The team with the Doctors |The plan has changed. David awoke this morning, and announced that he was going down. David had not slept at all last night, nor the previous night. He explained to us that every time he started to doze off, he felt as if he would stop breathing and then awaken suddenly short of breath. He had an early morning conversation with his roommate, Kenton, and Kenton felt that they should journey across the ridge to Periche to visit the Himalayan Mountain Clinic.
As this plan of action was announced at breakfast, Bonita said that she did not wish to go up either, because she had not had a great sleep, and she would like an additional day of acclimatization as well. Kenton asked the group how they felt, and everyone agreed that an additional day in Dingboche would be a very good idea. Rick’s wife Alma was thrilled with this news, because after two nights of headache, she felt she was just on the verge of catching up with the altitude.
Mick was one member of the team who slept extremely well. Such is the thickness of the walls in Sherpa Ram’s guesthouse, that everyone did hear Mick sleeping and snoring very soundly. Mick had ascended at great speed a small peak to the north of camp yesterday with Kenton. Just prior to their departure, Mick was able to place a rock into Kenton’s backpack. As Kenton emerged from the lodge and hefted his back onto his shoulder, he glanced at several smirk smiles around the table and sensed that something might be amiss. Upon inspection of his backpack, he discovered the rock and removed it with a great sense of triumph. The two departed for their 5,000 meter mountain and were able to reach the peak after one hour and 30 minutes.
Lynette was in her usual very good spirits this morning. There is no greater champion for Australia than Lynette, and she was in very good form at the previous evening’s dinner advising and counselling Rick and Alma on some of her various mountain climbs and campaigns for Women’s Rights.
Tom started the morning assembling a regiment of Sherpa porters and instructing them how to salute in unison and then to stand at attention. He then retired to the kitchen to photograph Ram’s wife at work with various bahinis (little sisters) as they furiously prepared the breakfast orders barked through the wall by Ram. Tom then joined David and Kenton for the medical evacuation trek across to Periche.
We arrived too early in Periche for the clinic and were told to wait until 9AM. This left the 3 expeditioneers time to enjoy a cup of tea and to reflect upon the monument to fallen climbers who have tried to summit Everest. The two conical halves with a polished aluminium finish and names etched on the inside was somewhat sobering to study. Kenton pointed to one climber who he had known. We all saw Mallory and Irvin and so many Sherpas who had lost their lives on a mountain to which we are all heading. Tom took some photos of Kenton and then took a private moment to reflect on some of the names on the monument and to pay respect to their sacrifices.
The clinic officially opened and David was admitted. Tom and Kenton kindly requested to accompany their comrade-in-arms, and the doctor agreed. David had an excellent heart rate of 55 and it was decided that he was suffering from Chain Stokes, which was a form of obstructive sleep apnea, or desperate choking, after the conscious brain had gone to sleep and the subconscious brain waited too long to breathe due to the lack of Carbon Dioxide at altitude. We were all pleased to hear that a treatment of 250 mg of Diamox in the morning and evening should set David right and get him a good night sleep. Tom noted quite quickly that David’s difficulties started immediately after encountering Beryl and the bicycle shop attendant in Deboche.
Meanwhile, Tom has been spending a lot of time in the various internet cafes enroute. The saga that is unfolding has been receiving considerable advice and counsel from all members of the expedition. It appears that Tom’s girlfriend, Krittika, in Thailand feels that a two month expedition is too long for the two to be apart, so two days ago, she announced that she was trekking to Base Camp to join the expedition. Tom immediately requested advice from his expeditionary companions. He was advised that a 42 kilo girlfriend with a strong heart was certainly able to make the climb to Base Camp. Bonita has become particularly keen on advising Tom in this issue, because of Tom’s previous interest in advising Bonita about her Tom in England. Bonita confided in Tom that her Tom was overjoyed to see his name mentioned for the first time in her blog and promptly sent her 5 emails confirming his love for her.
Meanwhile, Apa Sherpa arrived last night in the lodge next door. He was meant to be carrying Sir Edmund Hillary’s ashes to disperse on the summit of Mount Everest, but apparently the relevant Lama decreed that this would not be appropriate. It now seems that the ashes will be placed in a Stupa near the Khumjung School which was founded by Sir Edmund near Namche Bazaar.
Today, Rick, Mick, Louis, Bonita have departed to climb Chhukhung Ri to the North at 5,550 meters. Lynette departed some time later to the North as well to keep fit and get some tea in Chhukhung. Alma was discovered sewing the Pente sack that Rick has been complaining is in disrepair, learning Nepalese from RAM and photographing the neighborhood.
Thus ends the report of today’s expeditionary activities on our ascent of Everest. Respectfully submitted by TOM 12 April 2010 www.claytor.com/everest
