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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
 Posted - 05/21/2007 : 01:43:39 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by H. Humbert
While lying in bed at night, often the strangest thoughts occur to people. Last night, I began to consider this question: "Is there a theoretical limit to how long a snorkel can be?"
I figure the human lungs can only move so much air up and down a tube, and if you aren't sucking in enough fresh air, the air at the bottom might become over-saturated with carbon dioxide and prove fatal. But I also have no idea if the recycled air would "collect" at the bottom of the tube, or if there would be enough mixing to keep all the air in the tube breathable. |
You could only have a snorkel that held less volume than your lungs, otherwise you would indeed be breathing mostly the same air over and over. Comparing carbon dioxide content of inhaled and exhaled air:The air we breathe in contains about 0.04% carbon dioxide.
The air we breathe out contains about 4% carbon dioxide.
In other words, exhaled air contains about 100 times the concentration of carbon dioxide that inhaled air does. |
That wouldn't take long to eliminate your O2 supply. The same site also says 25% of the O2 is removed from the air we breathe in.
Since the snorkel tube has a relatively small opening, not a lot of diffusion is going to take place relative to how fast your lungs exchange gases. Basic physics should logically say that the human circulatory system with active gas exchange will rapidly out pace the passive gas exchange at the mouth of the snorkel. While the air is expelled out, you suck it back in quickly making it unlikely to have much air exchanged at the snorkel opening. You would be rebreathing most if not all of it.
[Edited to fix quoting - Dave W.] |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 01:50:42 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
Dinner was fun. We were arrived only a little late (rush hour in Los Angeles on a Friday evening sucks) but got there in plenty of time for chips and salsa and a couple of iced teas (Michelle had a margarita) and well before orders were taken. The conversation was lively and fun. The food was great. Most importantly Jeff and Randi added a personal touch that made us feel like old friends. Jeff came down to our end of the table and chatted with us for a while. We talked about the upcoming move from the Riviera to the Flamingo for the next TAM event, among other things. I happened to be sitting one person away from Randi, but do to the noise in the restaurant (very loud) I was not able to join in much of his conversation with those immediately around him. Oh well. Upon leaving, Michelle got a hug from Randi, maybe two. I received a handshake and he said it was great to see me again. Cool! Robert Lanchaster and his fiancé did make it to dinner. He reiterated that he had fun guesting at our chat…
Jeff said something about an outreach idea that would mean closer ties with the jref and skeptical groups like SFN…
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Flamingo wasn't much better than the Riv unless it's been remodeled. But the pool is open in the summer. That's a plus.
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 02:54:52 [Permalink]
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But these kinds of things really do change my behavior.)
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Dunno, but glad you're okay. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 05:31:45 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
Geez, [b/]HM[/b]-- do you really think that after a few drinks, you'd black out and not recall something like that? I guess the evidence is compelling, but it's distressing. Do you know if the situation can improve? What do the Docs think?
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I haven't asked any doctor. I self-treated my minor scrapes, and am just waiting for the bruises to stop hurting. Looking over my helmet, body, and bike in the light of day, and considering where I found my wallet later on the pavement, I think what happened is simply that I first began to lose control while on slippery grass (I remember that part), then I flipped the bike when I hit the raised edge of the shoulder blacktop, throwing me onto the pavement on my left side, and striking my helmet on the pavement. I may or may not have been under the bike.
I wrote the original account here immediately when I got home, and in rereading it, I see no sign of inebriation. I think I simply had a concussion, which blanked out the memory of the actual spill, my picking myself and the bike back up, and my ride home. I had a similar experience in the 60's, when I flipped my dirt bike. Still can recall nothing of that accident, aside from what my brother told me happened. And I'd had no alcohol then.
I try to keep my concussions to less than one every 40 years.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 05:34:45 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
I try to keep my concussions to less than one every 40 years. |
That's a good idea. I think the Surgeon General recommends that.  |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 08:11:41 [Permalink]
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Those of you who's been attending the chat may remember that I've been complaining some about an ulcer bothering me. Well, here's the scoop on it.
I've been taking a drug called Tenoxicam (anti-inflammatory) for my hip-osteoarthritis the last three years. After a while I started getting some belly-aches and flux, and started on Ranitidine. During the spring, the standard dose on Ranitidine wasn't enough, so I just took them a little more often until Easter, when it really started hurting. I was nauseous and didn't feel like eating much of anything.
At that point I stopped taking Tenoxicam and started on Losec (Omeprazole, that I got from the local pharmaceutical) until I got better, about two weeks. Then, Sunday 13th this month, the same thing happened again. Off the Tenox. and in with Losec and stayed home from work Monday and Tuesday. Since I've heard that those anti-inflammatory meds can have long term effects on the body, I decided to have a consultation with a doctor, and take some blood tests to see if anything was amiss.
This weekend, I met one of my aunts, who used to be a nurse. She thought I looked pale, and I said, "Well, I don't spend much time outdoors, so it's not surprising..." She answered "Still you look pale, and considering the meds you're on, you should see a doctor". I explained that I did have an appointment, so she shouldn't worry.
This Tuesday I went to the doctor and talked with him. He had me tested, and looked a bit worried when the results came in. He highlighted a line with a magic marker, put the paper in an envelope and sealed it. The he told me to go to the ER at the University Hospital (20km from the town I live) and present it to them, and they'd know what to do.
When I got there, the receptionist looked at the paper, asked me a few standard questions about allergies and if/where it hurt, then I was sent to a waiting room with 8 other people already sitting. "Ok" I thought. This might take a while. I was rather surprised that the first name they called out was mine. The first thing was another sample of blood for analysis, and then the doctor came. A young blond attractive woman, who somehow failed to get my cheeks to blush. Even when she asked if she could make a rectal exam. 
She explained that my blood count was low. Hb was 56. I don't know if any of you medically trained guys and gals know what that means (I could be a Swedish standard of measuring so it may not mean anything to you). I asked her if that was low, and she said that it should be above 130...
She explained that this must have happened gradually, allowing the body time to adjust, because if my blood count had dropped this much quickly I'd be unconscious. They started me in saline IV, and blood transfusion, two units (á 400ml), and then put me in a room over the night. In the morning they drew a new sample, and saw that my blood count was heading in the right direction, so they gave me two more units before lunch. Not that they allowed me anything to eat though.
No food and most fluid (including Esomeprazole) through the IV, they scheduled gastroscopy(esophagogastroduodenoscopy) for the afternoon (Wednesday).  Eeek, I really feared that horrible thing.
But the doctor (and her assistant) were very sympathetic to my fear, were very good in explaining the procedure and gave tips on how to make it easier. And during the procedure, the assistant constantly coached me and ensured I was doing fine...
They had the option of giving me sedation, but we decided to make a try without it.
They had a monitor visible for me, but I had my glasses taken off, so I didn't see much. Which wouldn't have mattered much anyway because my entire existence during the gastroscopy centred around just breathing, which suddenly didn't came that natural. 
I did pick up the doctor's comments though: "Oh, my...look at that thing...it's huge...one of the biggest I've seen..."
So that explains it (though the ER-doctor was pretty sure already that I had had a bleeding ulcer though she weren't in a position to tell the extent of it). The good thing was that it had already slowly started to heal, thanks to my change of the meds last week.
Wednesday evening I got my first meal after 40 hours of fasting. I ate slowly and savouring every bite... even though it was hospital food. 
After that, it was smooth sailing. This morning: another blood count sample, and another unit of blood, and after lunch they discharged me.
All in all, they needed two litres of blood transfusion to fill me up. And I thought I was just a little low on energy. No wonder the Red Bull I had never gave me those proverbial wings...  |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 08:34:25 [Permalink]
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 Holy shit, Mab! I am glad you caught that! The human body should have something like 6 liters in it, and they had to give you two?! Yikes! |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26021 Posts |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 09:52:34 [Permalink]
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| Hope that you have it all figured out now. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 10:28:19 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
Holy shit, Mab! I am glad you caught that! The human body should have something like 6 liters in it, and they had to give you two?! Yikes!
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Depending on which encyclopedia you use they give the volume as either 4.7 or 5 liters. That's for a 70kg male. My current weight is 81kg. Yeah, I forgot to write about that...
From a week before Easter until last Saturday, I've lost 8kg.
How's that for a turbo-diet?
(I'd recommend the tape-worm diet before trying this one  )
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
| Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 05/24/2007 10:33:41 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26021 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 11:36:38 [Permalink]
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I got a nasty headcold last Christmas weekend, and had little appetite for a week. I forced myself to gag down one meal per day. I dropped nearly 5 kilos in seven days.
Took less than a month to put it all back on. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 15:05:39 [Permalink]
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It's great that you got that worked out, Mab! Your anemia could have had much worse causes than an ulcer. The great thing about stomach ulcers is that they heal really fast, once their cause is eliminated. Your system is probably already in hyperdrive, making red cels to replace those you've so long been bleeding away so wastefully, so your blood count should not drop again.
And good for your aunt for noticing your paleness!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 05/24/2007 15:06:06 |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 15:14:06 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
I forced myself to gag down one meal per day. |
Don't come talking about gagging... That was pretty much all I did during the gastroscopy. Yuck... And I have to do it again in 8 weeks as a follow-up.
But I do feel for you...
Now my goal is to maintain this new-found lower weight, since among other things, it's easier on my busted hip.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
| Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 05/24/2007 15:15:48 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 17:54:14 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
Now my goal is to maintain this new-found lower weight, since among other things, it's easier on my busted hip.
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Wow Mab! What a couple of days, eh? Glad to hear that you're on the mend. Good moderators are hard to find!
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2007 : 18:09:41 [Permalink]
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| Now my goal is to maintain this new-found lower weight, since among other things, it's easier on my busted hip. |
My dad lost all his extra weight after triple bypass surgery, and in the 2 years since then he's kept it off through dedicated exercise and disciplined eating habits. It was inspiring to see someone his age change his daily routine so radically and in such a positive way. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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The water cooler, part 2
Topic Locked
