New audio update from TA on Everest.

This is the text of TA’s audio message:

Hi this is TA calling in from camp 2 again.  Let me start with deep and heartfelt congratulations to my teammate Lucille who summated this morning.  She and her climbing partner took a risk on trying to grab an early summit window and it paid off, we are just awaiting her arrival back here to camp 2 after her epic day.  If you asked me today if there was any chance I would see camp 3 today last night at bedtime when I couldn’t control my breathing or my mind, I would have said the chances were close to nil.  But even today with a pounding dehydration headache I’m pleased to announce that the series is now tied 3 – 3 I’ve clawed my way back to tie the series.  What I haven’t told you is that game 7 is going to be a 5 day cricket test match, that putting it mildly will require every part of me, mind, body, sprit to give all that I have and then some.  I couldn’t sleep in the early part of the evening, either due to altitude or anxiety I found myself breathing hard at rest and the symptoms of pulmonary edema came to mind and this acclimatization rotation has been pretty aggressive so it wouldn’t be totally out of the question.  I quelled my concerns with a pulse check and turned to a click and clack brothers podcast to settle my mind.  Lhak-pa shook the tent at 5:30 and I knew I had gotten some sleep because I had a collection of some pretty strange dreams.  I dressed and packed and choked down some breakfast and prayed that my gag reflex would hold it all in.  I dropped into a supportive rhythm and even did 220 steps early on, the terrain steepened as we reached the Lhotse Face and the temperature dropped significantly leaving me with chilled fingers and toes.  Here the fixed lines and the very vertical part of the face began and it was tough, very tough.  This section is scuffed of snow leaving hard blue ice requiring front pointing.  I can’t do this for hours I though as I heaved over for breathe every few steps.  The beauty of steep terrain is that steps are tangible and visible so I just kept bargaining with myself for a few more steps.  I played with tossing in the game at points because it was so tough but the thought of having to tell Lhak-pa I was turning around was enough to push me through the intense pain.  At one point the universe presented a god send when a man in a yellow down suit on the other fixed line saw me struggling and called out “you have to find a rhythm with your jumar”.  What a gift suddenly my mind had a purpose and at first I aimed for 5 jumar pulls, then 10, it turns out my favorite was 13.  I reached 20 once before my insatiable appetite for oxygen called a stop to the exertion to catch my breath.  Thank goodness that Paul Adler had thought to share when I was in Pheriche that the Lhotse Face wasn’t as intimidating as it appears from below, because I knew there was hope if I just kept taking steps in whatever quantity I could produce them.  Dave Hawn the westerner with the most number of Everest summits who I met in 2007 came up from behind me, he and I had a great chat and we celebrated a new altitude record for me and for Flat Stanley on Everest and in total.  I surpassed Aconcagua today when is reached approximately 7300m about 300m higher then South America’s highest peak   Flat Stanley and I reached Peak freaks camp 3 which is at the low end of the camp 3 range in about 5 1/4 hours, a fine time.  We stayed atop for about 45 minutes and it took us just 30 minutes to descend to the  brukshund where it was 3.5 to ascend.  It was in total about 6 hours of travel today and about 800m in elevation gain, which brings my signal hill total to 88 since I left home.  So I’m thrilled, I’m tired, I cant imagine at this moment doing it again but it should be a little easier next time with more hemoglobin on board.  I can never actually imagine doing a carry again after I have done it the first time but usually the second time is easier.  Thanks again to Lhak-pa for his excellent care and patience today, and for all of our super Sherpas who are making this all possible.  Thanks to Karen for all of her text messages which cheer me up and cheer me on, and for the pep talk from Marian last night at dinner.  I’m also sending some encouragement out to my good friend Leslie as she walks her Everest of walking to Everest base camp. So a big, big, big day and thanks for all of your care, concern, and support.  I’m heading down valley tomorrow so think of me as I pass through the icefall one more time on my way to rest.  Thanks and have a great day, and don’t forget to step up to the summit in whatever that is. Bye

TA