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This was me when I first arrived at advanced base camp (abc). One of the biggest cruxes of the trip so far was going from base camp at 17,000’ (5,181m) to abc at 21,000’ (6,401m). A similar change in sleeping elevation gave me the beginning symptoms of HAPE on Cho Oyu. Adjusting to life at 21,000’ was exhausting, and I didn’t have much energy to post even though there was lot of downtime. On a trip like this, some days, you just sit around waiting for your body to acclimatize. For me, it feels like having the flu. Nausea, headache, bad cough, strained rib muscles, I just feel really sick. I was constantly out of breathe from doing the smallest tasks, and I didn’t even want to get up to go to the bathroom. Luckily, it got better over the course of the seven nights I spent at 21,000’, and I’m glad to report I was able to stay with the team during the entire rotation! It seems every trip I learn more and more about how my body adjusts to altitude. I hate the feeling while it’s happening, but it’s wonderful once you’re on the other side and you can look back at what you persevered through. It makes you feel tough and accomplished, and that feeling stays with you, and you take it into everything else you do. #climbforequality @keen #keenambassador
