SCUBA and Spinal Kinetics' M6

[Jack-of-all-trades]

I've been into SCUBA for a while myself.

I see the gas trapped air analogous to free divers. As the free divers go to depths, they carry the same volume, compressed as they dive back up leaving essentially no change in volume. In you case, most likely any free air has all been desolved and transported and released by your body to outside your body by now and you body replaced it with scar tissue. The end results would be the air pocket may get smaller but never larger than what you started with. Where all the bubbles come from is from Nitrogen gas that desolves in the blood and seeps into tissues over time as you breath pressure adjusted air while at depth. The greater the depth the faster it seeps. If a person comes up faster and stays longer on the bottom at depth than the No Decompression limits established then Nitrogen bubbles form similar to opening a bottle of cola, or champagne. In our bodies these bubbles tend lodge in our large joints and spine. The key is to plan you dive and dive you plan so that you do not have to hang on a line under the boat to go through decompression to give the super saturated gas thats dissolved time to be breathed off or spend time in a re-compression then decompression chamber.
As far as the nitrogen narcosis part is concerned, At depth it makes for a cheap drunk. Each 33' is equal to a dry martini on an emply stomach as to the effect on our brains. So at about 130' it's like chugging 4 dry martinis. Not a good place to start sharing your regulator with the fish. I got a story about that for another time.

I wouldn't think there would not be any issues at all. if it's fluid in the disc, fluid is not compressible. If there is air inside the disc the same volume would be there when you jumped in as when you get back. Air would be compressed by a factor of 3 at 99 ft down. And return to it's normal size at the surface.

[jss]

Thanks for the input Jack. BTW, I'd like hear the story of sharing your regulator with the fish.

[Carson]

Hi JSS, I searched through looking for your surgical thread from your trip to Spain. I assume I'm missing it.

Would really like to know how you're feeling these days as we near fall. How the discs "feel" above your fusion. Current pain level if any. What restrictions you still have, if any. And how the neck is treating you in general.

[jss]

Carson,

My surgical outcome thread appears to be gone. There is something wrong with that forum as large periods of time disappear and then partially reappear.

I'm doing great since the double ADR; I've completed two half-marathons, one full marathon (with a new personal record) and will participate in a 100 mile bicycle race this weekend (in Texas heat). Prior to surgery my pain level was an 8 (if a kidney stone is a ten); today it is 0. However, my left hand is still partially numb. I've found that if I lift something heavy (like a four cylinder engine block) that I will have painful muscle spasms in my neck for several days. I'm hoping that problem will clear up in time.

Restrictions: I was given none but have a few self-imposed. No more snow skiing, motorcycle riding and no more driving my 67 Mustang (no head rest). An accident in any of those venues would (in my judgment) risk migration of the implants. I would not do anything that is more jarring to the spine than running.

Praise God I feel 100%, and don't see how I could have asked for more. I sincerely wish that everyone could have an outcome as good as mine has been thus far.

Jeff

[Carson]

JSS, thank you, kindly. I appreciate your experience and current status. Hoping your surgical thread re-appears; would really like to note your path to improvement. Congrats on your procedure; it'll surely be nice going into fall this year with little to no pain enjoying your running as the weather cools.

I bet that '67 is sweet. I have an old '76 Bronco I like to mess with but spends too much time under the tarp. It lacks headrests just as your Mustang which is a wise point to consider.

Your two half and one full marathon since your twin ADRs is a massive inspiration for me; thank you for noting that. I competed in GS (giant slalom) snowboarding and half pipe for several years before my accident. My riding level and frequency has decreased dramatically of course, but still able to enjoy the hill (Northern NM and CO). Man oh man, hope is a wonderful thing. Thanks for providing some today and knock them out this weekend on your 100mi ride!

[Jack-of-all-trades]

Thanks for the input Jack. BTW, I'd like hear the story of sharing your regulator with the fish.

Actually on the occasion that came to mind it was a friend. I have had times when I felt nitrogen narcosis when >100 ft down. It kind of sneaks up on you. I suppose that is why it is dangerous. My group of buddies and I in my wayward youth with more testes than brains made a dive once to 205' on air and not mixed gas. If a fish would have wanted my regulator I would have given him my spare second stage for sure, maybe even my primary. We didn't do that again. Without some serious planning first. We were going to go on the Monitor wreck before the site was shut down. We had the co-ordinates. We all whined and moaned about shutting us out but it would have been a tough dive to make. Deep water and current.

On to the fish story.

Early on in my diving adventures, there were few if any dedicated dive boats. Sometimes we would charter a fishing boat with a “Six Pack” license, meaning they were Coast Guard licensed to take out six paying passengers or take one of the smaller “head” boats that could take 12 or so divers. The charter boats were more exclusive to our group as far as who we knew, more expensive and faster. The faster part was most important if going 20 miles or so offshore. The sooner we got there, the sooner we make our deep and or longer dive, come up and hang on the line for 20 minutes or whatever needed, the spend the required surface interval time before the next dive, maybe move to a different wreck, dive, then scoot back to shore before dark.

This particular trip we were on a head boat with a few others we didn’t know that well. One of the guys was experienced but had a history of getting seasick. Since headboats are usually displacement hulls, invariably they are quite rolly. This guy was, I’ll admit pretty tough as he faked a sneeze over the stern once but spewed out particulate matter not commonly found in the lungs. We got to where we were going, went down and before we spread out from the bottom of the anchor line, this guy started hurling through the second stage of his regulator. He was immediately surrounded by all sizes of fish eating the chum. For those who don’t know, the second stage, or part that goes into your mouth has a flapper type rubber or poly valve about the size of a 50 cent piece to allow breathed are out when we exhale. In this case, other stuff went out too and prevented a good seal when inhaling allowing a bit of sea water into the mouth piece. In order to clear it, he had to take the regulator out of his mouth. When he did the fish attacked his regulator trying to pull it away until he hit his purge valve expelling a blast of air clearing the mess out and scaring all the fish.

We were all hungry when we got back to shore so we stopped at McDonald's. When it became his time to order he told the lady behind the counter he want a small cheeseburger, french fries and a coke. She was to then take his order into the bathroom, flush it down the jon. That way they would skip the middle man.

I wonder how the Mike Nelson types that had single stage regulators would handle a situation like this. When I got my dive card in ’73, there were a few people around who still used these. I got turned off of them because they were prone to free flow if your mouthpiece got higher than the regulator on the tank plus they were prone to accumulate baby spiders if left in a garage or basement for very long. I could imagine trying to test one before a dive and breathing baby spiders.

[jss]

... My group of buddies and I in my wayward youth with more testes than brains made a dive once to 205' on air and not mixed gas. If a fish would have wanted my regulator I would have given him my spare second stage for sure, maybe even my primary. We didn't do that again. Without some serious planning first.

Isn't it amazing that we survive into adulthood?

Thanks for sharing that story. I've never hurled under water or even seen anyone do it, but your story backs up what I've heard; that you'll make instant friends with a hoard of fish.

And Carson, Justin has bumped my "hello" thread back to the top of the "New Members" forum. Thanks Justin!

[karen_sac]

Was so glad to find this thread. My boyfriend, who is suffering terribly right now from sciatica pain and is waiting for a surgery consult, talked me into learning how to scuba dive almost 9 years ago. It was one of the most incredible things I've ever done and I am hopelessly hooked and have nearly 500 dives. I know he wants to dive again and I had not considered the implications of ADR and scuba diving.

Please keep us posted on your scuba adventures and most especially your depths. Not sure how you managed a trip going only 28 feet. We aren't tech divers, so going beyond recreational depths is not important. We are very much into the underwater photography (also introduced to me by my boyfriend). I dream of the day when he will be able to dive again. I've never cried underwater, but that could be a first for me. The last time we dove together was August 2009 in Monterey, CA. We were supposed to dive for three days, but dove only 2 because he started experiencing back pain. Since April of this year, he has been unable to walk without crutches and only in very short spurts, like to the bathroom.

Karen

[Jack-of-all-trades]

One suggestion. If in the ocean, have him put his mask, fins, snorkel, etc. on in the boat and the rest of the heavy stuff on in the water. Make sure whatever he uses to hold his tank has air in it so the rig floats. It is kind of embarrassing watching it sink to the bottom. I use to do this, if the water was rough. Just throw it in without a line on it, jump in before the current drags it away, duck under the water with your hands where your arms go and come up inside. Let someone hand you your wts. Do the reverse when getting back on except tie a line to a secure place after he takes the heavy stuff off. If he has a full 1/4" wet suit on and a lot of wt, take the wt belt off before removing whatever he uses as a buoyancy compensator. Getting off and especially back on a typical boat creates the most likely hood for hurting a back.

[karen_sac]

One suggestion. If in the ocean, have him put his mask, fins, snorkel, etc. on in the boat and the rest of the heavy stuff on in the water. Make sure whatever he uses to hold his tank has air in it so the rig floats. It is kind of embarrassing watching it sink to the bottom. I use to do this, if the water was rough. Just throw it in without a line on it, jump in before the current drags it away, duck under the water with your hands where your arms go and come up inside. Let someone hand you your wts. Do the reverse when getting back on except tie a line to a secure place after he takes the heavy stuff off. If he has a full 1/4" wet suit on and a lot of wt, take the wt belt off before removing whatever he uses as a buoyancy compensator. Getting off and especially back on a typical boat creates the most likely hood for hurting a back.

When we dive Monterey, we dive off my 14' inflatable boat and the gear always goes in the water first and comes up last. We both dive integrated BCs. I had a problem with my old Scuba Pro Ladyhawk BC, as it did not have enough lift to keep it from sinking - I always had to be very careful about tying it off to the boat. However, I moved into the Knighthawk and it is no longer a problem. My boyfriend has a DiveRite and it was never a problem. Not crazy about the idea of putting the weights in the BC in the water, because it can be difficult, but taking them out after the dive is over and tossing them into the boat is pretty easy. I have no problem putting the BC in the water with the weights in, but getting the BC back out of the water with weights in - not easy for me. Not so bad with weights out.

Never really experienced problems with currents in the Monterey Bay because it is so protected. That is why you will see so many unattended dive inflatables and kyaks there. It can, however, get choppy on the surface, but I would be looking for good conditions for his first time back in the water.

First time back in the water for my boyfriend, I think we will bring a couple of friends to get the gear in and out of the water, but right now, that seems a long way off before he will be in the water again. My last dive trip was early July at Guadalupe Island, MX. I'm thinking of going to Monterey with a local dive group in October and I'm holding off on the idea of any warm water trips until I have a better idea of what my boyfriend's back situation is going to be.