911 button or Sissy?

[Cross Country]

Old Ranger: Speaking from 3 stints and 1 triple bypass surgery (that didn't go well until "fixed") it did feel like the 911 button or Sissy. My experience makes me believe VERY few people who haven't experienced what you and I have, can't really appreciate the choice. It isn't the intellectual process that some seem to think. I bet you know that.

Thinking about it now I vote Sissy (I should practice this more than I do).

The first time it happened to me I was really ill and thought it was nothing more than that. In retrospect I should have known it was really serious. After my first attack I took 3 at bats in a softball game (6 years ago). On the first 2 ABs I got clean hits and jogged to first (pretty dumb huh?). On my 3rd AB I hit a ground ball and ran to 1st base. I felt like I might die and was fortunate I didn't.
Although mine wasn't the widow maker my artery was 100% blocked.

I'm sooo glad I wasn't in backcountry for any of my episodes. Having said that I have some trips planed for this summer. A little crazy huh?

[oldranger]

Cross Country

Not crazy to go backpacking. Only 2 ways I want to go and one is x rated! What is so wierd (lucky, result of my stellar intelligence ) is that the blockage was caught before any damage to my heart. Now all I have to do is get past one month taking a really scary drug. In the meantime I can continue to ski, hike, lift weights, and look for foods that specifically raise HDL (my total cholestoral is 118!), and drink moderate amounts of good beer and wine. Though I have lost 12 lbs in the 31/2 years since I stopped working this is also the motivation to drop the additional 5 that has been my target but out of reach except after a couple of weeks backpacking.

Good health to all!

Mike

[quentinc]

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.)

[oldranger]

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

[quentinc]

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.

[Shawn]

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

[rlown]

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

[oldranger]

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

[rlown]

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

[BrianF]

I am sure any SAR personnell would not consider it sissy