Did you say Viagra???

Our own personal flight nurse, Kari.











Steph and I sucking in oxygen on our medevac to McMurdo.

Well, looks like I didn't adjust too well to the altitude at Pole. I was taking this drug diamox but after it ran out that's when I got altitude sickness - high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE - yes there's even an acronym for it!) Good thing I went to see the doc on my day off vs. waiting a day like I had originally planned. Had I waited a day I might have passed out and died in my sleep, perhaps. I guess the grim reaper came close to the door. I was in really bad shape.

So after work on Sunday my co-worker Jake and I walked to the Pole for pics. Afterward, I wanted to be discrete and sneak into the hospital to see the doctor but no one was there. I didn't know he was on-call and had to page him... I just didn't want to feel the fool if I had a case of a bad cold which I really thought I had. Well, no doc so I waited around for brunch, ate and debated about sleeping in the main bldg lounge where it's nice and warm or walk home and sleep in my freezing tent. Hmmm, should have been a no-brainer but it was a big debate that took quite a few hours to decide. I ended up returning to my tent with a plan to sleep all day and night since it was my day off.

I woke up gasping for air, I just couldn't breathe. It took me 2 hrs to get dressed - put my shirt on, take a long breather break, pants - long breather break, etc... For a moment I thought I was just out of shape but knew something was wrong when I couldn't catch my breath, was wheezing and coughing up mauve colored mucous, vomiting and all the yuck stuff so I headed on over to the main building to see the doctor.

I saw my boss and told him I was going to stop by the clinic but again no one was there so he paged the doctor and well, that's when I found out I had altitude sickness. My oxygen level was at 69%. They took x-rays and gave me some drugs and yes, viagra was one of them - it relaxes your muscles and increases blood flow so it helps get the oxygen going in your body.

I spent the night in the hospital hooked up to saline and oxygen. Then got medevac'd to McMurdo the following day. Just got released this morning and pretty much have been sleeping since then. 3 days of hospitalization, saline and oxygen and so much attention from medical staff, co-workers and friends! Whew! I feel like a celebrity! People I don't even know have been coming up to me asking if I'm alright... I'm a bit embarrassed by all the attention! Been sleeping most of the day, am still recovering and am very tired. I do feel much better - the wheezing has gone down alot and I can breathe so much easier at sea level. I'm still restricted to bed rest but when I feel better the plan is to get me to work in the McMurdo kitchen for a few days then fly me back to the Pole. Hopefully, it won't happen again. Good thing I'm taking part of the research program that is studying high altitude sickness...what a great guinea pig I am!

One of my co-workers is here with me. She had the same thing but caught it a day sooner than me so she's in much better shape. The Pole doctor was debating whether to medevac her or not but since he had the power to yeah or nay, he sent her too. (I really like that doctor - Dr. Will. I think Silva is his last name.) So Steph and I are in the same boat. We're roommies too here at McMurdo so we can check up on each other. I have to return for a dr checkup in the morning. My lungs are almost clear of fluid - I'm barely wheezing now. So I'm much much better and my oxygen level is at 98%. I'm hoping to get back to the Pole by Sat or Mon but of course, there's a civilian doctor here that has the final recommendation.

With the weather at the pole -47F and the weather here is 9F, it feels so tropical! The warm weather is so nice! But I like the work atmosphere of the Pole better. 220 people at Pole vs. 1100 people at McMurdo. I'd rather bake for the smaller population - you have more freedom to experiment and make better food!

Anyway, I ate my first meal since Sunday brunch and am doing okay now. I will probably be here at McMurdo for the rest of the week.