Diver in hospital after getting the bends

[Janet]

A 37-year-old women is very ill after suffering decompression sickness, also known as "the bends", while diving off Arico. Emergency services say that the incident happened last evening around 8pm at Playa de Las Eras, and that they were alerted by fellow divers. The woman was transferred by helicopter to HUC (University hospital) where she remains in serious condition. JA

[El Profesor]

Hmmm, I didn't know she was 37 !
She looks younger. . . vital police information?

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

How the hell do you know how young or old she looks?  We demand more information!

[El Profesor]

How the hell do you know how young or old she looks?  We demand more information!

Not sure.
Girl with severe water phobia cancels appointment.
- "I'm in hospital"
- "Driving too fast again?"
- "No not the car, I nearly died today"
Two plus two . . . . . . . . . . .

She didn't mention how . . . .  but if it is her, I believe she is home now.

[Janet]

Don't think it can be this girl ... the woman is said to be still in hospital, and is an habitual diver, it seems, so unlikely for someone with water phobia. Seems there was another case of the bends yesterday as well, a man in the sea at Tabaiba ...

Weird.

[El Profesor]

I wonder what happened to my friend then.

I thought that to get the bends these days you have to disregard the correct procedures . . . .  or panic.
I know diving is seriously regulated - there are lots of exams.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

And I thought you had to go too deep.  I know shinola about diving so welcome enlightenment.

[Perikles]

I don't think the depth is really the issue, it has more to do with speed with which you come to the surface. In diving, gas bubbles in the body are compressed due to the increased pressure. By surfacing quickly, these bubbles expand quickly, but sufacing slowly gives the bubbles a chance to dissipate before expanding and blocking things. Something like that.

[NAH]

I don't think the depth is really the issue.......

Depth is part of the issue, since diving to a depth of shall we say 1 metre exerts insufficient increased pressure on the body as to cause the Bends on ascent back to the surface.

Call me pedantic 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Seriously NAH? 1m is like getting in and getting wet.  Does somebody have to have a very bad condition for that to have such a negative impact on them?