For not being a goal, the satisfaction I feel for just completing climbing all 54 Colorado mountains over 14,000′ is deep. As I posted last week, I went to southwest Colorado’s San Juan range to climb Windom Peak (14082′), Sunlight Peak (14059′), Mt. Eolus (14083′) and North Eolus (14039′). I was fortunate to have my regular partners, Patrick and Robert along and some new friends, Anne and Kevin plus John Little from Houston, Texas. There are new trip reports for all the climbs on my main site. Mt. Eolus and North Eolus Windom Peak Sunlight Peak The plan was to continue reading
My favorite time of day is when the sun slowly disappears below the western horizon. Long shadows appear behind the trees, the bushes, houses – anything and everything. Holding the lessons of the day, these shadows reveal the personalities of their owners. Some tall and straight, others short and bent. They reflect what we see. I like these shadows, no matter the shape. The serenity, the depth, the complexity of their story. One year ago today, my mother, Ida, died after an 8 year battle with Alzheimer’s. She was a strong person with immense influence. Her shadow was indeed long. continue reading
There is great excitement in the Alzheimer’s world that a new test can predict if a person will have the disease with 100% certainty. This according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology . Simply put, the study looked for indications of Alzheimer’s in spinal fluid taken from a group of 300 individuals all over 70 years of age. 114 had normal memories, 200 had memory problems and 102 actually already had Alzheimer’s disease. It was blind study where individuals and researchers did not know the status of the subjects. The New York Times summarized the results: Nearly continue reading
Many of you know of Memories are Everything: The 7 Summits where I want to raise $1M for Alzheimer’s’ research through awareness and fund raising events associated with climbing the 7 Summits; the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents. I announced the plan almost year ago so it is time for a proper update. First it is important to understand that this is about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, not mountain climbing. You see, if I could sing or dance…
You may wonder why I link mountain climbing with Alzheimer’s. My simple answer is that a healthy body = a healthy mind. You don’t have to climb Mt. Everest, a short amount of daily exercise will do the trick. A new study from the famed Mayo Clinic proves the point: Those who said they did moderate exercise — such as swimming, brisk walking, yoga, aerobics or strength training — during midlife were 39% less likely to have mild cognitive impairment, while those who did moderate exercise later in life were 32% less likely to have the condition. The Mayo team continue reading
“I think something is wrong with Mom.” I said quietly to my wife. And with that Christmas observation in 2000, the future was cast. Recognizing the early signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia are crucial for taking care of parents, relatives and friends. And since we often only see them during the holidays, early November is a good time to review the signs. I lived across the country and sometimes across oceans from my parents as they aged thus missing some obvious signs. But during a Christmas visit in 2000, I noticed my mother not being herself. Once meticulous about her continue reading
This is an incredibly powerful short video. From the Alzheimer’s Association site about the video: “My Name is Lisa” is powerful fictional film that depicts a 13-year-old girl struggling with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. It won best short film on YouTube in 2007, drawing the attention of millions. We hope it changes the way you think about Alzheimer’s and those who are affected.
A wonderfully inspirational story- Meb Keflezighi wins the NY Marathon Tough season on Pumori-no summits from Peak Freak in spite of a leading great effort and the Hanesbrand test team . Success on Ama Dablam: IMG with no drama The Alzheimer’s Association site is now in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. Interesting analysis of Colorado’s recent huge snow storm, impact on climbing conditions in RMNP 6 Early avalanches in the Colorado high country Found in Antarctica: two cases MacKinlay’s Scotch Whisky from 1908 Ernest Shackleton’s South Pole team United Airline’s last 737 flight Diamox – The Altitude Wonder Drug? Maybe. Maybe continue reading
Some very encouraging news was recently announced that scientist identified new genes that are associated with late stage Alzheimer’s. While other researchers have identified over 70 genes thus far (see link), this helps the understanding of the disease and will help all researchers. This from the National Institute of Health: In the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) reported to date involving Alzheimer’s disease, scientists have identified two new possible genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer’s, the most common form of the disease. The study, which pooled DNA samples from a number of European and U.S. groups, not only associated variations continue reading
Ida Arnette passed away from Alzheimer’s disease on August 16, 2009. She struggled for over 8 years and was under hospice care at the end. We celebrated her life with friends and family this past weekend.
While it was expected, it is both a time of deep sadness for us and relief for her. She had lost her identity and independence towards the end.
Recent Comments