[at-l] going on a thru hike

[Bpwildness@aol.com]

Hey folks,

Just wanted to let my list friends know that I was okayed by my thorasic 
surgeon to hike this year! I have been biting my nails at what possibly was 
going to happen to me.

What occurred that I was having problems with my feet and ankles and lower 
shins while walking. I thought I had a heel spur and went to a podiatrist 
thinking that I had heel spurs and could just get shots or something. He sent 
me to MD who sent me to get tests. What was discovered was a narrowing of 
some arteries in my legs and I was experiencing something called claudication 
in my muscles. I have no heart problems and do not have high blood pressure 
or anything like that. I am only 43 and am not overweight. This has entirely 
been caused by my smoking cigarettes. I was told that if I did not stop 
smoking, I would lose both feet within 20 years.

My thorasic surgeon gave me some information about cigarette smoking that I 
would like to share with list. Apparently, more people lose their feet to 
smoking then any other reason. It does not matter how much exercize you get. 
He stated that perhaps, if the antismoking advertisers would stress that it 
is not just lung cancer and emphysema that people get from cigarettes.  
Smoking causes a disease that reduces or eliminates the ability to walk, even 
in extremely healthy people.

Anyhow, I am taking an aspirin per day and will start taking a drug to reduce 
the pain of the claudication. Monday, after the Ruck, I start on my stopping 
smoking program.  It includes Zyban, accupuncture treatments, altoid candies 
(for the menthol craving), a herbalite tea to help increase the 
detoxification of the body, and the patch. I advise everyone on the list who 
smokes and loves to walk to call a thorasic surgeon and ask them what smoking 
does to the veins.

The good news is that my doctor says that if I don't smoke and hike to Maine, 
I may come off the trail with no problem at all.

    Bpwildness
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