[at-l] Melissa's re-entry blues

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"... Again, there is NO reason a hike should break down your body."

I agree completely with sloetoe's message to Melissa. It's not that physical
problems don't happen. In 1993 I got gout in my big toe (though it was diagnosed
as a staff infection) and later, irritated a nerve in my thigh that forced me to
take 10 days off. But I had celebrated my 64th birthday three weeks into my
hike.

 When I finally reached Katahdin I was in the best physical shape of my life and
 remained that way for years thereafter, except for age, deterioration of a
 congenital heart valve defect, and medicine that poisoned my lungs.

 Even so, when I went to a lung specialist last week for a checkup, he told me,
 "you should know that I don't get many patients whose complaint is that they
 were too slow climbing Katahdin."

 My advice is to plan plenty of time for your hike, and listen to what your body
 tells you, especially during the early weeks, when unused muscles and tendons
 need time to adjust.

 Weary