Yak Karkhar to Manang (Annapurna Circuit)
Pictures
It was obvious I was going nowhere today. I felt terrible having had no sleep and was weak anyway. My breathing was also very laboured. It hurt to take in large breaths.
By coincidence, Daphne's guide was also taken ill and was getting a horse down to Manag to the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic there.
That was my ticket out of here!!!
I told Ela&Raz I couldn't walk (which I couldn't) and they managed to get me another horse. Their plan of taking me on a horse of the pass to Jomson airport seemed like a bad idea, and in hindsight saved my life! They agreed to come down with me to check I was OK which was brilliant of them.
I got a horse down to Manang within the hour. I was barely awake and very weak. It was very depressing to see my fellow trekkers coming the other way, staring at me. Some said hi, others told me I looked terrible. Well, duh!
When I got there the guy who was leading my horse wanted R4000. In my weakened state I told him where he could shove his request and told him to wait outside the clinic until he cooled off. Later the staff at the HRA got him down to R2000 and he left. Idiot.
It was a busy day at the HRA but I was seen within 30mins. When Jeff(the doctor) saw me, he put me on a drip immediately and made me go through my experience. I cheefully recounted my story and he diagnosed my with:-
- Severe Acute Mountain Sickness
- Early High Altitude Cereberal Edema
- Early High Altitiude Pulminary Edeme
- Gastro Entiritis from food poisoning
- Fever
That's quite a list. You can read more about them at the
HRA page about mountain sickness. Jeff said my best option was to stay there and for them to arrange a helicopter out of here asap. My insurance covered it and they were soon on the phone to the British Embassy and my insurers.
By this time I was feeling a bit better, just 300m below where I was and my lungs had freed up considerably, the fluid in them draining away.
Two hours later the helicopter arrived! Hardly had time to pack as I was met by Val from the British Embassy who had sorted it all out with my insurers.
Got in the helicopter and had a stunning ride though the Annapurna Valley to Kathmandu. Worth being ill just to see it! The ride lasted about an hour and we swooped over mountain villages, rivers and all sorts of passes and ravines. Amazing. Felt a bit too sheepish to take photos....
When we landed there was a British Embassy Land Rover waiting for me and Val and I took a trip to a clinic for a pre-arranged health check. There I was diagnosed the same as before but my symptoms were better. Still couldn't walk in a straight line or breathe properly but both would get better!
Val took me back to Thamel where I got a hotel with TV, hot shower, AC and slept for a long, long time.
Apparently altitude sickness is fatal if you ignore the signs and carry on up. Well, now I know what it is, I think I'll stay at sea level...
Posted by cmelikian at November 15, 2003 12:35 PM