Bent at Edwards

[Angie Reim]

Sometimes they happen. What you describe is an experience not a CF. Maybe you should have bothered the nice folks at Shands a little sooner, but with symptoms so vague... who knows.

Yes. Exactly. It was vague but as time passed, he got crabby and crabbier. Not John-like. His only physical complaint was fatigue. I haven't told him about this observation yet, but I went and stayed at the hospital for the first hour after his descent in the chamber. After only 20-25 minutes at depth he went from flat and turdsy to happy and jovial (comparatively speaking it was ~1am by then). A trip in the chamber was the right decision. His personality changed.

I mention this because I want other buddies to be aware of each others moods too. There is crabby & tired and then there is crabby & bent. I suppose it might have almost been considered a subclinical event and maybe it would've resolved itself eventually (I bet most of us would've just tried to sleep it off) but after a few weeks how much brain damage would've occured? I'm glad he went to the chamber. Bent John is not as pleasant as Regular John. Who would want a permanent change like that?!

Hey John -
Thanks for sharing with everyone. It is brave and the right thing to do. It's a public service announcement and I wish more people would share such experiences without fear of ridicule. You all (Dear Readers) don't have to give your name but other folks - especially new divers - could learn a lot from similar stories. This was NOT a CF. John was conservative. More so than the VR3 recommended. He just happened to need a little more deco than was predicted this time. He is very fit. He is careful about hydration, etc. It's all about the statistics and the odds.

[DeWayne]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us John, I hope your recovery is quick and complete. Did the doc offer any recommendations about when you can return to diving (i.e., did he prescribe the dreaded three month reprieve)?

You make some good points Angie. Next time someone calls me a crabby old SOB, I can just tell them that I am bent (might work better than my telling them to go get bent)

[Angie Reim]

You make some good points Angie. Next time someone calls me a crabby old SOB, I can just tell them that I am bent (might work better than my telling them to go get bent)

Right. You 'cain't' help it. That's kind of funny.

You know after all these years I finally understand the phrase 'go get bent'. Telling someone to 'go to Hell' just doesn't have the same impact with regards to working off my own angst or aggression. Wishing death on someone makes me feel guilty. Cursing them to be temporarily, painfully bent......priceless.

Not my usual behaviour but every now and again I meet a Rat Face.

BTW OFG-1, I thought your commentary about being fair to the shooter because of rat-faced people was hilarious. I got my first good laugh in a few weeks from that.

[Webmaster]

You can always come back up here and do some shallow diving.

[mcmacken]

Thanks all for your kind words. I think I'll spend the next three months looking into those air-filled caves. I always thought they were a waste of good underground space, but I may have been wrong