TelemarketingEnigma

I remember reading some of your previous AMAs - thank you for sharing your story and your work!

Looking back now, are there any particular things that medical professionals said or did that have stuck with you (in good or bad ways)? For those of us in medicine, do you have any advice on how we can better care for families like yours?

As someone who grew up next to the pacific ocean: waves are serious business. learning how to handle yourself around big waves is a really valuable skill. The ocean is beautiful and awesome and dangerous. In my experience, people who didn't grow up around the ocean (or did, but in an area with smaller waves) don't always recognize how dangerous it can be.

As far as how to safely play in the ocean: never turn your back to the waves while you're in the water - you don't want to get hit by a wave that you didn't see coming. Learn how to dive underneath waves. If you're standing, turning sideways lessens the impact. If you aren't a strong swimmer, don't go out deep. If there are lifeguards around, stay near them. If the lifeguard tells you to move, listen. Learn what a rip tide looks like, and how to swim out of one. don't drink and swim. swim with a buddy. Don't be afraid of the ocean - have a healthy respect for what it can do to you, but appreciate the fun it brings too!

thank you for the word vomit!! Im so glad that you’ve had good and meaningful experiences

Thank you for sharing your experience!

This is a really excellent point! Unless your buddy is trained in water rescue, honestly the most important thing they are there for is to notice if something has happened to you and call in trained lifeguards/rescuers/medical personnel as needed. And even if your buddy is the world's best lifeguard, you're still not anymore indestructible than you would be alone.