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Just heard a truly phenomenal presentation by Sharon Wood, the first North American woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.   A remarkable story.  I think I am going to read her book.

 

Says her website:

Sharon Wood teaches, entertains and inspires with her personal story about reaching the top of Mount Everest. It is a story about a small team that shared a bold vision to climb the highest mountain in the world; by a more difficult route, with fewer physical and financial resources, and in better style.

Sharon's style is personal and moving. She uses powerful anecdotes and vivid analogies to convey the real-life obstacles and possibilities of achievement.

Sharon effectively conveys both the individual and the team perspective. She emphasizes the importance of her own passion while striving to realize her personal aspirations. As well, she talks of her essential role as a member of a team committed to levering every component of their strategy to realize their vision.

To the Summit and Beyond is more than just an adventure story it is a timeless, universal story about human struggle and conquest against all odds. Sharon¹s authentic and honest approach evokes listeners to consider their own stories while examining the critical elements that contribute to and define personal and team success.

Stunning 35mm slides or PowerPoint images and video taken live from the highest mountain in the world support her presentation.

 

Climbers don't conquer mountains. The conquest occurs within the mind of the climber, in penetrating those self-imposed barriers of fears, doubts and limitations, and getting through to that good stuff - that stuff called potential, most of which we rarely use."
..Sharon Wood

 

And how do you know when you are at the top?  There is no more up.

 

This is an entry from a journal I kept immediately following the rupture of my patella tendon.

• Day 1: Wasted day at emergency room at LC. 2 bags of ice and a shot of morphine was all. Pulled short straw in triage and got bum's rush out the door. Pain-10. Mental outlook=negative.
• Day 2: Surgery. Pain=10. Fatigue=9. Ligament damage was 180 degrees across the bottom of the knee. Dr. P said it was "just spaghetti" and spent 1 hour knitting it together, drilling holes in my kneecap, threading ligaments through holes, and stapling ligaments.
• Day 3: Personality altering mind-twisting pain. Evil nurse made me stand on crutches. Pain=10. Fatigue=9.
• Day 4: Left hospital and went home. Pain=5. Fatigue = 8.
• Day 7: The low-grade fever of 99.5 I had since surgery broke. Cold clammy and hot sweaty episodes are replaced with even body tempature. Pain=3. Fatigue=7 (I can sit up for 1 hour without getting tired)
• Day 10: Visit to Dr. P to remove stitches (painless). Pain=1. Fatigue = 4. Inconvience=10. Leg needs to remain completely straight for 6 weeks. 7th week I can take splint off at night when in bed or when I am sitting and not moving. 8th week physical therapy begins to regain range of motion only (not strength).
• Day 15: pain=1. No pain if I lie still and keep knee elevated. Throbbing after standing for a few minutes. Fatigue=3. I get tired and go to bed at 7:00 AM. If I even exert a little (like give myself a sponge bath) I get tired and lie down for a while.

About 5 years ago I was playing basketball before work.   On the last play I attempted to jam the basketball.  The last time I tried to jam was 10 years prior, and I neglected to inform my knee that I was 50 pounds heavier.  On the way up I heard a sound akin to the breaking of a broomstick, which was my patella tendon snapping.  This is the tendon that connects the kneecap to the lower leg, and when it is disconnected your kneecap goes halfway up your thigh, you can't extend your lower leg, and you experience severe pain.  The pain was so excruciating I think I may have went into shock for a minute or two.

Well the ambulance came and took me away.  Then they cut open your knee, drill holes in your kneecap, thread the tendons through the holes, and staple them in place.  Then complete immobility of the leg for 8 weeks,  and then a long recovery.  I may have experienced some nerve damage, or maybe the kneecap is not in the right place as I still cannot run.  Oh well, it doesn't hurt... and I can still bicycle.