PSA for spearfisherman/scuba guys(updated)

Some good info to help some of you so you don't wind up like me down the road.

Am about to undergo my second total shoulder replacement at age 54. Played every sport there was pretty much from 9 yrs of age through college and after. Played years of softball and 10 yrs after that of competitive archery.
So what does this have to do with diving/spearfishing?

I have severe osteoarthritis. Still in damn good shape but my joints are giving out on me due to cartlage breaking down/wearing out, thinning...you name it.
About to go through my 8th joint focused surgery in the last 11 yrs.
After what could have caused this severe breakdown I have finally figured out what started the ball rolling, so to speak.

When I was working in Saudi I logged roughly 250 dives in the Red Sea. 95% of these were spearfishing dives where the majority of time was spent between 80-130 ft of depth. No issues there.
But for one spot, a mound that sat off by itself, we had to do US Navy table dives since the mound was in @ 300 ft of water with the top at 150 ft.
On one dive, like a DA, I pushed the max time at 150 and was at depth probably 4 minutes too long going after a 40 lb grouper. Despite doing all the called for safety stops (80 ft, 60,40,20 and 15) I knew I was in trouble when I hit 15 ft and my shoulders started to ache. Excruciating by the time we got back to the beach (shore dive) I quickly took 4 aspirin, hydrated massively and put in some much needed prayer. Eventually the aches subsided within an hour or so, so there was no need to go downtown to the de-compression chamber. All was well, or so I thought.
In retrospect that onset of a mild case of the "bends" set my joints on a path to self-destruction. The costs of the surgeries and the pain I live with on a daily basis eclipse the awesomeness that swimming aroung thumping grouper and snapper provided me at the time. So please heed my warning and keep the dives to the tables/charts and don't push the limits to get that one last/big fish.
Please don't... it ain't worth it... take it from someone who knows all too well.