| Testicle Update |
[Jul. 1st, 2009|11:36 pm] |
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So, when I asked people in Socorro about the appointment they made for me, they were a bit off in all regards. I had been under the impression I was coming up for a simple draining and everything would be taken care of. In reality, I came up for almost no reason. They are making me a new appointment to come up again, and I spent my time answering the same questions I had answered in writing already. The person read my answer to me, then typed it in to a laptop. I was less than happy. Really, it was the people in Socorro that most caused this misunderstanding, but they did admit they don't do these kinds of problems locally. I'm told that it is normal to have useless appointments between the primary care physician and the specialist who will do the work, so I suppose (if there is a) next time I'll be less surprised when this happens. The procedure I was told here that would be done is what the doctor up there described as life threateningly dangerous, and not something he would do. I'm going back up again soon for a full on surgery in which they will cut a huge hole in me (about four inches he said), take my testicle out, and attempt to vivisect it into useful parts and discardable parts. The useful parts will be put back in, and the other parts will be discarded. After the surgery I'll be in terrible pain that will take a very long time to go away. And he said there is probably a 1 in 30 chance I'll lose my testicle, but it is promising that my testicle can be seen inside the giant sack of fluid I'm told. He assured me that he plans to save my testicle, not lose it. |
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| Death By Mountain: Avoiding Death By Diet |
[Jun. 21st, 2009|10:15 am] |
As you all should know by now, I recently discovered that I'd finally made the transition from lazy fat man to acute diabetic. Diabetes is a First World disease. It is something I did to myself through poor dietary choices such as a 5000 calorie per day menu plan that was centered around eating six ounces of dark chocolate a day and making a meal out of deep fried potatoes dipped in melted butter.
Now that I'm culinarily miserable, I'm looking elsewhere for joy in my life. Dr. Borchers has been taunting me for months with his running, and while I do want to run again, and beat him, there are other things I love as well. There used to be a time in my life where I probably went out into the wilderness 20 or 25 times a year. Lately, it's been hovering near zero.
Death By Mountain: Avoiding Death By Diet is my plan. Over the long run, the Mountain will always win. Until that time, life is good though. I've made a website and a mailing list for my endeavors. As always, things like this are more fun in a group, so I'm looking for people who might want to go with me.
Right now I'm easing-into it. My bicycling muscles are in fine shape, and I'd have no trouble going on a 30 mile bike ride at a the drop of a hat (I've done it recently enough to know). My hiking muscles, however, are not in as great of shape. More easing is needed. I do plan to hit the Turkey Creek Hot Springs in July though, assuming my surgery goes well and I'm allowed too.
The website is http://deathbymountain.blogspot.com/ and it only a few days old. The mailing list is deathbymountain@googlegroups.com, and is invitation only to avoid spammers. If you would like to go adventuring in the wilderness then you should be on the mailing list. Tell me your email address and I will send you an invite. |
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| The Great Outdoors, Continued |
[Jun. 14th, 2009|02:35 pm] |
The fence is built, so back to this ponder.
I have a Gortex jacket. It's pretty nice, but it has some problems I'd like to fix, and it has enough use that it doesn't seem to be quite rainproof anymore. The main problem I want to fix is the pit vents. As far as I can tell, only The North Face makes pit vents that don't let rain in. At least, that is my hope. I've never owned a TNF, but their pit vents are different than the cheaper jackets I've owned, and I suspect more effective. A new TNF will cost be three to five hundred dollars.
My rain pants seem fine. They are a bit tight for snow duty (no room for layers in them), but if I'm going to do that I'm getting a bib. Probably a Wiggy's bib.
Some new socks are probably a good idea. Most of my socks are going on fifteen years old.
I think that concludes my rambling on gear. Quite a bit of money to have to spend, but aside from the things I've already purchased (sleeping bags and backpack) there isn't much left that is critical. Seals for my MSR stoves and a water purification system are probably the highest priority. Oh, and a new first aid kit. With my bivy seeming to be in good shape I have no real need for shelter, so I can even blow off the $50 tarp I need to replace. The bivy is so well sealed that I'll die in it if I zip it shut, so inclement weather isn't a major concern for me. Probably the highest priority thing I don't need to buy is the trekking poles. I'd really like some that are more comfortable.
So that brings me now to trips. Where to go? An obvious first choice is Turkey Creek Hot Springs. 186F of pure bliss. No, wait, 186F is third degree burns, not bliss. Still, Turkey Creek was a favorite and I should return there. Turkey Creek is on the list of places to go.
Potato Canyon sounds good. Long ago, in the late 80s and early 90s there was a mudslide there. A flood came through and left about four feet of sediment on the ground (the trail blazes on the trees were at ground level afterwards) in the mid to late 90s. Still, it's a nice place. We've held lots of SAR trainings there over the years.
Hummingbird Saddle is a great place. Deep in the Gila, pretty high, and if I can ever manage to get there at the same time as the hummingbirds, it is supposedly a once in a lifetime kind of place. Hummingbirds blot out the sun, so the stories go, and they swarm you for food, eating out of your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Hummingbird Saddle is an essential place this August.
Snow Camping is fun too. I'm better equipped for it with my new bag now. That needs to wait for the winter. I have snow shoes already! And a snow shovel.
Long ago I went on a multi day trip down Whitewater Creek. That should be done again. It was a blast.
And of course, there are the 14ers. There are lots of them up in Colorado. Those are bit more involved. Easier stuff first. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 14th, 2009|02:33 pm] |
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I'm told that Jason, Heather, and Isis are failing to tell anyone about their upcoming bachelorette/bachelor parties. They are on the 27th of this month. So if you know them, be sure to ask them about it. |
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| The Great Outdoors |
[Jun. 14th, 2009|07:47 am] |
Things are progressing in preparation for returning to The Great Outdoors. It has literally been several years since I even went car camping. There was a time in my life when I probably went on 20 or 25 backpacking trips a year, either voluntarily or because of Search and Rescue.
My new sleeping bag arrived yesterday. It's rated to -40. MINUS FORTY! One of the great things about -40 is that it is 233.15 K no matter which common unit system I use. If it was rated to -41, or -39, then I'd have specify units, but -40 is -40.
The bag is a FTRSS from Wiggy. It is basically two bags that are designed to be zipped together in a nested fashion. The outer bag is rated for +35F, and the inner bag is rated for 0F. Zipped together they make an impressive pair. If it might get colder, they make warmer inner bags for it as well. One is rated for -60F by iteself, and -80 with the overbag. I bought it because it gives me a tremendous amount of flexibility for $265. I have three sleeping bag combinations rated at 35F, 0F, and -40C. I have another Wiggy I bought in August of 1997 that theoretically will mate. I expect that zippers will have changed though, and it won't mate.
I ordered a new Jandd backpack. My old one still works, but it's at the age where I worry about buckles snapping from nylon-rot. It seemed easier to just get a new one than to have my old one fail on a hike and then get it fixed.
My shelter is hosed, so I'm going to have to spend $50 to buy a new one. Maybe. I typically just use a tarp. It's light, and simple. Tents have been somewhat tempting, but I'm not really sure I want to deal with a tent. If I buy a tent it will cost more than $50. Of course, I don't need a tent or a tarp. I have an OR Advanced Bivy sack that seems to still be in fine shape. That, and a Wiggy rated to -40 is far more than I'll ever need in New Mexico or Colorado.
I have a Whisperlight and a Dragonfly which both need o-ring work, as do all of my fuel bottles.
I need a new mountaineering helmet, but not now.
My trekking poles still work, but they could stand a replacement. A long time ago Liz and Peek broke up. Liz met a nice new boy she liked, and then he fell off the Diamond and was impaled on a tree. I took a fall down a hill on the extraction and my trekking poles didn't come out of it as well as they could have. The grips are also quite unpleasant and always have been. I've long admired the nicer poles with the nicer grips. I don't need new poles, since mine still work, but I might buy new poles regardless.
I need a new first aid kit.
I need a better hammock.
I need a new water filter. Or at least a new new filter element. I think my filter, though long since bought out and discontinued, is still of a classic form factor that it's replacement will still fit. If not, I can bu a new one.
And now I have to go help someone build a fence. |
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| HAPPY PANDEMIC! |
[Jun. 11th, 2009|06:27 pm] |
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It's finally a full fledged pandemic. No more training wheels! |
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| Another day with the doctor |
[Jun. 9th, 2009|03:06 pm] |
On the testicle front: The left testicle is diagnosed. Surgery soon. It's a hydrocele. My right epididymus was described as "grossly unremarkable". I like the word grossly in there. According to the doctor, my left testicle is 4.9 by 3.3 by 3.5 cm, while my right is 5.2 by 3.2 by 3.4 cm. Both are normal size. By outward appearances, my left testicle could almost sumo wrestle ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) jmattax's brain tumor and it would be an even match. Grossly unremarkable.
On to the, and I've been trying so hard to avoid this word, diabetes front. I was wrong about my blood sugar. It wasn't 800; I misremembered that. It was still very high. My triglycerides were in the 900s though.
Today's visit the doctor was very different than last weeks. Last week she was just checking me out while investigating my gigantic testicle and discovered bad things. Two drugs were brought right up. In general, I don't take drugs if I can help it. She was very concerned and very interactive with getting me onto the one I agreed to take. This week I got an entirely different vibe. Last week it was the "you don't have two months" vibe and drastic drug intervention was needed. This week, after showing her the books I bought on the subject, and discussing my plans for coping she was very laid back, and even said that she was proud of me for not wanting to do this with drugs.
Further conversation revealed that the typical patient wants as many drugs as it takes, but are unwilling to make personal changes for the better, while I've been miserable since the diagnosis from all the changes I'm trying to make. I haven't eaten any chocolate. I used to 2 or 3 bars of chocolate a day. Now I eat none. I've cut back on what I eat, to try and get down to her suggested calorie intake. I've lost five pounds in as many days.
On the plus side the medicine has made me sleep. I'm getting normal nights of sleep. I haven't had those since the late 1990s. The sleep is amazing. |
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