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Horsham podiatrist gives her own feet a challenge by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

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Just clicked on this link to see which other Pod was climbing Kili. Had no idea it was about me! Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!

Kathryn

 

Thank you. I certainly will do. Although you may have to wait until I'm back, I'm not sure I'll have wifi up there!

 

Just checking back in to say I made it (I'm in the purple coat in the middle)! Was an incredible experience. Happy to have done it but have no desire to repeat it :D

 

Awesome job. Well done! .... now its back to patients?

 

I've never climbed that high in altitude. Did you need supplemental oxygen or did you just have to go slower and take more days to get to the summit? Anyone get altitude sickness?

Sounds like a once in a lifetime adventure, Kathryn. Awesome photo!!

 

I think our old friend William TJ is in there some where right now. Are you there, you Welsh Wizard?

 

Thank you for your congratulations.

The strategy for coping at high altitude is to gain height slowly, although at times I wished I had an extra oxygen supply! The first few days seemed a painfully slow pace, but nearing the summit you couldn't move any faster if you wanted to as your heart and lungs are functioning as if you are running. The 'undulating' route we took helped with acclimatisation as it followed the 'climb high sleep low' maxim, but is does mean the actual height you climb getting to the summit is way more than the actual height of the mountain!

I think all of us had symptoms of altitude sickness at some point on the trip, mainly nausea and headaches. Some were effected alot worse than others, but despite this every single member of our team of 21 made it to the top.

And yes I'm back at work now, and boring my patients silly about my trip ;)