I am also one unlucky SOB.. Yesterday my wife and I dove our first independant dive! (My log: 4 open water dives in class, 3 dives with a DM, 1 independant)
The plan was to dive from the shore at Alki Cove 2 until we reached 35', then turn parralel to the beach for 7-10 Min then return to shore with a short stop at 15'. Total projected dive time = 20min, max depth 35'.
All in all we executed the plan very well, though my wife had some problems equalizing and experienced a reverse block on the way up. I sat on the bottom waiting for her to equalize at our max depth so I ended up with a max depth of 40' instead of the planned 35. We also ascended from 22' faster than I would have liked (not uncontrolled but missed the safety stop).
Here's where is got interesting. Upon surfacing I began feeling anxiety like symptoms. Numbness, Intentional breathing ect ect. DCS was in the back of my mind but there was ZERO reason to think the dive profile could even remotely cause it.
My symptoms grew worse however and by the time I got home there was a tingleing sensation in my fingers!! So I decided to be safe and head to the ER. I actually got yelled at by the nurse because they were VERY busy and I insisted I at least get some oxygen until I could be seen
![:) :)](./images/smilies/smile.gif)
ANYWAY it turned out the energy I used up diving was the last bit I had left to fight a Virus I didnt know I had.. My lungs were fine and I didnt have DCS, but the virus decided to suck the life out of me during/just after the dive. DCS, Anxiety, and Viruses all have very similar symptoms so it was a rough few hrs..
I'm not sure there is much of a lesson here for folks beyond the common teaching of diving HEALTHY, but in this case I didnt know I wasn't..
On a brighter note, it was a GEORGOUS evening on the water front and visibility was terrific (20'+).