12 June 2002: “Please be careful! In December I’m going to see the sunrise from the top of Kilimanjaro..." - these were my last words to the orthopaedic surgeon operating on my knee, before loosing my fight against the anaesthetics. I didn't know where the idea came from, since I have never been on a hike before.
Four days later I visited "Cape Union Mart" on my crutches, accompanied by my Mom (a shopaholic who would not survive one day in the great outdoors). Encouraged by her excitement (it was after all a huge shopping mall in Umhlanga), my 13th cheque was history within two hours. My purchases included a book on Kilimanjaro, a -15% sleeping bag and two hiking sticks. I was an inspired woman on a mission.
Four days later I visited "Cape Union Mart" on my crutches, accompanied by my Mom (a shopaholic who would not survive one day in the great outdoors). Encouraged by her excitement (it was after all a huge shopping mall in Umhlanga), my 13th cheque was history within two hours. My purchases included a book on Kilimanjaro, a -15% sleeping bag and two hiking sticks. I was an inspired woman on a mission.
I just had to phone my friend: “Cornelia, I’m going to Kili!”. “Great!”, came her reply. “When are we leaving?”.
Cornelia was involved in a serious motorcycle accident three years before and is a walking miracle. She has had 45 operations since this accident, and gave her team of medical specialists a permanent headache, not to talk about her curator. The two of us were going to Kilimanjaro in December. Her heart specialist recommended the Pioneer Adventure Club and I quickly phoned them.
“December is not a good time”, came the reply.
Thereafter Cornelia visited medical specialists daily, and I had daily physiotherapy sessions. In the background, the ladies at the Wesley Methodist Church said a prayer for us everyday.
On 14 December 2002 I gave my very first step in another African country. On 15 December 2002, at the tender age of 38, I took my first step on a mountain. Each and every second thereafter has been an amazing experience!
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| Preparing for the hike |
The view we had on the 19th was very difficult to describe. We started our hike to Uhuru peak shortly after midnight whilst it was still snowing. Cornelia had to turn back after 6 hours, as she suffered from Pulmonary Edema. The rest of the “frozen” group was quiet. When the sun came up I was in awe - the sight from the beautiful mountain was astonishing.
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| We reached the top! |
Only minutes after we had our photo taken we discovered that Adriaan suffered from mountain sickness. The one guide ran down with him while the rest of us walked down slowly, everyone lost in their own world.
The next morning, my refusal to get in the vehicle that was send to take Adriaan down, almost led to mutiny. In the end, Adriaan, being the team leader, decided to walk down with me. When it started to rain, I kept the urge to dance and sing to myself. No use pushing my luck.
Pulmonary edema is a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs. This fluid collects in the numerous air sacs in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. In most cases, heart problems cause pulmonary edema. But fluid can accumulate for other reasons, including pneumonia, exposure to certain toxins and medications, trauma to the chest wall, and visiting or exercising at high elevations [https://www.mayoclinic.org]
Altitude sickness, the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is the negative health effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. Symptoms may include headaches, vomiting, tiredness, trouble sleeping, and dizziness. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness]
