Went to see GP this morning, to ask a great list of questions I had about the climb. I knew I would get sensible answers, because I remember him talking about climbing Machu Picchu with his teenage sons about 15 years ago. Turns out he has done quite a few high climbs, including to Everest base camp. He said one son – also now a doctor – has climbed Kili, but had advised his father against it – and I guess his father (my GP) is at least 10 years younger than me and extremely lean! My doctor wasn’t sure which route his son had taken, but thought it was 6 days (we are taking 8). He said his son had got very wet in rain early in the climb and had almost frozen to death on the final day up to Uhuru: he had not been properly equipped. He said that if I was going to do the climb, maybe he would have to rethink and do it too – he was clearly quite jealous! He told me I would need proper footwear: he was pleased to hear that I’d already got new boots. I had already worked that one out without the benefit of medical advice. I really hope it doesn’t rain on us, as I am sure that if clothing gets wet through, it is impossible to get it dry again.
I went through my list of questions:
1. Diamox – for altitude sickness. He said he didn’t recommend it as it could mask a dangerous condition and that the only solution to altitude sickness is to get down the mountain quickly. I am happy to run with that: don’t like the idea of taking non-essential drugs anyway.
2. Injections. He agreed that I would need a whole lot of them and advised me to look at the GP Practice website, which has a form to fill in and works out the timings for them. Sounds very organised.
3. General health check. He said I seem healthy, but he would take my blood pressure, which he did. He said it was slightly raised, but to come back in a month to check it again, as it might be to do with him running late(?!) I said my cholesterol had never been tested – but he said it had been, without ever mentioning it to me! He said it was spectacularly low, which is nice to know.
4. Bone density scan. I had a scan done about a year ago after I broke my leg, but never heard the outcome. He said there was no problem there, thank goodness.
5. Big Toe. I have had painful arthritis in my right big toe for about the last 6 or 7 years, and know I could have problems with it. A friend at Pilates had suggested I ask about a cortisone or lubricant injection. However the doctor said if he was going to go up Kili, he would take Dicloflex Sodium, which is a strong pain killer, and would not recommend injections. He wrote me out a prescription for Dicloflex and said I should try it out, to make sure I was ok with it. The details of the potential side effects are scary – but I will give it a whirl on the Amalfi Coast next month, and see if it does the job.
So that was a pretty good use of a 6 minute appointment! I would have been pretty disappointed to be told I was not fit even to embark on the climb. Whether I will get anywhere near the top is another issue – but I have really got into the idea of it now.