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?Mac the Knife? gets stuck in

16 messages :: read>

It?s just over seventy days since we left Kathmandu, and now we have come down off the mountain, our thoughts are all turning to home. Clean clothes, a shower and a bed with sheets (rather than a sleeping bag in tent!) currently stand out at the top of my list. Over the seventy days, my hair has grown considerably. Whilst we were climbing, it seemed sensible to keep hair long as protection against the sun and the elements. But now seemed like the time for a haircut. Mac MacKenny or ?Mac the Knife? has been doing a fairly brisk trade in military haircuts for both the climbers and also the sherpas during our stay at Basecamp. His ?style? is instantly recognisable even from a distance! Thanks Mac for making me a little more presentable.

The jet stream has arrived and most other climbing teams are rapidly evacuating since the pre-monsoon climbing season is over. The Everest Basecamp Bakery, which sold delicious apple and cinnamon pie, has closed and Everest Basecamp itself is taking on the appearance of a deserted summer seaside resort in winter. The only other team currently left in camp is the Indian Airforce Lhotse Expedition.
We still have a few more full days of experiments to complete before we can leave for home. Six days after summiting Everest, I had a full day?s operating list, which I undertook in our medical tent. David Howard (ENT Surgeon) was due to take open muscle biopsies from everyone to assess how three months at altitude had affected muscle function. Unfortunately David has been unwell with an altitude related illness, and has had to descend to Kathmandu. Sister Kay Mitchell and Denny Levitt and myself completed the list un-eventfully and on time. I suspect my Chief Operating Officer at UHCW would have been interested to see a list run smoothly at 5300m without delays, hold-ups, beaurocracy, computerised lists, theatre utilisation ratios, bed hassles, DNAs and all of this with a zero percent infection rate!

It is nearly time for home, and I am longing to get back to a more normal regime. In particular I am missing my wife Sylvia, and my children Caitlin, Oliver and Cameron. My weight has dropped from 80kg to 66kg, so I guess home cooking is also high on the agenda! Finally its Cameron?s 13th birthday this week so I will sadly miss his birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAMERON.

Comments on this article

By: jo bannister	When: 14th Jul 2007 13:07
Dear Chris, Just to say how much I enjoyed your talk and the fantastic images of the expedition truley amazing. Just been showing my dad your site (bernard bannister double carotids!! andstill going strong) Brilliant. Jo

By: Pali Gill

When: 8th Jun 2007 15:11

We have been following your progress up and down. Congratulations to you and the entire team.

Best wishes
Pali, Indi, Camille, Rairn and Rajan

By: Gustavo Zubieta Jr and Sr

When: 8th Jun 2007 10:38

Congratulations Chris!

All the way from both, Copenhagen and La Paz, Bolivia. We are anxiously looking forward to the results of all your testing. After such extraordinary experience, you may find the article "Adaptation to life at the altitude of the summit of Mt. Everest" of some interest. It can be found at:
www.altitudeclinic.com/pub.html
We still remember the time we met you in our lab in La Paz, a few years back. Please give all our best to all your team.

By: Richard Matthews	When: 7th Jun 2007 01:19
Brilliant job Chris: congratulations to everyone. Much admire your PFI in the latest photo (= Particularly Fine Incision)!! Have an uneventful descent and safe journey home. Richard

By: Becky Gray	When: 6th Jun 2007 23:11
Would be greatful if you could let Lynn know she has a ST2 FTSTA post in London/KSS. Well done! Beckyx

By: Hannah Rhodes	When: 6th Jun 2007 00:37
Hi Chris! Congratulations on all your acheivements!! I've been avidly following progress from the comfort of my living room. I'm just really really glad you got up and down in one piece! See you soon Hannah PS. Thanks for the interview practice - have got a paed surg ST1 job!!

By: Darling Wife

When: 4th Jun 2007 22:23

I can see from your blog that you remain as cynical as ever about hospital management! Good to see some things don't change! Not so good to see some other things remain the same. Your wish list seems to contain a lot of things I reckon are going to fall to me! Cooking and washing for example! And there was me, looking forward to some time out after holding the fort for 3 months!

Our little darlings have been plotting to surprise you upon your return. Their ideas to confuse you have ranged from getting another cocker spaniel to adopting a chinese orphan via moving house and seeing if you noticed! High on the agenda is the hunt for Spam Fritters for your 'Welcome Home' lunch! Honestly, I don't know where they get it from!

Sheona is dropping in tomorrow on her way to Manchester ... the champagne is already chilling. We'll raise a toast or two to you all on your collective fantastic achievements.

Mac looks like he is doing a great job - are those your clippers?

You do look awfully thin. I hope you manage to put on a few pounds in Kathmandu - the food is cheaper out there!

Looking forward to seeing you walk through those gates at Heathrow in 13 days time.

DW xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By: Cameron Imray

When: 4th Jun 2007 22:06

Daddy,

Again congratulations on reaching the top, and carrying out the experiments. I hope that the tests went well, and that the team has found facts that are potenitally useful for treating patients. We are all looking forward to your safe return home when all of our exams are over and everything is back to normal again.

Lots of love

Cameron xxx

By: Carol Bick

When: 4th Jun 2007 15:07

Chris
To say congratulations isn't enough - what a truly fantastic achievement. Have had to keep lots of patients updated on your progress in their exercise groups, they are all very proud to think you're "their consultant"! I have to say some of the photos look very scary to people like me, who might go walking on the Malvern Hills in summer! We all send very best wishes for a safe return with many, very special, memories
Carol, Alison, Kim, Nicky and many patients

By: Cathy Naya	When: 4th Jun 2007 14:29
Just caught up with your latest blog. Hope it's not too late for a message. Glad to hear you are keeping your hand in in the operating theatre as you have a full list the week you are back here! Looking forward to hearing all the news when you are back in a couple of weeks. Best Wishes Cathy

By: david slater	When: 4th Jun 2007 12:33
how nice to realise your dream chris,to have a goal in life and to accomplish that task and to stand on the highest point on earth must have felt a dream,now the joy of seeing your family after time apart must feel like forever. well done!!!!!!!! david slater

By: Tina Fotherby

When: 4th Jun 2007 12:16

Dear Chris

Thank you for the very interesting up-date. It's great to hear that the surgery ran smoothly at 5,300m without any problems. That's no mean feat. Wishing you and all of your colleagues a safe trip home and thanks also to your family for letting important scientific endeavours take you away for three months. There will be many in the future who will appreciate this too.

Tina Fotherby

By: Tina Mackenney	When: 4th Jun 2007 08:27
I love the picture of the Hair Salon (those blue barrels sneak in everywhere!) Now where do you suppose Mac acquired his hairdressing skills? I'm pleased to think he'll be able to get a job when he gets back (after he's completed Lisa's DIY list, that is)! I don't know you Chris, but I must say you look "cool" with your No.1 hair-do! Tina Mac.

By: Colin Oliver

When: 3rd Jun 2007 23:43

Chris

Like many many others, have been watching your progress and have said the odd prayer for your safe return. There was a reflected excitement that rippled around Warwickshire when you summited and now everyone's looking forward to seeing you back and hearing the stories first hand. "Amazing achievement" doesn't seem to do it justice, but I can't think of anything better. Enjoy the tail end of your trip.

Best wishes
Colin

By: Dave and Linda Moorcroft

When: 3rd Jun 2007 22:31

Chris

Well done! - what a fantastic achievement by you and all your colleagues. Hope the last few days go well and you have a safe trip back to the UK.

Best wishes

Linda and Dave

By: colin imray

When: 3rd Jun 2007 10:24

Chris,
It was reassuring to see from the latest photos that your face has returned to normal,even if you are very thin.You look good after Mac's haircut.

Clive Hollis wants to send a message to Sundeep. He sends warmest congratulations to him, you, and the team. Clive is still at the bar at Teddy Hall, but Reggie and Maggie(?) have retired. Sundeep might like to know that Teddy Hall girls came Head of the River in 2006, and again this year. Clive knew Sundeep as an unusually brilliant doctor and remembers, and repeated to us , some of the conversations that Sundeep had with him about climbing, and Everest in particular.He has a photo of Everest in his sitting room. He took it himself on a visit to Nepal.
It will be good to see you.Love M&D

Blog by Chris Imray