Wilderness Medicine Conference at Everest Base Camp Dispatch
October 11, 2009 – Update From Pheriche 4,200m/14,000ft
Our comfortable lodge adjacent to the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic has been a two-night stay for us on our trek to the Khumbu Glacier and the Base Camps of Pumori and Mount Everest. The health of our group has been superb; I cannot remember a group of 17 people who have acclimatized so well and remained so free of GI and respiratory infections on this beautiful but challenging trek in the Himalayas. If I had to make a stab as to the reason why, I would say one thing is this group of doctors wash their hands often and use Diamox judiciously. The BAI staff has prepared excellent varied meals and they are obviously running a sanitary kitchen.
When the team returned to Pheriche we found that Luke, our EMT, had not only recovered from his AMS symptoms, he had gone to work assisting Jan and Rachel, the physicians at the HRA clinic for this season...
Our muscles have been toughed on the steep trails. Once the weather cleared at Khumjung, it has remained perfect each day for us. We are experiencing classic October weather that has made this the most popular month for trekking to Everest Base Camp; clear blue sky mornings with afternoon clouds that make the lodges cozy and the mountains around us seem mystical.
Luanne and Eric’s lectures hold our interest and stimulate conversations that continue around our table as we take afternoon tea. Members of our team will leave one by one to go take a hot shower or perhaps take a nap in their room, but invariably the discussions are continuing when the Sherpas clear the table and prepare to serve dinner.
These photos represent the beauty and the experiences we have shared as we move our classrooms to higher elevations. Most importantly, the people we have meet along the trail to Everest these past days.