We knew, full well, that this was going to be a difficult hike. We knew that the terrain would be grueling and the cliffs would be steep. The weather would be ever fluctuating as each day presented itself. We’ve been there before. It’s breathtaking, but extreme. We didn’t know that it would end like this.
On Day One, Ben set off on his own, eager to take on the 100 Miles that lie ahead. His spirits were high and the wilderness beaconed him. He drank threw his first liter of water and prepared to filter water from a stream near the trail, then realizing that he was missing a crucial piece of his filter. Should he turn around should he continue? A decision had to be made.
He opted to continue and drink from only moving water sources. He used a handkerchief to filter the water he collected and he contacted me to have a filter left for him up ahead on the trail. He would reach it in one or two days. Unfortunately that wasn’t going to help.
He made it 10 miles on day one and settled into a shelter with several another hikers and campers near by. It’s never easy to get a good night sleep when the shelter is full. Someone is bound to be a snorer and keep you awake. Waking up the next morning he was hopeful to put in many miles over the Barren Mountain Range that lay ahead.
The heat of the day brought humidity and the terrain was steep with roots and rocks plaguing every challenging step. He drank every chance he could, but began to feel sick. He settled into a shelter very early in the day hoping to rest it off. As much as he wanted to he just felt too sick to eat. He was starting to really worry about his condition.
He woke early and packed up and left the shelter. Still feeling sick he knew it was most important to drink and maybe eventually he could eat. Unfortunately he was not able to gain an appetite.
He walked along breathtaking ridge tops. And beautiful ponds.
His sickness worsened and vomiting and dry heaving ensued. He was on the most challenging ridge lines of the trail, along drop offs where he may never be found. His body was stressed. His MS was apparent. Wobbling and numbness and tingling ensued. His cognitive function, as well as bad trail markings, caused him to get off trail, but he was able to figure it out and kept going. Fear began to creep in, but he knew I was waiting just a few miles ahead.
He took one last photo on the last ridge line and knew he just had to get down the trail a little further.
He made it! He walked to me and collapsed with more dry heaving. My sister, Stacia, who is an ER nurse, was with me and able to assess him. He was severely dehydrated so to the ER we were headed.
The lab work showed acute renal failure caused by rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown releasing a protein into the blood that damaged the kidneys), anemia and the doctor told him if he was on the trail a couple more days he would not have made it.
Wow! That was a scare to hear.
This stoic man who’s always been so strong is facing some scary news.
Reflecting back, we think of the steps taken and what could have been done differently.
Should he have turned back when he realized that piece was missing from his water filter? Most likely so.
Is his MS more progressed than last year? They do believe the anemia may be tied to that. A meeting with his neurologist is scheduled.
Will he ever hike alone again? Likely not. We do everything together and going forward that’s the way things shall remain.
Lessons are hard to learn, because they humble us.
Maybe there will be different ways we help to raise awareness and support for the MS Society in the future. Nothing is worth risking losing your life over. Life with the ones you love is the most precious gift we have on earth.
Here’s a link to the fundraiser we set up for this challenge. Regardless of how his hike ends, this is a great cause. 100% of funds raised go to support those effected and provide research to find a cure.
My MS vs The AT 