Just got the all clear from the doc to say I can go on the trek.
Because I suffer from asthma brought on by allergies (ironically, I’m allergic to Rufus but he’s very good and tries not to make me sneeze too much) I have to tick the box on the medical questionnaire that says ‘asthma’. And that instantly requires the autograph of a friendly doctor. My doctor is well aware of my adventures and so he understands.
I saw him this afternoon and during the consultation, he had to take a phone call from another doctor. When he’d finished, he said that the doc he’d been talking to had done Kilimanjaro too. After he’d signed the form, we talked about diamox – the medicine that can help with acclimatisation. He said they were using viagra as an aid to acclimatisation now. I mentioned that on my first trek to Everest Base Camp,. I’d taken part in drug trials and I found out later that viagra was being tested (I don’t know what I took and I didn’t have any outstanding problems afterwards!) and I happened to mention the name of the doctor. My doc laughed and said the phone call was from the same doctor! It’s a small world.
So I’m off. All I have to worry about now is the small matter of training. Watch this space for the adventures of Rufus and Dave on as many hills as possible.
franticsmurf 