Base Camp Ho!
Mar 31, 2005 16: 31 EST
The Everest South Base camp clinic spent their last day in Pheriche yesterday, and should reach BC tomorrow or Saturday!
The clinic hurries to be set up before the expeditions arrive - and the first patients. In fact, more trekkers and porters than actual mountain climbers are dying in the area: Inexperienced with the dangers of altitude, trekkers and porters run too high, too fast. The clinic has already treated several patients on their trek up. Here is one report:
Blue lips and face
"Our colleagues in the Pheriche HRA clinic had a busy night with a HAPE patient, then this morning word came of another sick woman over the hill in Dingboche."
"She was carried back over to the clinic with very low oxygen saturations, cyanosis (blue lips and face) and was quite ill with confusion and inability to stand on her own."
"It became immediately apparent that the patient was likely suffering from both HACE and HAPE and the staff quickly got to work treating her with oxygen, simulated descent (Gamow bag,) nifedipine, acetazolamide, dexamethasone, salbutamol – well, you get the picture."
"We used all we had in our bag of tricks. She looks a little better this afternoon, but will be closely watched overnight while we all hope for the safe and expedient arrival of a rescue helicopter to evacuate her to Kathmandu for definitive treatment. Say a prayer with us tonight..."
Yak proofing gear
The woman lived, and has been evacuated to Kathmandu. In the meantime, the BaseCamp Docs spent the rest of the day sorting through clinic gear for EBC, charging batteries, packing up and making everything ‘yak’proof. Now, the caravan is making the final trek to Everest BC.
Live image over Contact 3.0. In the picture left: Pheriche staff, Everest base camp clinic staff and Sandy and John from EMT, courtesy BaseCampMD Luanne Freer.
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