timing is everything

once again, this is not nursing related...

it's mountain related.

but i just felt the need to share a little snippet of news regarding mount rainier. the bushwhacker class i took offered two mount rainier trips. somehow, despite wanting to be on the second trip (with a teacher i preferred and dates that suited my work schedule better), i ended up on the first one - the holiday weekend. as aforementioned, we summitted! all 8 of us pushed our bodies to the limit. and it felt incredible. and, hopefully without sounding cocky, can i just say - i still just can't believe i did it! i had the opportunity to fly OVER mount rainier this last weekend when returning from boise and it's just SO massive.

but...

i just heard from a friend who was on the second trip. and sadly, they did not summit. they started their climb with amazing weather. things were going fine. the snow was in good condition, they were making good time. and then, at 12,700 feet, one of the climbers got AMS - acute mountain sickness. nausea, vomiting, headaches, weakness - not good symptoms to have on a 45 degree slope with crampons your feet! the entire team had to turn around.

of course, as a nurse and just plain old caring person, i would have been concerned about the climber's health. i would have offered water. food. any medications i had in my emergency kit (advil, tums, and immodium!). but also, i would have been incredibly disappointed. sad. angry even. it would have been my second failed attempt. and although i knew it was a possibility and i would have dealt with it, i am SO, SO, SO thankful that i did not have to experience that turn-around, that "failure," that non-summiting experience.

timing is everything. someone or something greater than myself made my summit possible. the stars were aligned. i was with the right group of people. the conditions were great. my body worked that day, when it might have not on a different one. and i summited rainier. sometimes luck plays such a big role in life - i feel so lucky!