Jan 7, 2013, 1:03 PM
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I am trying to arrange for a friend to do a tandem and he told me his doctors are un-informed of skydiving dangers. Does anyone know of any literature out there that documents safety concerns for people with disabilities? I am hoping that the more information his doctors have the more willing they will be. thanks!
Don't know of anything in particular, but it really depends on the disability. There are some disabilities that are probably not compatible with a tandem jump or any other form of skydiving.
left leg amputated at the knee and paralyzed at the waist down. he said his last doctor said no because neither one of them knew how that landing procedure would work. Since it is easier to email an article Vs. being at the doctors with him, i thought i'd put out a search.
Why not just get some video of some of us other cripples jumping to show the Dr. Then they can see it's not that big a deal. There are many Para's and even Quads that I know who have jumped! Gimpboogie has lots of video, Pookieland just posted some new video, Dale Elliott has lots out there, and I also have some. If the Dr won't sign after seeing some of these videos then get a new Dr
Lonnie make a very good point in you may have to find another doc to go the extra mile to read,watch a video and sometimes, just getting them to listen to you once you mention that word (skydiving) to them.
It has been my experience with closed minded,"I'm the doctor" mentality whuffo docs, that no matter what you try to do, just will not listen because they are "the professional"
On search their "recreation, sports" forum. Lots of stories about happy gimps flying through the air. Contact some local DZ's to see if they've had anyone there. How/why would the doctor have to OK the person going jumping? I doubt any doctor would say its OK. If you got hurt they could be held liable in this sue happy society we live in.
Hey there, This is Pookie and I can understand the worry from whuffo's who just don't understand. As far as a Doc. let me say this, it seems as if your DZ may not want the liability on their shoulders when it comes to gimps wanting to skydive. A doc cannot order you not to skydive, they may say it’s not in your best interest to do so. I have been working with my DZO who is also my instructor for over 6 yrs now, and after all these years I have finally became a solo jumper.
Is your DZ asking him to get a doctors waiver in order for him to do a tandem jump?
Now if you just want to go out to do a tandem jump, there is nothing special you have to do. The harness will still fit, and as I read your friend is cut off at the knee so he would still be able to put his stump thru the leg strap, so that shouldn’t be a problem from my point of view. It would just depend on the DZ and the instructor that would be going up with him/her, and in my opinion that is where the problem would be. There have been a few people that are in wheelchairs that have come thru my DZ to do tandem jumps and were turned away for whatever reason, I don’t really know. So there is no guaranty that it will ever happen for him/her. So to conclude, a Doc cannot order you to not jump. He can only recommend you do something else. But with that said your DZ does have the right to refuse you because they also feel it’s not safe.
We had a Quad at the WFFC make a jump with a TI who spent some time preparing for the event. She was put in a harness that he had modified just for her, to keep her legs out of the way while he was landing. They had to prepare O2 for her, for on the plane, and to have as soon as she landed. It was very successful, but planned well in advance. It was her lifes quest to do such a thing, and as it turned out, she died 4 days later of her illness. We were very happy to have helped with her dream.
A) thats a really great story :) B) I'm not sure where he is going to have the tandem yet, it will depend on who passes my interview to be the TI :) so i dotn know if it's required but i just wanted to be prepared. And as much as we all want him to make the jump, i dont want him to be more injured after the jump, so hoping a doctor could help in that area. I heard once that an immediate check up is suggested for paralysis due to bruising and blood clots that they may not feel and be aware of?
