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might be skin bends (cutaneous decompression sickness
[DCS]). We decided to call DAN®.
Because we were in a remote area, cell-phone
connectivity was problematic, and it took some time
for the call to go through. Eventually we spoke to a
DAN medical information specialist named Frances,
who was great. My husband explained to her what was
happening, and then she asked to speak directly to me.
Frances listened attentively to the details of my dives,
my symptoms and the recommendations of the doctor at
the resort clinic. She said she believed I might indeed be
suffering fromDCS and told me to return to the clinic right
away for a thorough neurological evaluation and to begin
breathing pure oxygen. She also offered to coordinate a
physician-to-physician consult in Spanish to assist the local
physician with the evaluation. She let me know that there
were hyperbaric chambers on nearby islands and that she
would explore getting me an airlift if one was needed.
On the way back to the clinic we called out to our
trip guide, who luckily was within earshot, and let
him know what was going on. Quite concerned, he
immediately agreed to go with us to interpret. Having
an interpreter sped up the process, and I was on oxygen
in a matter of minutes. The clinic was very sparse,
and the administration of oxygen lasted around 30-
45 minutes. I felt better, and the symptoms subsided
somewhat, so the doctor released me. I took it easy for
the rest of the night and prepared for our five-hour bus
ride back to Havana the next day.
I had residual tenderness in my abdomen and what
I describe simply as “a sensation” on my left side. I felt
well enough to go into town and do some sightseeing
in Havana on Saturday, but I shared with my dive
buddies my concern about our scheduled flight home
the next day. After the 30-minute flight from Havana to
Miami, the tenderness in my abdomen was worse, and
the long walk through the airport to our car was quite
uncomfortable for me.
The next morning I was in considerable pain, and my
abdomen was swollen and disfigured. We called DAN,
and again Frances was there for me. While she had me
on the phone she called Mariners Hospital in Tavernier,
Fla., which is the closest hyperbaric chamber facility to
my home, and arranged for the chamber staff to meet
me in the emergency room. I arrived at the ER and
was taken back quickly, given oxygen and put through
a series of tests to evaluate my condition. Despite me
being four days postdive, the doctor decided to treat
me in the chamber. I felt much better after the six-hour
chamber treatment, though some abdominal soreness
persisted for about a week.
Reflecting on the incident, I initially found it puzzling
that of the 20 divers in our group I was the one who got
DCS. I was one of the youngest, I have always stayed
active and in shape, and I did not dive beyond any limits.
But in the aftermath of the event I learned that the vast
majority of DCS cases involve no identifiable causes or
explanations (beyond time spent at depth). If I had to
go through this all over again, next time I’d advocate for
myself more forcefully. Breathing oxygen from a cylinder
is not the definitive treatment for DCS, and the doctor’s
insistence that my BCD was too tight did not adequately
explain all of my symptoms. I probably would have called
DAN sooner in the first place and again the day before
I flew. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to get on that plane
with symptoms, so I would have liked to discuss that
with DAN before we departed.
I realize how fortunate I am that my DCS was not any
worse, and I’m so grateful that my husband has ensured
we’ve always been covered by DAN dive accident insurance
since we began diving in 1998. Neither of us ever wanted
to have to dial that
number, but I’m
sure glad DAN
was there for us
when we did.
AD
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STEPHEN FRINK
STEPHEN FRINK