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Record 53 hour session in hyperbaric chamber saves diver’s life

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Hyperbaric Chamber

Thanks to some quick thinking by doctors and a handy US Navy Diving manual, a recent record breaking long-haul stay in a hyperbaric chamber saved the life of a Michigan diver…

“What I was worried about the most was holding my breath if I panicked,” said 64-year-old Begnoche, as holding your breath while ascending rapidly could cause a fatal lung embolism. “Panic is what really kills people.”

Last month Begnoche and other volunteers dived a shipwreck to capture footage off the coast of Grand Marais, Michigan. After he was pulled onto the boat, he started feeling prickly sensations in his body and he lost control of his arms and legs. His rapid ascent caused nitrogen bubbles to form in his bloodstream, cutting off blood to his spinal cord and other parts of his body.

Hyperbaric ChamberHis decompression sickness was so severe that saving Begnoche required a helicopter rescue to Marquette, Michigan and then a low-altitude flight to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where doctors tried a rare treatment protocol which they found in the U.S. Navy’s Diving Manual.

Along with a nurse, Begnoche spent a record 53 hours in HCMC’s hyperbaric chamber to give his body a chance to slowly clear out the damaging nitrogen bubbles.

“It’s really rare to have to do that protocol for a couple of reasons,” said Dr. Chris Logue, medical director of HCMC’s center for hyperbaric medicine. “One is that most people die. They never make it to treatment.”

Begnoche was like a “human soda bottle” that had been shaken up, Logue said, and caregivers needed to figure out how to deflate the bubbles.

Most of the time, HCMC’s hyperbaric chamber simulates a depth pressure of 45 feet to 60 feet below the surface and promotes healing by creating an oxygen-rich environment for patients suffering severe wounds or conditions such as anemia or carbon monoxide poisoning.

In this instance, Logue needed to simulate a depth of 165 feet — only 10 feet above the chamber’s maximum limit — to mimic Begnoche’s actual dive depth. That would drive the nitrogen in his body from bubbles into a solution and allow it to escape his body slowly and safely.

That’s what would have happened naturally if Begnoche ascended slowly from the lake as planned, with three or four decompression stops on the way to the surface.

Nurse Kimberlee Nerling, who was in the chamber with Begnoche the entire time, said she noticed immediate movement in the man’s arms when the chamber reached its maximum depth.

Begnoche has since regained control of his arms, and concerns about his lung functioning are over. But the semi-retired environmental manager and university lecturer can’t walk or move his legs yet.

Hyperbaric ChamberHe is receiving additional daily treatments in the hyperbaric chamber in the hopes that they will stimulate healing and reduce inflammation in his spinal cord. Whether he will make a full recovery is, as yet, uncertain.

“It’s such a rare event, it’s impossible to tell,” Logue said. “What we’ve gained back, I’m thrilled about.”

Begnoche, who lives in Michigan, watched films during his two-plus days in the chamber. He struggled to sleep and replayed how the dive went wrong in his mind.

Loaded with underwater lighting and a video camera to examine the recently discovered Nelson, a three-masted schooner that sank off the coast of Grand Marais, Michigan in 1899, Begnoche had neglected to put on a weight that would have otherwise controlled his ascent. The project was part of his work with the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

Given the amount of oxygen in his tank, he had only 20 minutes to spend by the ship. At 19 minutes, just to play it safe, he started to rise and pointed the video camera back down at the ship on the lake’s floor. That’s when he noticed how rapidly he rose past another diver.

With 40 years of experience and numerous deep-water dives, Begnoche knew he couldn’t stop his momentum.

“I was doing everything I could do to push any air out of the suit or any buoyancy devices that I had,” he said, but with the pressure decreasing and the gasses in his suit and his body expanding, it was “like a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

When he reached the surface, Begnoche immediately submerged a few feet to try to decompress and then returned to the boat when his oxygen tank was nearly empty. A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched along with a boat.

Flying Begnoche to Minneapolis was complicated, because a high-altitude flight would have worsened his decompression sickness. So the pilot was ordered to keep the plane below 800 feet.

Having never spent more than three hours in the hyperbaric chamber before, nurse Nerling was in for an unusual shift. The 53 hours in the chamber was necessary for her as well. Bringing them out of a simulated depth of 165 feet any faster would have caused her to suffer decompression sickness.

So Nerling made sure her daughter could stay with her father and grabbed a textbook she needed to study for an upcoming nurse practitioner exam.

“It’s just me and you,” she told Begnoche in the chamber.

Once the air pressure in the chamber rose back to a simulated depth of 60 feet, additional caregivers were allowed in so that Nerling could rest.

Begnoche said he is grateful for the help he received in the lake, for the national Divers Alert Network that assessed his injuries and referred him to HCMC, and for the proximity of the hyperbaric chamber in Minneapolis.

He hopes that continued hyperbaric treatments along with physical therapy will help him regain strength, but he’s also worried. In the water, his expertise helped him focus and stay calm. In the hospital, he is burdened with the knowledge of just how devastating a rapid ascent can be to the body.

“It’s scary,” he said, “especially when you know what’s going on and what could have happened”

Source: www.startribune.com

Photos: Renee Jones Schneider

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Join Pharaoh Dive Club for Red Sea Splash Family Summer Camp in August 2024

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family summer camp

3rd AUGUST 2024  – 1 or 2 WEEK PROGRAMMES

Daily water programme with Snorkelling & Scuba Diving.

Beginners or qualified, something for all.

Leave the kids with the Splash Team for days of Excitement, Fun & Adventure!

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BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

There are various options for accommodation with options for 2, 3, 4 or 5 guests.

Eco Huts provide accommodation for families of up to 4. The best option to enhance the adventure and closest to camping with basic facilities. For August we will provide central air cooling for all the Eco Huts.

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Deluxe Chalets are only suitable for 2 guests. Fully air conditioned rooms with private bathroom and other facilities.

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Boutique Rooms are available for families of up to 5.
Individual bespoke rooms fully air conditioned with private bathroom and other facilities.

Eco Huts: £675 per adult / £425 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Deluxe Chalet: £830 per adult / £505 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Boutique Room: £925 per adult / £550 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge

BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

This is a truly unique opportunity to have a Family Desert Adventure totally away from it all! You will be based at the remote Roots Red Sea on the coast of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, 140km south of Hurghada city.

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Red Sea Splash main focus is Snorkelling & Scuba Diving but that’s not all, we provide a rounded week of activities in support.

Pool& Field Games – Arts & Crafts
Marine Biology Workshops
Cultural Activities – Orienteering Adventures

Roots Red Sea have established strong links with the local communities of Hamerwain  & El Quseir affording our guests to have a true taste of the local culture, SPLASH CAMP embraces this opportunity and bring in the local children to join in the fun with our adventure seekers.

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During the day, families are welcome to take part in all activities together or the kids can be left with the SPLASH CAMP team while the parents enjoy the facilities or go diving themselves!

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At the end of the day, its family time while the SPLASH CAMP team take a break. For those with the energy, there are family evening activities planned a few evenings.

Open Air Movie Night – Desert Star Gazing Walk & Talk
El Quseir Evening City Tour

The second week is very special, we head off on the Big Blue for a liveaboard safari around Fury Shoals.

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BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

U-8 Splash Club

Sadly we can’t offer Scuba Diving to the Splash Club but we can have lots of fun Snorkelling & Free Diving!

Splash Club includes:

Certified Snorkel Course – Marine ID Games – Intro to Free Diving
Arts & Craft Sessions – Adventure trails – Cultural Playtime – Pool Games

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U-12 Explorer Club

In addition to an exciting snorkelling and Free Diving Programme in the Splash Club we can take you under the water on SCUBA to a whole new world of fun and wonder. If you are under 10 your first breath under water will be as a Bubblemaker and continue with daily Seal Team Missions. From 10 we will complete a Discover Scuba Diving experience in the amazing Red Sea. Alternatively we offer a full junior certification programme to become an international qualified Scuba Diver.

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U-16 Adventurer Club

For qualified Scuba Divers regardless of age it’s the Adventurer Club and exploration of the local reefs and marine life. There will be 2 dives every day with the Open Ocean marine field station team who will introduce you to Red Sea marine life and workshops on marine research. Alternatively there are opportunities to continue your scuba diving certifications with our instructional team.

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Parents are welcome to join the club activities and join the courses.

BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

Big Blue might seem like the new kid on the block, but the team behind the highly acclaimed liveaboard is far from that. They have been running Red Sea safaris since the late 1980’s and were in fact part of the early pioneers who ventured out to the unknown on vessels that in today’s world, really shouldn’t have left the harbour! It’s that experience and the years of operating the award-winning Roots Red Sea resort which truly set Big Blue apart from the crowd!

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Large lounge area, spacious sun deck and terrace deck.

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Airy restaurant with five tables with up to six chairs per table, serving a varied and delicious menu with special dietary requirements catered for.

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The spacious cabins have side by side beds and a large walk in wet bathroom.

family summer camp

Ample dive deck for divers & snorkelers.

family summer camp

Safety is everyone’s priority, whether you are relaxing on board, swimming, snorkelling  or diving.

On board Big Blue is fitted with smoke alarms, emergency lighting and a fire alarm system. The lower corridor has a full-size door fire exit at the bow and open stairs to the stern. There are evacuation plans in each room along with life jackets, glass breaker tool and a fire extinguisher.

BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

Red Sea Splash at Fury Shoals is a very rare opportunity to get involved with marine biology expedition for children and adults. Open Ocean biologists are on board to provide fascinating and entertaining facts about the marine life you will see. The team will provide workshops on marine life identification and survey methods both of which, should you wish, you will have the chance to put into practice during your safari.

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The week is open to snorkelers, scuba divers and non divers too!

Fury shoals is perfect for first time mariners as it offers plenty of protection from the weather.

We board at Port Ghaleb on Saturday evening and prepare to set sail early on Sunday morning.

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Heading south, our first day will be diving the reefs of Abu Dabbab before sailing overnight to reach our ultimate destination the Fury Shoals.

Here we will spend four days swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving amazing reefs. This includes guaranteed DOLPHIN encounters at Sataya Reef!  After the last dive we haul anchor and head back to Abu Dabbab for our final two dives before disembarking our boat BIG BLUE.

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Camp Extension Cost*
Adult £650 per adult
Under 16 £350 per child

BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

FURTHER INFORMATION – INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM

TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000

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Meet Pure Dive Resort: Your Gateway to Unforgettable Diving in Bali, Indonesia

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If you’re passionate about the underwater world, listen up! We’ve got an incredible opportunity for you to experience the vibrant reefs and majestic marine life of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia.

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info@purediveresort.com / +62 811 3999852 / www.purediveresort.com

Pure Dive Resort isn’t just another dive centre; it’s a team of experts dedicated to providing world-class scuba diving and freediving adventures around Nusa Penida, Lembongan, Ceningan, and even Bali.

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info@purediveresort.com / +62 811 3999852 / www.purediveresort.com

Whether you’re a seasoned diver or completely new to the sport, Pure Dive Resort has something for you:

For certified Divers: Discover stunning dive sites, encounter manta rays, seasonal mola-mola (sunfish), and a dazzling array of marine life.

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For beginners: Embark on your scuba journey with beginner programs like Try Scuba and Basic Diver, Open Water and Advanced certifications.

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Freedivers: Explore the depths on a single breath with guided freediving experiences and courses.

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Exclusive Scubaverse Offer: Save on Your Next Adventure

As a valued Scubaverse follower, you get an exclusive 10% discount on any Dive & Stay or Learn & Stay package booked at Pure Dive Resort for 2024. Dive into the crystal-clear waters, explore breath-taking reefs, and create unforgettable memories in this diver’s paradise.

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info@purediveresort.com / +62 811 3999852 / www.purediveresort.com

Ready to make a splash?

See you in Nusa Penida!

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Experience the Red Sea in May with Bella Eriny Liveaboard! As the weather warms up, there’s no better time to dive into the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea. Join us on Bella Eriny, your premier choice for Red Sea liveaboards, this May for an unforgettable underwater adventure. Explore vibrant marine life and stunning coral reefs Enjoy comfortable accommodation in our spacious cabins Savor delicious meals prepared by our onboard chef Benefit from the expertise of our professional dive guides Visit our website for more information and to secure your spot: www.scubatravel.com/BellaEriny or call 01483 411590 More Less

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