Day #36

Location: Basecamp
Altitude: 5364m
Local Time: 5:15pm / May 3
Weather: Cold (40's) snow

I had just about finished reponding to everyone's posted messages when a technical error wiped everything out ... so it happens here on the mountains too! But where is my IT support? Actually, I passed him (Paul Adler) earlier today in the Khumbu (see photo) as he was headed up, and I down. We chatted for only a few minutes but he looked and sounded good!
Well, Camps 2 & 3 are behind me now as we have just returned to basecamp after finishing our acclimitization schedule. Now we get some rest and relaxation in preparation for our fiinal push to the summit! We have no idea when summit day will be, but as soon as I hear I will let all of you know ASAP!
It was sunny on our arrival to basecamp 3 hrs. ago, but now for the past hr. it has been very cold and snowing! Welcome back to basecamp where the weather changes many times in a day! It is good to be back to our own tents and personal belongings and is our home away from home!

Hope you had a chance to see the full moon last night. Here it took it's time creeping over the Lhotse Face, but once it did it was spectacular! It is a scene that I will never forget!

Your Messages:

Carol:
Hi sweetheart. It's great to be back to basecamp ... safe and sound! The moon last night was beautiful and I sent warm thouhts your way! The descent down to basecamp today was again pretty hot, but we made it for lunch and were greeted with a great meal. On arrival Henry noted that I had lost weight ... could not tell myself, but did note that the pants were a little looser! Saw Paul in the Khumbu and looks/sounds great!
Gotta go as I want to send this blog and call you too!

I love you and miss you terribly :>)

Pat :>)

AORN Friends:

Judy ... great to hear from you as always! I would love to be a general session speaker for Congress in Anaheim and have expressed my interests to those that need to know. I am sure that on my arrival back from Nepal many things will fall into place!
Zoot-zoot back to you with the best of interests!

Rose ... I appreciate you getting the word out to all at AORN. You would make a great campaign manager! I hope you enjoy the poster when you get it from Liesl! I believe that I am on the USC homepage www.sc.edu I believe is the address, or just google University of South Carolina.

Bonnie ... thanks as always for the overwhelming support. Between the support of you and Rose I could run for elected office and win ... no contest! You guys are great!
Appreciate the attention to the Summit Scholarship and/or the AORN Foundation ... both very worthy causes of which to contribute during Nurses Week!
Your weather sounds like here, one minute sunshine, the next hail and snow!
I hope to be able to coomunicate all the way to the top ... if not by text, by audioblog!

Canadian Friends:

Hey Danny ... sending the blog now and will check for your email specific to Dianne and the interview!

Columbia Friends:

Kristen ... thanks for the update on the prom. I look forward to seeing pictures when I get home! Sorry to hear that you did not get in to the Parttners Program, but sounds like you have already got anothr opportunity at Lexingon!
Best of luck against Dorman!

Nancy ... thanks so much for doing such a great job of keeping Carol busy playing tennis while I have been gone! She may have to take a little break from it all when I get home as I will want to keep her to myself for awhile!
We are back at basecamp now and will be enjoying some rest time before the final push to the summit! Thanks for following along and say hi to all!

Palmetto Health Friends:

Sandra ... glad to see that you have taken up the nurses challenge to donate $100.00. Your example I am sure will prompt more to do so! I am sure that Danny can make changes as needed on the map/website!
I’ll ove the Mark Twain quote ... where do you find these?

Kate ... can't wait to get back and see that pregnant belly of yours! When is the due date? My beard has gotten quite gray and bushy ... but trimmed it lately so would not look too much like a mountain man!
Yes, I am anxious, excited, nervous, and all the gamut of emotions!
Say hi to all!

USC Friends:

Mary ... sorry to hear that you are so busy with grading ... but it will be over soon! Yes, it would be wonderful if 300 nurses could take that challenge ... I already know of at least three that have done so!
Whatever the outcome it has been nice having everyone along ... and I love the support!

All The Others:

Bill & Michele ... did you think that Mike looks like Bill? We are glad to have Rob along as his experience will be invaluable to those with less experience such as myself! It's great also to have doctors and nurses on the team ... never know when you will need one!

Alan ... the view from Camp 3 was breathless, as was the climb to get there! Had a headache on arrival, but okay in the morning!

Kurt ... it's hard to imagine but burning heat & dehydration with cold happens quite often! We really have to hydrate well and layer appropriately!
We are back in basecamp now for rest and relaxation in anticipation of the final push! Say hi to the girls!

Ann & Graham .. thanks for constantly checking in! Now back at basecamp we will be resting for awhile ... but the blog will continue!

Joan ... sounds like you didn't do too much relaxing on your birthday! Glad that you got preparations done for the house and enjoyed the day on the road to VA. Glad to hear about Amber ... hope the program works!
Look forward to seeing your new properties!

Rhonda ... thanks for checking in on the climbs! Many more photos and stories to come!

Debi ... great to hear from another old Corpus friend! Glad that Dorothy got in touch with you. This blog has already reunited many old friendships! I enjoyed my MMC days and made many friends. Dr. Ron Schlimmer is helping me to reunite with many of those friends!
It's my pleasure to advocate for nursing and bring attention to the nursing shortage issue! Please pass the word about the Summit Scholarship! Thanks for the prayers!

Ken ... the Lhotse Face was a brute! I was a little overheated from the approach to the face, but the climb up took every bit of strength and concentration! Glad I only have to go up that face one more time! Coming down was just as chalenging!

Joan ... yes, I have seen the flag as Mike took pictures of it with the mountains in the background! The climb up the Lhotse Face was very awesome and scary ... especially for me and my fear of heights! I never looked down while climbing!
Mike and I met Mark Inglis on our original hike to basecamp many weeks ago! I believe I have seen the movie you describe ... quite powerful!

David (aka Demento) ... have not heard from you in awhile, hope all is well! Have you been following my conversations with Ron Schlimmer over the past week? If not, please review blogs! Also, have not heard back from you regarding a question of our climber Anna (6months into ED Fellowship Program) spending some time with you (see blog from a week ago).
Camp 3 was a push and the Lhotse Face a brute! Back at basecamp now as we await word for final push.
The love and support from friends, family, and bloggers will definitely get me to the top. Keep in touch ... I need your daily support now more than ever!