In all my years of chanting “Come on Summer!” I’ll never understand how finally upon its arrival, the season seems to evaporate all too soon.
I sense it’s slippage with these signs:
Wearing a sweatshirt instead of a tank top for my early morning hiking/camping departures.
In preparation of their southern migration, the hummingbirds lingers longer at their feeders
The need to flick Sanctuary One’s furnace on 37 degree mornings.
The emergence of the Fall Leafpeepers.
The shuttering of the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land campgrounds. I consider this luxury camping accommodation.
Worst of all (for me) the longer shadows coupled with shorter daylight.
This past year it’s been different. There was a greater sense of urgency of getting “out there”. I explored and hiked in new places without ignoring my tried and true old buddy favorites.
My time in Durango was limited to a few real showers, a clean up of Sanctuary One and restocking the essentials. IPAs, water, clean clothes, coffee and a packed refrigerator of food.
Selfishly I curtailed volunteer gigs and other commitments which in the past left me feeling socially unsatiated. However I did up my Trail Angel gigs and pika patrols. Two sure things for Sambini smiles.
The reason for my turning inward? From the fall of 2023 to the present, my body has been going through changes. I’m aging with a poor coping mechanism for this new reality. Here’s my biological breakdowns.
The pricey prostate reduction procedure I had was neither a miracle or a cure. The prostate got smaller BUT now my bladder doesn’t want to play nice with its lean mean neighbor. Result? I’m worse off now than I’ve ever been. When I asked, the Doc if there’s anything he could do. His answer was something along these lines. “Prostates! Prostates! No bladders!” This is all very disappointing and not conducive to a good night’s rest.
The syncopal episodes continue to scare the poop out of me. Recently on a hike I felt the aura once again. I laid down in the dirt and propped my legs up on a log. When I stabilized after eating and drinking, I self rescued the 2 miles back to Sanctuary One. I knew I was hurting when chubby hikers wearing clunky hiking boots complete with striped cotton gym socks blew by me.
Plus my high blood pressure issue hasn’t been resolved.
I’m aware of the information out there too. Spending as much time alone as I do is poison to my general wellbeing.
And then there’s the pointless nosebleeds which for guy with a large proboscis could prove fatal.
I know it’s all interconnected somehow.
I find it ironic I was able to survive an insane bicyclist vs sedan collision, but can’t do much about my off-kilter innards. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I was bred to be a merchant and not an endurance athlete.
Eventually I’ll see a few Doctors, but I haven’t been impressed by the current “slam-bam-thank you Dude” approach to practicing medicine. (I hate it when the Doctors flip a fifteen-minute sand timer when he/she enters the exam room.)
This is why I’m on a medically motivated mission. With each arduous hike which ends at some scenic site, I ponder (while munching a PB & Boysenberry sandwich) “how many more times will I be able to pull this off?” I don’t know the answer but I refuse to sit around waiting to find out.
With all this in mind, I’m now on an extended journey in Utah. This was my attempt to extend the summer season. I might have gone overboard as there’s a BIGLY heat dome centered in the West.
San Francisco topped 90 degrees this week. Those temperatures are rare there — and rarer still in October. (Source New York Times)
While in the Southeast citizens are donning water wings.
Gee! I wonder what’s causing this?
It’s always something…
Stay healthy!
Jeff
Hang in there! Thanks for the lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteBesutiful photos! Hope you find some relief from your health issues!
ReplyDeleteJeff, your nosebleeds and high blood pressure are connected. When your blood pressure gets high, a vein in your nose pops a hole and starts bleeding profusely. The reduction in volume of blood temporarily lowers your blood pressure. When it's come down enough, you'll be able to get the nosebleed stopped. Until you can get your hypertension fixed, those nosebleeds keep you alive. Don't let a doctor cauterize your nose.
ReplyDeleteJeff,you are someone very special with your honesty about your aging problems! I’m a few years older than you and if I just tell my daughter (46) that getting older is nothing for cowards,she reacted ,Mami,that’s the way life goes’ .Younger people have to make their own ,probably different experiences?!
ReplyDeleteHowever … there is nothing that prepares you for it … and all of a sudden you are old! Not in your mind ( who knows?) but in body signs and you think ,that’ll be soon over and done…until you realize… hell NO ! It’s getting worse.
S.T.O.P. thinking about it and be grateful for every day you are alive. A lot of very kind souls didn’t make it that far.
Don’t take it as advice…. I guess I wrote it for myself . Hugs to YOU Jeff
I was bred to be a merchant ...you are a TERRIFIC writer! i know this is a serious subject but I appreciate your sense of humor!
ReplyDelete