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Re: [at-l] Warning; very long first post

At 06:53 AM 4/25/98 EDT, you wrote:
>That was a joke
>
>After a life changing wake up call of cancer last summer, I've decided it's
>never too late to do something you've always wanted to do.  Hiking has been
>such a mental and emotional support for my daughter during some very trying
>times, I really want to share in it.  My doctors say this summer might be a
>little premature, but by next year I fully intend to spend most of the summer
>in the mountains.  Being an old feeble grandma, I will spend this year
>gathering the lightest equipment I can afford.  (Which puts that home made
>cooker top of my list.)

Hi Patty. Depending on the treatment you had for your cancer your doctors
maybe right. Summer before last I spent april thru November on a chemo
regime called COPP for a little touch of  Lymphoma I developed. I foget
what all the letters stand for but they are the first letter of the four
drugs. The first two were given in IV's and the other two in pills. By
sept. my Hermaticrate (sp?) count was down to 10. 40 being my normal
baseline. I was so weak I couldnt walk from the bedroom to the kitchen
without getting totally exhausted and out of breath.  They wanted to do a
blood transfussion but I wouldnt let them. I do not trust the blood supply
these days as they are not telling us the whole truth about aides. Our
family doctor even said that I probably made a wise decision. Anyway last
summer There was no way I could trudge up and down the mountains in 90
degree temps. and 80% humidity with a 45 lb. pack on my back. Just mowing
the yard at the beginning of the summer exhausted me. Last fall after the
temps cooled down a gfriend of mine and I did quite a bit of backpacking in
W.Va. Check out my outdoor directory on my web page (URL below with
signature) for some pictures from the Dolly Sods wilderness. The first
couple trips were pretty rough on the legs and especially the lungs. My
blood count is still down by 3 points and the Doctor says it will probably
not come back up to normal. Anyway after the First two trips my legs got
into shape and the rest were not hard. The last one we did 15 miles in 7
hours up and down the mountians. I barely got tired. I could have gone
another 5 miles easily. I was planning on hikeing through out the winter
and some backpacking, staying in PATC cabins. (I dont like the cold at
night. The chemo and radiation have caused some fluid regulation problems,
just minor, but it effects my bodys temp. regulation). I was going to do
this to stay in shape but then in nov. I tore ligimate in my right knee and
cracked the bone in my right forearm. In dec. I broke a bone in my left
hand into five pieces and had surgery to put pins in it. Well as you might
guess that put a damper on my winter hiking so now I am working on getting
my legs back in shape again. Been walking three miles every evening the
past couple months and about 12 miles on sunday. Also been working on my
trail on the massanuttan mountain that I oversee for the PATC. In about an
hour my dog and I are going to do about 12 miles in the SNP. Picked some
pretty steep trail to give the legs a work out. In two weeks we head to
W.Va. for the summers first Backpacking trip. Also hope to spend a week on
the AT this summer. Anyway if you are like me you will think that you will
never get back into shape. I am assuming here that you had chemo. That is
some really devestating stuff and really beats your body down. But be
patient. It may take awhile but keep at it and you will slowly but surely
get back in shape. Well gotta go make doozer and myself a couple peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches an head for the trail. Good luck and dont get
discouraged. especially this summer. It takes time. Take care !! and happy
hiking.





                           Daryl Cline WB4YEX
                            Harrisonburg, Va.
                  Web page: <http://www.cfw.com/~clines>
          Outdoor pictures:  <http://www.cfw.com/~clines/outdoors>

                               
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