High Sierra Topix

OR, well that is scary and thank goodness everything turned out OK. Although, as Daisy points out, asking for help is not being a sissy, I think that's the way a lot of men (and probably at least some women) would view it. I know I would. I've been in situations where I've "toughed it out" but felt pretty confident that nothing terrible would happen (my dislocated shoulder trip), but also in situations where I wasn't really sure and felt too "embarrassed" to ask for help (even if I had seen someone! I don't own a SPOT, and I probably should). I think I would also feel "stupid" if I had caused a huge production over something that turned out to be minor, like the time I had a cut that wouldn't stop bleeding. None of this is good, but it is very hard to get past.

(By the way, for increasing HDL, I strongly recommend oats.)

Q,

Used to do oats regularly. Surprise, doing it again plus hemp seeds, and flax.

One of the things I learned in EMT training when a ranger is that you don't fool around with anything in your gut or chest--you can't diagnose if there is no wound and there are a bunch of bad possibilities. With your injuries I think I would have tried to tough it out too, even with a Spot. But internal things are a whole different set of circumstances.

Mike

Mike,

Yeah, that makes sense. The only internal problem I ever had was when I (unwittingly) ate red snow atop Mt. Starr (at Mono Pass). The next day I thought it was altitude sickness, so hiked down to 4th Recess Lake. I'm still not sure how I made it back up to my tent. But fortunately, that cleared up by the next morning. That was one of those "too embarrassed" to ask times, because a packer came by with empty mules in tow and I was debating whether I should ask for a ride.

Hey Mike,

Sure glad to read you got help and "fixed" the problem. Thank goodness for medical technology and for your rigor to not ignore the symptoms (as so many do).

I would think that any savvy hiker/climber would hit the 911 button without hesitation for any internal medical problem that has the potential to be life threatening (heart attack/angina/appendicitis/stroke, etc.).

The common sense that gets us back to the trail head safely is the same common sense that should cause us to mash the 911 button.

Shawn

Has anyone here actually hit the 911 button on a Spot?

Russ,

I know a young man who was hiking a volcano in Mexico when a companion had serious altitude issues. Tucker hit the 911 button, the Mexican Navy (apparently responsible for all SAR activity in Mexico) was contacted, and his companion was responded to promptly and appropriately. But no I have not hit the 911 button.

Mike

I guess I should have been more clear.. In the Sierra.. Glad that worked out..

I am sure any SAR personnell would not consider it sissy

All,

Obviously the term "sissy" was just to attract attention and I started the thread to make everyone think about something we don't want to think about and "know" it won't happen to us.

I'd like to know if a person who has a cardiac arrest due to a heart attack at high elevation, who normally lives at low elevation, is 2 hours away from advanced medical care, has been revived thru CPR and survived? Or what is the longest advanced medical care was delayed and the patient survived.
My understanding is that survival in a high elevation wilderness setting is unlikely and a large group of people is of little comfort unless there is also means of rapid deployment of advanced medical care.

Russ,

Before our next trip you should know that should you go down I will step on your chest 30 times and mark will kiss you on the lips 2x while Tom does the counting! (since I can't count to 30 and mark can't count to 2 ) This is more than my skiing buds will do for me (they say they will slide me to the side of the trail so I won't be in anybody's way then call Kathy when having their after ski beer.)

In all seriousness everybody please pay attention to your health and your body! (Mark that does not mean for you to sit and contemplate your navel! Damn I did it again.)

Mike

If i go down, It'll be a drowning.. my cardio cath came back clean.

I watched my Dad give CPR to a guy who just came out of the south rim of the grand canyon.. He revived, but then died later..

I watched a guy drive his dodge ram into a fence down on our road. Massive coronary.. The fire dept is 2 blocks away.. he was blue.. died.. he smoked a lot..

We're all gonna die. we shouldn't get hung up on it.. Just hope we can go in a place we're happy to be.. For me.. Fishing or attempting to fish a certain lake.