Friday, April 6, 2007

Here's the scenario...

A diver, we'll call him 'Sebastian' is slowly descending on his last open water dive for certification during a basic scuba diving class in beautiful North Eastern Australia at the Great Barrier Reef. The underwater landscape is amazing, the colors of fish and variety of species is something of a distant dream to him, to be swimming about and flying around this entirely different world.

But then something happens. He feels something weird in his chest. It doesn't hurt, just a weird sensation, a pressure that he hasn't felt in a very long time.
"Ah shit" says Sebastian, "I hope that's not what I think it is." He continues along trying his best not to think himself into some pointless panic. "It's nothing, just in my head... golly gee what an amazing experience I'm having here."

That's not the end of it though. That weird sensation is still with Sebastian. He thinks it might be getting a bit more difficult to breath. No it's definately more difficult to breath. Sebastian has to get out. Now. But he can't get out. He's screwed himself.

"Why in the living hell did I lie on my medical exam? It didn't seem like that big of a deal... I've got to do something, I can't just stay here. Maybe I can make it, shit what should I do..." Sebastion's heart is racing. But it's not all due to his anxiety. It's the pressure in his chest. The growing discomfort he's feeling is that faint image of the grim reaper creeping towards him. Slowly. "I can risk it, or I can stay here and suffer. Shit shit shit. I'm ok. No I'm not I'm going to drown, because of too much fricking air nonetheless..."

As seconds and minutes tick by Sebastian's heart beats harder and harder as his lung is smashed against it, his lungs struggle for deeper breaths, all the while more air is seeping into his chest cavity; trapped with no exit beyond that which a scalpel can provide.

Sebastian decides to act, "Well it's been real. Thank you Lord for all of the blessings you've given me in my life. Take care of my family." With that he begins his assention - is it possible to sweat underwater? With each inch he climbs Sebastian can feel his life slipping away. The pressurized oxygen has no where to go inside his chest cavity. Quickly the pressure builds to a point that stops his heart. No more breathing. No more beating. Sebastian's body floats lifeless in a vast sea that did everything for his life but swallow it up - his own arrogance did that for him.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Radical Ryno has a new found interest in the wild wacky world of snorkeling! But hold on to your seats, that's not all! He might even get good at holding his breath for a really really really long time underwater! Yes, that's right, you're looking at the next world champion breath holder here people, collapsed lung or not... Rock!

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