Extra Run

As the rest of the group enjoyed a leisurely morning in the Borneo Rainforest Resort I thought I'd venture back in the jungle. Well prepared with a bottle of water and an energy sports bar I set off... in my thongs.

As the local signposting was unclear and inadequate I decided, impromptu, to follow the long hash trail as set by the Miri Mountain Men Hash. Last night I did their medium trail which was a challenge.

More jungle running

We are running in the Borneo jungle of Miri at the moment, working up great sweats up and down muddy cliffs with the Miri Man Mountain Hash House Harriers.

Jungle Running

We had our first hot and sweaty Hash run with BSBHash in Brunei. Running in hot humid jungle through mud, across creeks, logs, past rivers.., up and down mountains... After an hour we were hot hot hot and sweating.

The official first acclimatization run was excellent fir my lungs. Coughed the entire way and slept like a log with the clearest lungs in a long time!

Altitude

We have landed in Malaysia. With my Oxymeter I discovered that even in the plane my blood oxygen saturation was terribly low. Cruising at 33000ft in the AirAsia airbus, sitting in row 14 up the front I read 85%, and waking up after a fee hours nap I was as low as 75% with an elevated heart rate (85bps).

Dry Ice

Before driving to the airport we have a quick stop at BOC Gases to get a fresh brick of dry ice to keep all the medicine cool!

Last walk at home

Walking with Brian and Bruce (doggy) on my trusted Turners Beach hours before departure. Making sure my lungs are in working order before the long flight to Malaysia....

Packing for Tomorrow

Oh dear, what a mess. I am not getting around to it. I started packing last week and made virtually no progress. Tried again this Tuesday morning, and now, after endless excuses from going for walks, to work, for lunch, I really need to make it a priority before I actually fly! Watching TopGear, eating curry, making a salad, doing some web-work for a client,...

Packing toilet paper and dry ice for medicine....

Have I got all the meds in order? Should I race out and get some dry ice to keep the pulmozyne good and the enzymes cool? Should I call AirAsia and ask them about dry ice? Nah, too hard, can always ditch the dry ice at the airport. Might cause a scene, but is totally harmless.

....

Leaving on Wednesday!

People have asked me how the climb was... Well, I am not climbing till 8 July! Actually starting 7 July, getting to the top after two days with an overnight stop in a hut. Next Wednesday, four more sleeps, and I am off to Kuala Lumpur to start heading off into acclimatisation phase! Hopefully I will have a really good time distracting myself with my Hash House Harrier team so I don't get too nervous about the climb, bite my nails and pull out of the climb as I need nails to hang off cliffs etc... any excuse.

Nervous? Nah,... well,... maybe a little.

In the Mercury

The Mercury gave me some nice press! I am nowhere near the oldest person with CF, I can think of two others of the half a dozen people with CF that I know in Tasmania older than me. But still, good article!

Oxygen?

Test results are back from the altitude testing and the verdict is that I would be OK and at the top of the mountain my blood oxygen saturation is expected to be 85%. That is fine if someone wheeled/hauled you up. If I am climbing they recommend I carry supplemental oxygen to help me out occasionally.



I will investigate. But in any case, I will carry a Blood Oxygen Meter and keep an eye on my levels. CF Tasmania will lend me one. We are only weeks away from departure now. Exciting!

We have almost reached half way mark on the fund raiser! If you haven't made a small donation on my behalf to reach the $4095 goal ($1 for each meter) do it now and become an organ donor. By being an organ donor you don't just help people with Cystic Fibrosis, you help millions of other causes too!

Support CF Tasmania

These are my photos that are currently on display and for sale at the Salamanca gallery.



If you are interested in any of these please enquire! Pricing depends on size/frame and shipping, but starts at $40. Proceeds go to CF Tasmania! Email Walter@coughing4cf.com

Mount Nelson

Whilst in Hobart this weekend I walked up Mount Nelson (about 350 meters vertical...), it is one of my favourite walks in Hobart. Friend Jess walked with me.

Altitude Simulation

Yesterday at the Royal Hobart Hospital I visited the Adult CF Clinic where they did a pre-Borneo medical. I was put through a high altitude simulation test (HAST*) to see if they would let me climb to 4095 meters without supplemental Oxygen. The verdict will come out soon, but I trust they will let me. My lung function was about 48% of expected FEV1 which to me is definitely good considering I have been as low as 38% in the past.


Today I visited with a Member of Parliament, Secretary to Cabinet, Cassy O’Connor Cassey O'Connor, got photos taken by the Mercury on Mount Nelson and visited the temporary CF Art Gallery! I ran with the Hobart Hash and spoke to fellow climbers as well! We are all on Track. Borneo here we come!

And if you think climbing Mount Kinabalu is challenging, why not have a quick look at what Leanne Harper is planning in October: Mount Kilimanjaro 5896m... After you donated to CF Tasmania on my behalf you may visit her site!



* HAST, also known as 'hypoxia altitude simulation test' is a simple approach to determine whether people with respiratory disease can travel by air without risk or need for oxygen supplementation. In my case they use it to assess the potential risk of climbing over 4000 meters. Although not designed for exercise at altitude, HAST still gives the doctors a good indication of how I might cope with the climb up Mount Kinabalu!.