Dying Everest Climber - What would you have done?

**silkwood** · 2nd June 2006, 08:37 PM

Couple of points:

If I found someone dying I'd probably try to stay with them a while too. In that position someone has to judge for themselves. It is also possible that IF someone stayed with him for 90 minutes they did'nt know it was that long. People have been known to die on summits because they left it too long to descend. Those with them who survived have said they thought they were only up there for half an hour or so, when in reality they have stayed in one place for hours.

There seems to be some derision of the fact that Sharp was not with a guided group. In fact many attempts are made by independent climbers, it's actually the guided groups who are looked down upon by many. There is constant discussion about whether or not this is a good thing. More people on the mountain (possibly) creates more danger for those involved.

As for budget and ill equiped groups, this is true to an extent. But consider many feel they are well enough equipped, only to realise at a critical (read life-threatening) point they are not. Fees were reduced this year, due to unrest in Nepal, but it is still not a budget trip by any standards.

Not everyone uses oxygen ( Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler first oxygen-free ascent 1978) though the majority do, and who knows whether you are going to make it or not until it is perhaps too late.

AMS hits without favour. There is no strong evidence to confirm being "fitter" either aerobically or muscularly is of benefit. Mind you, if you're not at least "bloody fit" you're not going to get high enough to find out!

Everest News puts it well: "We will never know the whole story of who helped David and who did not. We will never know the whole story of his summit attempt and descent where he ended up next to the previously dead climber in the rock cave on Everest."

Cheers,

**Shedhand** · 2nd June 2006, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by silkwood

"I've actually seen the top of everest....from 6000ft"Shedhand

Shedhand, at 6000ft you would have bumped into Kosciouszko!

Cheers,

G'day Silky. read the post again mate! The top of Everest. I was in BA Jumbo at 35000 feet. 35K jumbo cruising altitude less Height of Everest 29K+ feet = I was about 6K above the top.

And it was all red from a glorious thin air sunrise. Brilliant. Pity I was close to death at the time.

Cheers

**silkwood** · 2nd June 2006, 11:21 PM

read the post again mate!

Shedhand

I did, give it a go yourself!

Then expand upon the "almost dead" story?!

Cheers

**silkwood** · 2nd June 2006, 11:23 PM

Sorry, I see how you meant it!

Now how about that story!

**Shedhand** · 3rd June 2006, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by silkwood

Sorry, I see how you meant it!

Now how about that story!

OK. Sad but true. My one and only overseas trip. Went to Toronto for an International Mining Expo (during the worlds first SARS outbreak and deaths). Met some great people among whom were some Chinese geologists (PRC). One of them was crook and coughing a lot. I shook hands with him. Big mistake. Left there and went to London for a few days for a look around. Left London for Hong Kong (by this time 10 days had elapsed since my contact with the Chinese geologist. About 2 hrs or so out of London, somewhere over Vilnius I was suddenly struck down. Hallucinations, violent headache, sweating, shakes....well you can imagine. Only had aspirin on board, no doctor. I'm in big trouble. Flight stewards worked in shifts getting plenty of water into me. Still hours to Hong Kong. Landed in Hong Kong in a seriously bad way. Told to smile a lot and use a luggage trolley to stay upright otherwise I would be refused entry and sent back to London.
Get to my hotel and collapse. Australian Consulate called. They arrrange transport to the hospital (which demands my credit card for a HK$10,000 deposit - I don't hand it over.). Remember, by this time SARS is rampant in Hong Kong. I got run through every test known to man and martians and informed I have a streptococcal infection in my brain which started in my throat. Ever had an MRI when you've had a triple grade migraine??? :eek:

I thought I was gonna die for sure. Government made arrangements for wife to fly over etc etc.
Anyway,after a lot of speciallist treatment I managed to live to tell the tale. The first day back on my feet i staggered out of my room (probably more to do with the lack of meat in my diet - it was the Adventist Private hospital - than the illness) I discovered to my total horror that the rooms either side of mine had big red signs on them saying Isolation - SARS Suspected - No entry.
Qantas bought me home (a 10 day trip ended up being 27 days) in a wheelchair. I went back to work after 4 days rest and recuperation but relapsed and had a total of 68 days sick leave because of it all. Not fun I can tell you. Cost of trip A$23,000 + cost of treatment HK$58,000. Luckily my employer had Insurance to cover the medical costs.
A happy ending for me at least.

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