Monday 11 February 2013

Bleugh!

This was a trip like no other. Mike and I had agreed upon a few days camping at Duncan Syke above Dentdale. The idea was for a few days of gentle pottering and not really doing much. Being a fixed camp, extra goodies where being packed in, plus more tea, coffee and drinking chocolate. The one slight problem I faced was that as yet I could not get boots on. My Inov8's where hardly winter footwear but they would suffice.
On the Thursday Mike met me off the train at Kirkby Stephen. The previous weekend I had been slightly ill. A   wee bit of flu but by mid week I felt fine. There was a sense of eager anticipation. After around three months of confinement due to surgery and such, I was keen to be out and on the hill. A couple cups of tea and a bit to eat in Kirkby and we headed off to Ribblehead.
Time was getting on as we headed up and we decided to camp before the light went totally. To be honest I was rather pleased that I had managed to haul a heavy pack up the hill without too much difficulty.
Late that night I woke feeling nauseous. Worse still my stomach was churning. Anyone who has winter camped knows of the need to snuggle down deep in the sleeping bag when conditions are freezing and everything is icy. Trying to get out of the sleeping bag and then the tent in the dark was a nightmare. Throughout the night I had constant and violent diarrhea. Not willing to risk getting back in the sleeping bag, it was draped around me, quilt like. By morning I was cold, shivering and generally feeling grim. For breakfast I tried a weak cup of tea and a dry bread roll. Possibly that worsened the situation.  Also I took two Imodeam which had been in the first aid kit. It was a slow plod over to our intended camp spot and unfortunately I was caught short yet again. If anything the situation worsened through Friday. By then I was constantly passing fluids. Another weak cup of tea early afternoon did nothing to help.
By Saturday morning it was obvious I could not survive another night. By now I was badly dehydrated, weakened and not willing to risk taking anything more jn the way of food and drink..Mike in the meantime had picked up a weather forecast indicating bad weather on the Sunday. Thus by mutual agreement it was time to bail out. It was not until I started to pack up that I realised how far gone I was gone.  There was difficulty coordinating anything, I felt faint faint and unable to focus. Struggling to put the rucksack on I promptly keeled over. The first of a few falls. Mike valiantly took my sack for the first mile or so. Clearly I can remember him saying something about the retreat form Moscow! He also coaxed and cajoled me as I struggled along. Things where very close to needing to call the rescue team. A couple of tablets from a woman heading up, certainly helped stabilize things a bit. Mike saw me safely deposited at the hostel in Kirkby and head home over the A66. A few hellish days.

13 comments:

  1. Sounds like a rough deal Dawn. Nothing worse than being ill when out wild camping so I can sympathise with you there. Hope you are feeling better

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  2. Well done for getting off the hill with not too much drama (apart from a few close encouters with snowdrifts). I identified fourteen camping spots between Duncan Syke and Ribblehead viaduct by the way. Y'nvere know when you'll need a flat bit of grass...
    Things can only get better.....!

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  3. Thank you Mike and thank you too for your help. Sometime we must return??

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  4. Hope your feeling better Dawn. Nothing worse than being ill when your out walking and you just want to curl up in your own bed.
    In those wintry conditions it must have been grim.

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  5. Thank you Alan. Still not right. It was the stuff of nightmares. Next trip already booked.

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  6. "A wee bit of flu" eh?

    No wonder you felt dreadful - well done for dealing with it all as well as you did.

    Best wishes,

    JJ

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  7. Looks like my comment this morning did not survive!! I think it went something like.....

    Hope you're feeling better Dawn. Nothing worse than being ill whilst backpacking, been there so know how you feel. Not sure I would have wanted to have been in a hostel either.

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  8. Thank you James, it was a rough one to be sure. Hi John, not sure what has hit me, a lurgy of some sort and it is still ongoing. Need to get it sorted. Next trip in the pipeline.

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  9. Thank you James. Possibly it was my ailing computer?? The hostel at least had a loo and a hot shower. My worst problem was dehydration and very low blood sugar. It was all rather scary.

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  10. Hi Dawn, for some reason I seem to keep picking your blogs up ages after you've written them these days! Hope by now you're well on the way to recovery and your next trip. x

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  11. Hi Chrissie! Unfortunately the lurgy continues.Doctors say it is a viral infection and advise letting it run its course.
    A Dartmoor trip this week was cancelled at the last minute. Not a good situation, demoralizing and worrying.


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  12. I'm sorry to hear that news, Dawn. Hope it's going to run its course in the not distant future then. Pity they can't give you any anti-viral drugs or anything to help.

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  13. Thanks Chrissie. Doctors have been dosing me with strong antibiotics, to no avail so far. It is driving me nuts.. Despite being advised not to take Imodium, at time I have had to just to get out of the flat.

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