that for people over 60 cardio exercise is not good. I thought at the time that was silly but now I am not so sure. The theory was that all muscles begin to deteriorate after a certain age and rigorous exercise can actually cause the heart, Which after all is a muscle, to deteriorate faster. Maybe there was something to that.

Be good and get well. I like having someone around who has been there and done that as we both did. Hang in there brother
Last edited by Dusty2 on Fri Dec 13, 2013 1:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Tom Nic
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Tom Nic »

Dusty2 wrote:I was totally incredulous reading that. I kept waiting for the punch line.
This.
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mz53480
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by mz53480 »

Thanks for sharing--- and :supz: for those that helped you and :taco: that you are ok!
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Penopolypants
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Penopolypants »

I am happy to hear that you are doing well! And grateful that you were surrounded by so many physicians in your time of need. I hope that you heal quickly, this mystery can be solved, and you can get back to diving!
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Linedog
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Linedog »

Holly crap! I'm glad you are going to be OK.
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Mortuus
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Mortuus »

Holy sh*t!!!! Very glad you are alright! That sounds terrifying! I couldn't even believe what I was reading
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spatman
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by spatman »

What a harrowing experience! I'm really glad to hear you're doing well after such an ordeal. Big thanks to everyone who helped you through it.
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eliseaboo
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by eliseaboo »

Oh my god - we never even got to dive together, and I'm so glad that option wasn't written off forever! What a frightening story, and a terribly close call. Take care of yourself man, and I will keep my fingers crossed that you recover quickly and are eventually cleared to dive again (if you wish, of course)!
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LCF
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by LCF »

Wow -- that's an amazing story, and you were certainly in the right place at the right time to have a diving-related medical incident.

I wonder if, given the fact that you didn't feel good on the surface, you might have had an instance of immersion pulmonary edema. I realize you were eventually in Afib, but I wonder if it was triggered by hypoxemia and the resuscitative attempts, or whether it was the primary event.
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Joshua Smith
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Joshua Smith »

Holy cow! Curt, I'm glad you're ok! That was a hair raising read.....
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MorningDiverBob
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by MorningDiverBob »

I'm glad you are ok now. Thanks God that you was saved by divers and people. I pray for your health ok.
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pogiguy05
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by pogiguy05 »

It is great to hear that you are OK. It certainly was not your time and maybe that is just why the right people were in the right place for you. Your recovery and family is what is most important.
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Nwbrewer »

Holy Crap! Glad you came through it Curt!
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Grateful Diver
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Grateful Diver »

Thank you, Curt, for reminding us all that life is both precious and precarious. And thanks for making it through that ordeal so that you could remind us. My fondest wishes for a speedy recovery, and years of happier events to look forward to ...

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BDub
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by BDub »

Wow! So glad to hear you're doing ok, Curt. Crossing my fingers for a quick recovery.
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Norris
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Norris »

Hey Curt,
Thanks for posting and there is so much mystery to this, I am floored. I am so happy that you are here to speak about it. I am glad to know you, and even happier that we can still speak when we see each other!!!!

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery!
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Mateo1147
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Re: A life altering dive

Post by Mateo1147 »

I really don't know what to say Curt. Thank god your still with us and on the road to a full recovery.
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