Progress..

Training. Hmmm...its coming along. Just back from our 4th (?) elevation-gain hike this afternoon. Am now up to 27.6 lbs (argh...) on my back, and gaining just under 2000 ft in 2.7 miles. A moderate feat for some. I've just switched to my larger backpack and am surprisingly pleased with how it feels on my back. It is an Italian bag with brilliant padding in all the key areas. I last used it in Istanbul & Turkey. The actual packs we will be using however will be donated, along with some key high-alpine gear including ice axes, crampons, expedition sleeping bags, down parkers, helmets, expedition tents, ropes, etc... I'm climbing with some pretty spectacular women, and am truly honored to be in their company. I am also adding a link to a new & seperate TSNW Adams Climbing Group web-page that one of our climb members, Nancy H, has been so kind to create & maintain. It is still in the beginning stages, however between this blog & her site there will be current updates, as well as added informational bits.....

http://www.tsnwmtadamsclimb2010.blogspot.com/

Have bounced off several of you about my sleeping-pad options. Comfort will be a huge issue, especially to be in good shape for the summit bid, so would like to go a bit cushier than normal light-weight expedition. However, am leery of air-filled, as at 12,000 ft un-insulated "air" quickly turns ice cold. Any other priceless climbing tips or ideas are greatly welcomed, so please don't hesitate to gimme a shout, 'kay ? I will also be sending out a neat flyer about TSNW & our climb in the next week or so. Please look for it. AND....Thank you so very much for your interest and your support. Cheers.

Overdue...

I know. A new posting was painfully overdue. I keep trying...but I always seem to get side-tracked. And it certainly doesn't help that my wireless Internet connection at home is on the fritz as well.... Training is going well...mostly. However just when ya think everything is as it should be, something comes along & reminds me that all is not quite normal just yet. Shortly after my last posting we were out on our 2nd training hike (we also train doing laps on the Howe St. stairclimb). Not far in from the trail head I turned to take a picture of our group in this stunningly moist and moss-dripping Pan's World that we were trekking through. As I turned to right myself forward again, in mid-step I backed into...or rather stumbled onto, 2 quite large rocks. I went down. Hard, lacking any degree of grace. Mostly annoyed as hell, I got up to carried on, brushing the whole damn thing off. An 1/8th of a mile later, in the damp drizzle (yes, we hike in rain here) I felt my lower leg was curiously wet. Needless to say what may have been a cut & goose egg for most ended up being, much to my own amazement, a lot bigger of a deal for me. I totally would have brushed it off if it hadn't been for an RN from SCCA (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance) hiking on our climbing team. She deals w/ Transplant patients, & knows my recent past history.


I was sent back to the car all taped up & leg up in the air, as the rest continued to climb. Long story short: because I am still so immunosuppressed trying to control the GVHD (Graft vs Host Disease - see "medical links", below left) while trying to grow my new immune system w/ my donor Bruce's cells...the next day I had to leave work to go off and be "seen". As a very real precaution, due to risks I still need to manage, they wanted to put me on another dose of antibiotics....all for a lousy CUT ! Then they realized I've already been on this particular antibiotic, for 2+ years already. Strategy changed & topical antibiotics were used, dressings and all. Honestly, I simply would never have checked it out. So, life goes on. I'm now up to 21 lbs in my pack ( and huffing it a bit....) and gaining 1000 ft in less than 2 miles. Easier said than done I might add. However, I've done far more in the past. 18,000 ft when summitting Gokyo Ri in the Himalayas. All pre-transplant, of course. Stay tuned for more antics tho... I assure you there will indeed be more. And thank you for checking in.... Oh, P.S. On a side note: Blue Fin took 2nd place in our class (see link @ left) during the Blakely Rock Regatta this weekend out on Puget Sound.... blew 29 whopping knots, sailed a screaming 9.2, blew-out our Traveler, bolts 'n all, water in the cockpit, adrenaline-racked....& heeled the whole way !!