OT: Seriously amazing accomplishment

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Tom and I are in the Adirondacks (High Peaks region) for the long weekend, celebrating our 25th anniversary (yeah, I know, lifers are let out of prison after 25 years, but not us!). Usually we kayak a lot in the summer because we love it and I don't get severely fatigued or dizzy because I'm sitting down while paddling and I don't have to turn my head (as with a canoe, which gives me serious dizzies). We haven't paddled yet this year because of my severe heat and sun intolerance leading to adrenal insufficiency episodes, something related to Cushing's syndrome.
I hope to paddle this fall at home.

Yesterday was warm here, and humid. I had to cut short a brief walk outdoors in the sun due to feeling faint, breathless and getting the spiking feeling in my chest that sun with heat causes. I was bummed, because we really wanted to hike this trip, though it's always a crap shoot whether I'll have a good day and be able.

Today was GORGEOUS. Got up and out early, while the temp was still in the 40s, headed for Mt. Jo and an allegedly "moderate" climb to the summit (after walking a mile up the road uphill to get to the trail head) that was supposedly steep just before the summit. Yeah, ALL the way before the summit! It was shady, the fall colors were brilliant, stayed cool out, and the trail was unbelievably difficult, all rocky, uneven, muddy and STEEP. Tom gave me a hand up a few times (I can just about barf about the gooey metaphor for our marriage)and shoved my *** when I asked him too, and I MADE IT! It wasn't an Alp, or a Rocky, but it's the first mountain I've ever hiked to the summit of. The view of the surrounding mountains and Heart Lake (I know, know) below was worth the aches in my knees. 4 hours on that mountain, a mile downhill back to the car.

Unbelievable, too, how endocrine function responds to conditions, alternately totally disabling, then allowing one to function.

I'm incredibly proud and happy; I've been diagnosed with and disabled by chronically fatiguing illness for many years, had months of PT earlier this year for a right foot that has severe bone and joint damage from Lyme disease and Cushing's and appear to have a large pituitary tumor causing it all to be harder to manage.

But NOT TODAY.

YAY, ME!!

BTW, there were preschoolers hiking all the way, and 80 year olds! One of the 80 year olds passed me!

Susan
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