Good News;We made it into Idllywild, and what a lovely little mountain town it is.
Bad News; Brandon has been having ankle issues for the last 4 or 5 days, its been swollen and painful for him, especially on downhills and flat ground. We have just been to the Fire Dept. here and they believe it to be a bacterial infection. We're trying to figure logistics to get to the hosipital 40 miles away, where they can do blood test and and an xray. We have our fingers crossed that it isnt a stress fracture, that would be disasterous. The FD said with antibiotics that it could clear out in 7 days, but might be useable earlier. At least we've made it to a town and we're not out in the middle of nowhere where it could get worse. There will be more info to come later today, but for right now keep him in your prayers and knock on wood, this will only be a temporary setback for us
-Caleb
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Sorry to hear about the ankle, bro. Here's a few thoughts from Andrew "The Voice of Reason aka I'm a Robot" Wooster..
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'll say some prayers for you that it's not a stress fracture. If it's only a bacterial infection as a result of a bug bite, cut, etc. then get on some antibiotics, stat. If the doctors tell you that you need a week to recover, take two weeks instead. Any extra time invested in recovery will pay dividends in the next few months.
By no means can you let bacteria beat you out there on the trail. After zombies, do you know what the biggest threat is for the extinction of the human race? Bacteria. Fact.
Bummer, Brandon. I'm really sorry to hear this. Hopefully it's neither a stress fracture or a bacterial infection, but merely a result of the hellacious pace you were setting. Even when heart, lungs, and muscles are capable of 100+ miles weeks, it takes a while to get the joints and connective tissues to the same level of fitness.
ReplyDeleteIf you get antibiotics prescribed to you, be sure to ask about the side effects of whichever one they give you, specifically any possible UV intolerance. I had the worst sunburn of my life at Mt. Rogers from only a few hours in the sun while on antibiotics. If you have a similar reaction with the kind of sun exposure you're getting everyday, you'd have a worse problem than even the ankle.
When I did the PCT I had to get off at Boulder Oaks because of a bad knee and hitch ahead while my buddy hiked. I wasn't ready to get back on the trail until that highway near Anza, about 100 miles away. I mention this just to say that this needn't spell the end of your trip and that there are ways to work around the injury and get the rest you need. Once I got back on I just took it slow at first and was back fit and strong in no time at all with no more knee issues for the rest of the trip. (The price I paid for this was hitching back to Boulder Oaks from Canada to pick up the missed section in September, the last thing I wanted to do at that point.) Hopefully, you'll have a similar happy ending after a few days rest and getting it checked out. We'll say prayers over both of you at church tonight.
brandon. man up. love you
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