tomman
07-05-2009, 00:04
I have not been on whiteblaze for some time. I tried to hike the AT in March of 2007 but could not make it. I trained very hard for the hike and felt I was in fairly good shape.
I had done some hiking here in the Texas area and was able to fine some climbs that were not real long but fairly hard to climb. I had no problems with a very heavy backpack, much heaver than I was to use on the AT. I had my backpack weight down to 37 pounds with water and 4 days of food at the start. I had planned to go lighter as I found things I did not need.
I only made it to three forks and I had such a hard time breathing that I had to leave the trail. After 3 days rest I still had a very hard time breathing. I decided I better get back home and get a check out.
I went to my regular doctor and he could not fine anything wrong. I then went to my lung doctor and he ran some test and said everything was fairly normal. I continue to have breath problems so my lung doctor put me on some stronger and better medicine, but it did not help very much.
I continue this way until I had an appointment with my heart doctor. When I told him of the problems I was having he ran a nuclear stress test, I had had a regular stress test before leaving for the AT and passed.
Once he ran the test he said he found some things he did not like and ran some more test and found I required a Heart by pass. I had two section that were 50% stopped up and two sections that were 40% stopped . He said that I needed quad by pass open heart surgery. He said it was a wonder that I had passed the first stress test and could very well have had a heart attack on the trail.
In June of last year I had the surgery done and it worked out fine. I was ready to come home from the hospital and ended up getting a blood infection. After 18 days I had another infection so they sent me to a rehab center. I was there for another 32 days. I was in the hospital for 50 days in all and it left me in very bad shape. I was very weak, could not walk with out a walker and needed to use oxygen for about a month. I was in bed most of the time. Over all I lost 43 pounds, but do not suggest it as a way to lose weight.
I am not starting to work out again with weights. I have also started reading everything I can find about the AT, Yes I plan to try again. I have no idea when I will make it and I will more than likely do it in sections. My wife in now over 70 and she is not able to take care of thing for a long period of time. I hope to do a month or two at a time.
I had a very strong desire to hike the trail for the past 20 or so years but until I retired I just never had the time. Once I had been on the trail the desire became even stronger. I really loved it out there if only for a few days and knew I had to try again.
So very soon I will be strong enough to start carrying a backpack again so pray for me. I will be over 74 years old before I can try again but that will not stop me!
Tomman
trail name Cherokee Tom:-?
I had done some hiking here in the Texas area and was able to fine some climbs that were not real long but fairly hard to climb. I had no problems with a very heavy backpack, much heaver than I was to use on the AT. I had my backpack weight down to 37 pounds with water and 4 days of food at the start. I had planned to go lighter as I found things I did not need.
I only made it to three forks and I had such a hard time breathing that I had to leave the trail. After 3 days rest I still had a very hard time breathing. I decided I better get back home and get a check out.
I went to my regular doctor and he could not fine anything wrong. I then went to my lung doctor and he ran some test and said everything was fairly normal. I continue to have breath problems so my lung doctor put me on some stronger and better medicine, but it did not help very much.
I continue this way until I had an appointment with my heart doctor. When I told him of the problems I was having he ran a nuclear stress test, I had had a regular stress test before leaving for the AT and passed.
Once he ran the test he said he found some things he did not like and ran some more test and found I required a Heart by pass. I had two section that were 50% stopped up and two sections that were 40% stopped . He said that I needed quad by pass open heart surgery. He said it was a wonder that I had passed the first stress test and could very well have had a heart attack on the trail.
In June of last year I had the surgery done and it worked out fine. I was ready to come home from the hospital and ended up getting a blood infection. After 18 days I had another infection so they sent me to a rehab center. I was there for another 32 days. I was in the hospital for 50 days in all and it left me in very bad shape. I was very weak, could not walk with out a walker and needed to use oxygen for about a month. I was in bed most of the time. Over all I lost 43 pounds, but do not suggest it as a way to lose weight.
I am not starting to work out again with weights. I have also started reading everything I can find about the AT, Yes I plan to try again. I have no idea when I will make it and I will more than likely do it in sections. My wife in now over 70 and she is not able to take care of thing for a long period of time. I hope to do a month or two at a time.
I had a very strong desire to hike the trail for the past 20 or so years but until I retired I just never had the time. Once I had been on the trail the desire became even stronger. I really loved it out there if only for a few days and knew I had to try again.
So very soon I will be strong enough to start carrying a backpack again so pray for me. I will be over 74 years old before I can try again but that will not stop me!
Tomman
trail name Cherokee Tom:-?