(4855,9,'2021-08-27 20:09:50','2021-08-27 20:09:50','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:09:50','2021-08-27 20:09:50','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4855',0,'revision','',0),(4856,9,'2021-08-27 20:14:33','2021-08-27 20:14:33','Thumbnail','Thumbnail','Celebratory Dance After the Kilimanjaro Climb','inherit','open','closed','','thumbnail','','','2021-08-27 20:15:06','2021-08-27 20:15:06','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/thumbnail.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4857,9,'2021-08-27 20:15:57','2021-08-27 20:15:57','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/thumbnail.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:15:57','2021-08-27 20:15:57','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4857',0,'revision','',0),(4858,9,'2021-08-27 20:17:35','2021-08-27 20:17:35','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:17:35','2021-08-27 20:17:35','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4858',0,'revision','',0),(4859,9,'2021-08-27 20:21:26','2021-08-27 20:21:26','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:21:26','2021-08-27 20:21:26','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4859',0,'revision','',0),(4860,9,'2021-08-27 20:21:49','2021-08-27 20:21:49','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-27 20:21:49','2021-08-27 20:21:49','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4860',0,'revision','',0),(4861,9,'2021-08-30 19:22:27','2021-08-30 19:22:27','','camp 16000ft','','inherit','open','closed','','camp-16000ft','','','2021-08-30 19:22:27','2021-08-30 19:22:27','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4',0,'attachment','video/mp4',0),(4862,9,'2021-08-30 19:24:00','2021-08-30 19:24:00','Camp','Camp','Camp','inherit','open','closed','','camp','','','2021-08-30 19:24:00','2021-08-30 19:24:00','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4863,9,'2021-08-30 19:25:17','2021-08-30 19:25:17','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take you to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-12.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/16500-18400-13.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath. Finally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:25:17','2021-08-30 19:25:17','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4863',0,'revision','',0),(4864,9,'2021-08-30 19:28:17','2021-08-30 19:28:17','16500 18400 13','16500 18400 13','16500 18400 13','inherit','open','closed','','16500-18400-13-2','','','2021-08-30 19:28:17','2021-08-30 19:28:17','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4865,9,'2021-08-30 19:30:07','2021-08-30 19:30:07','16500 18400 12','16500 18400 12','16500 18400 12','inherit','open','closed','','16500-18400-12-2','','','2021-08-30 19:30:07','2021-08-30 19:30:07','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4866,9,'2021-08-30 19:31:42','2021-08-30 19:31:42','','16000ft','','inherit','open','closed','','16000ft','','','2021-08-30 19:31:42','2021-08-30 19:31:42','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4',0,'attachment','video/mp4',0),(4867,9,'2021-08-30 19:33:13','2021-08-30 19:33:13','Dance 18000','Dance 18000','Dance 18000','inherit','open','closed','','dance-18000','','','2021-08-30 19:33:13','2021-08-30 19:33:13','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4868,9,'2021-08-30 19:34:25','2021-08-30 19:34:25','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4865\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"156\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:34:25','2021-08-30 19:34:25','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4868',0,'revision','',0),(4869,9,'2021-08-30 19:35:39','2021-08-30 19:35:39','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4865\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"156\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:35:39','2021-08-30 19:35:39','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4869',0,'revision','',0),(4870,9,'2021-08-30 19:35:59','2021-08-30 19:35:59','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4865 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"156\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:35:59','2021-08-30 19:35:59','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4870',0,'revision','',0),(4871,9,'2021-08-30 19:37:49','2021-08-30 19:37:49','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4865 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"156\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:37:49','2021-08-30 19:37:49','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4871',0,'revision','',0),(4872,9,'2021-08-30 19:38:57','2021-08-30 19:38:57','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4865 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"156\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:38:57','2021-08-30 19:38:57','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4872',0,'revision','',0),(4873,9,'2021-08-30 19:42:09','2021-08-30 19:42:09','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"156\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. After that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:42:09','2021-08-30 19:42:09','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4873',0,'revision','',0),(4874,9,'2021-08-30 19:43:16','2021-08-30 19:43:16','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Truner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-08-30 19:43:16','2021-08-30 19:43:16','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4874',0,'revision','',0),(4876,9,'2021-09-02 01:52:00','2021-09-02 01:52:00','<h1>Neck Injury Treatment</h1>\n<div></div>\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"-SyCX5PtrL4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Peter-Neck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Neck\"]\n<strong>Peter - Neck</strong></div>\n<h4>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Treatments for Pain and Headaches</h4>\nOur Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments, such as Prolotherapy, can help people like you, with head and neck pain, get your life back. Is neck pain keeping you from enjoying life as you would like? Whether you are an athlete with an injury, or simply an individual suffering from neck pain, we would love to help!\n\nIn cases of trauma, a hit to the head or neck can stretch and injure the ligaments in the neck.  Ligaments are what connect bone to bone. They help to stabilize the vertebrae. When injured, they become somewhat \"loose,\" similar to a stretched-out rubber band, and this can lead to neck instability. The instability can lead to a myriad of different symptoms, some of which can include dizziness and headaches.\n\nWe have written an article that discusses the symptoms of neck instability in more depth. If you are interested in finding out more about these symptoms of neck instability (cervical instability), please <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/cervical-instability/\">clicking here</a>.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\n<h3>Common Neck Injury Treatments</h3>\nMost patients try to self-treat with NSAID medications such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen. If these medications do bring relief, the relief is often temporary. And once the drugs become ineffective, the patient often seeks even stronger prescription medications, such as nerve blocks. After that, an MRI is frequently taken, and then surgery is often recommended.\n\nFortunately, there is an alternative to surgical cervical fusion for chronic neck pain and pain from neck injuries by using comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4878\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"385\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4878\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Non-Surgical-500x500.png\" alt=\"Non Surgical\" width=\"385\" height=\"385\" /> <strong>Choose a Non-Surgical Alternative for Neck Pain</strong>[/caption]\n<h3>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Injury Treatments by Peter A Fields, MD, DC</h3>\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC is also known as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>  He has treated many athletes from all levels of sport, as well as the weekend warrior. Neck injuries can also be the result of overuse. Those of us who spend hour after hour in front of the computer can also suffer from ligament injury of the neck.\n\nRegenerative Orthopedic treatments can resolve the neck pain and headaches that result from these injuries too. Get back to doing what you love without surgery, without medications, and without extended time away from the activities you love in your life.\n\nIn our experience, a comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatment along with a Natural Medicine program is the preferred way to treat neck pain for optimal long-term results.\n<h3><a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a></h3>\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common neck and head injuries we treat with comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck injury treatments are:</strong></h3>\n<ul>\n 	<li>Atypical facial pain</li>\n 	<li>Barre-Lieou Syndrome</li>\n 	<li>Cervical instability</li>\n 	<li>Jaw pain</li>\n 	<li>Migraine headaches</li>\n 	<li>Muscle contraction headache</li>\n 	<li>Neck arthritis</li>\n 	<li>Neck pain</li>\n 	<li>Post cervical fusion pain</li>\n 	<li>Post-surgical neck pain</li>\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\n 	<li>Whiplash</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>Are You A Candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics?</h3>\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy neck treatment, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy,</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Regenerative Orthopedic treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\n\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Neck-Testimonials/\">Neck testimonials</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Headache-Testimonials/\">Head Testimonials</a> pages.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Neck Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','536-autosave-v1','','','2021-09-02 01:52:00','2021-09-02 01:52:00','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4876',0,'revision','',0),(4877,9,'2021-09-02 01:22:41','2021-09-02 01:22:41','<h1>Neck Injury Treatment</h1>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"-SyCX5PtrL4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Peter-Neck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Neck\"]\r\n<strong>Peter - Neck</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Prolotherapy Neck Treatment for Pain and Headaches</h4>\r\nOur Prolotherapy neck treatment can help people like you with head and neck pain that can completely keep an athlete from participating in sports. If you are a cyclist, the riding position can be too painful to maintain for long distances. In cases of contact sport trauma, a hit to the head or neck can loosen the ligaments in the neck which hold the vertebrae together. This can lead to neck instability and chronic headaches.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nMost patients try to self-treat with NSAID medications (Ibuprofen, Naproxen). Those drugs eventually become ineffective and often a patient seeks even stronger prescription medications, nerve blocks or an MRI is taken and surgery is recommended. There is an alternative to cervical fusion for chronic neck pain and headaches by using comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Prolotherapy</a> neck treatment at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>.\r\n<h4>Prolotherapy Neck Treatment by Peter A Fields, MD DC</h4>\r\nDr. Fields, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, has treated athletes at all levels of sport, Olympic hopefuls to weekend warriors, Ironman competitors to student athletes. They all have confidence in a physician who is also an athlete. Dr. Fields has competed in Ironman Triathlons, marathons, long-distance cycling events and swimming. You can get back to your training and competitions without surgery, without medications, and without extended time away from your sport.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, a comprehensive Prolotherapy next treatment and Natural Medicine program is the preferred way to treat neck pain and headaches for optimal long term results.\r\n\r\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>\r\n<strong>Some of the most common neck and head injuries we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy neck treatment are:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Atypical facial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Barre-Lieou Syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Cervical instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Jaw pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Migraine headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle contraction headache</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post cervical fusion pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post-surgical neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\r\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy neck treatment, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Neck-Testimonials/\">Neck testimonials</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Headache-Testimonials/\">Head Testimonials</a> pages.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Neck Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','536-revision-v1','','','2021-09-02 01:22:41','2021-09-02 01:22:41','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4877',0,'revision','',0),(4878,9,'2021-09-02 01:49:56','2021-09-02 01:49:56','Non Surgical','Non Surgical','Non Surgical','inherit','open','closed','','non-surgical','','','2021-09-02 01:49:56','2021-09-02 01:49:56','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Non-Surgical.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4879,9,'2021-09-02 01:52:08','2021-09-02 01:52:08','<h1>Neck Injury Treatment</h1>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"-SyCX5PtrL4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Peter-Neck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Neck\"]\r\n<strong>Peter - Neck</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Treatments for Pain and Headaches</h4>\r\nOur Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments, such as Prolotherapy, can help people like you, with head and neck pain, get your life back. Is neck pain keeping you from enjoying life as you would like? Whether you are an athlete with an injury, or simply an individual suffering from neck pain, we would love to help!\r\n\r\nIn cases of trauma, a hit to the head or neck can stretch and injure the ligaments in the neck.  Ligaments are what connect bone to bone. They help to stabilize the vertebrae. When injured, they become somewhat \"loose,\" similar to a stretched-out rubber band, and this can lead to neck instability. The instability can lead to a myriad of different symptoms, some of which can include dizziness and headaches.\r\n\r\nWe have written an article that discusses the symptoms of neck instability in more depth. If you are interested in finding out more about these symptoms of neck instability (cervical instability), please <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/cervical-instability/\">clicking here</a>.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>Common Neck Injury Treatments</h3>\r\nMost patients try to self-treat with NSAID medications such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen. If these medications do bring relief, the relief is often temporary. And once the drugs become ineffective, the patient often seeks even stronger prescription medications, such as nerve blocks. After that, an MRI is frequently taken, and then surgery is often recommended.\r\n\r\nFortunately, there is an alternative to surgical cervical fusion for chronic neck pain and pain from neck injuries by using comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4878\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"385\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4878\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Non-Surgical-500x500.png\" alt=\"Non Surgical\" width=\"385\" height=\"385\" /> <strong>Choose a Non-Surgical Alternative for Neck Pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Injury Treatments by Peter A Fields, MD, DC</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC is also known as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>  He has treated many athletes from all levels of sport, as well as the weekend warrior. Neck injuries can also be the result of overuse. Those of us who spend hour after hour in front of the computer can also suffer from ligament injury of the neck.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedic treatments can resolve the neck pain and headaches that result from these injuries too. Get back to doing what you love without surgery, without medications, and without extended time away from the activities you love in your life.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, a comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatment along with a Natural Medicine program is the preferred way to treat neck pain for optimal long-term results.\r\n<h3><a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common neck and head injuries we treat with comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck injury treatments are:</strong></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Atypical facial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Barre-Lieou Syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Cervical instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Jaw pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Migraine headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle contraction headache</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post cervical fusion pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post-surgical neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Are You A Candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics?</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy neck treatment, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy,</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Regenerative Orthopedic treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Neck-Testimonials/\">Neck testimonials</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Headache-Testimonials/\">Head Testimonials</a> pages.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Neck Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','536-revision-v1','','','2021-09-02 01:52:08','2021-09-02 01:52:08','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4879',0,'revision','',0),(4880,9,'2021-09-02 01:52:56','2021-09-02 01:52:56','<h1>Neck Injury Treatments</h1>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"-SyCX5PtrL4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Peter-Neck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Neck\"]\r\n<strong>Peter - Neck</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Treatments for Pain and Headaches</h4>\r\nOur Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments, such as Prolotherapy, can help people like you, with head and neck pain, get your life back. Is neck pain keeping you from enjoying life as you would like? Whether you are an athlete with an injury, or simply an individual suffering from neck pain, we would love to help!\r\n\r\nIn cases of trauma, a hit to the head or neck can stretch and injure the ligaments in the neck.  Ligaments are what connect bone to bone. They help to stabilize the vertebrae. When injured, they become somewhat \"loose,\" similar to a stretched-out rubber band, and this can lead to neck instability. The instability can lead to a myriad of different symptoms, some of which can include dizziness and headaches.\r\n\r\nWe have written an article that discusses the symptoms of neck instability in more depth. If you are interested in finding out more about these symptoms of neck instability (cervical instability), please <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/cervical-instability/\">clicking here</a>.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>Common Neck Injury Treatments</h3>\r\nMost patients try to self-treat with NSAID medications such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen. If these medications do bring relief, the relief is often temporary. And once the drugs become ineffective, the patient often seeks even stronger prescription medications, such as nerve blocks. After that, an MRI is frequently taken, and then surgery is often recommended.\r\n\r\nFortunately, there is an alternative to surgical cervical fusion for chronic neck pain and pain from neck injuries by using comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4878\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"385\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4878\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Non-Surgical-500x500.png\" alt=\"Non Surgical\" width=\"385\" height=\"385\" /> <strong>Choose a Non-Surgical Alternative for Neck Pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Injury Treatments by Peter A Fields, MD, DC</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC is also known as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>  He has treated many athletes from all levels of sport, as well as the weekend warrior. Neck injuries can also be the result of overuse. Those of us who spend hour after hour in front of the computer can also suffer from ligament injury of the neck.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedic treatments can resolve the neck pain and headaches that result from these injuries too. Get back to doing what you love without surgery, without medications, and without extended time away from the activities you love in your life.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, a comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatment along with a Natural Medicine program is the preferred way to treat neck pain for optimal long-term results.\r\n<h3><a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common neck and head injuries we treat with comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck injury treatments are:</strong></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Atypical facial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Barre-Lieou Syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Cervical instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Jaw pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Migraine headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle contraction headache</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post cervical fusion pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post-surgical neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Are You A Candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics?</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC, and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy neck treatment, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy,</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Regenerative Orthopedic treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Neck-Testimonials/\">Neck testimonials</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Headache-Testimonials/\">Head Testimonials</a> pages.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Neck Injury Treatments','','inherit','closed','closed','','536-revision-v1','','','2021-09-02 01:52:56','2021-09-02 01:52:56','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4880',0,'revision','',0),(4881,9,'2021-09-02 01:56:08','2021-09-02 01:56:08','<h1>Neck Injury Treatments</h1>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"-SyCX5PtrL4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Peter-Neck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Neck\"]\r\n<strong>Peter - Neck</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Treatments for Pain and Headaches</h4>\r\nOur Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments, such as Prolotherapy, can help people like you, with head and neck pain, get your life back. Is neck pain keeping you from enjoying life as you would like? Whether you are an athlete with an injury, or simply an individual suffering from neck pain, we would love to help!\r\n\r\nIn cases of trauma, a hit to the head or neck can stretch and injure the ligaments in the neck.  Ligaments are what connect bone to bone. They help to stabilize the vertebrae. When injured, they become somewhat \"loose,\" similar to a stretched-out rubber band, and this can lead to neck instability. The instability can lead to a myriad of different symptoms, some of which can include dizziness and headaches.\r\n\r\nWe have written an article that discusses the symptoms of neck instability in more depth. If you are interested in finding out more about these symptoms of neck instability (cervical instability), please <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/cervical-instability/\">clicking here</a>.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>Common Neck Injury Treatments</h3>\r\nMost patients try to self-treat with NSAID medications such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen. If these medications do bring relief, the relief is often temporary. And once the drugs become ineffective, the patient often seeks even stronger prescription medications, such as nerve blocks. After that, an MRI is frequently taken, and then surgery is often recommended.\r\n\r\nFortunately, there is an alternative to surgical cervical fusion for chronic neck pain and pain from neck injuries by using comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4878\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"385\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4878\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Non-Surgical-500x500.png\" alt=\"Non Surgical\" width=\"385\" height=\"385\" /> <strong>Choose a Non-Surgical Alternative for Neck Pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Injury Treatments by Peter A Fields, MD, DC</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC is also known as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>  He has treated many athletes from all levels of sport, as well as the weekend warrior. Neck injuries can also be the result of overuse. Those of us who spend hour after hour in front of the computer can also suffer from ligament injury of the neck.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedic treatments can resolve the neck pain and headaches that result from these injuries too. Get back to doing what you love without surgery, without medications, and without extended time away from the activities you love in your life.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, a comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatment along with a Natural Medicine program is the preferred way to treat neck pain for optimal long-term results.\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common neck and head injuries we treat with comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck injury treatments are:</strong></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Atypical facial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Barre-Lieou Syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Cervical instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Jaw pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Migraine headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle contraction headache</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post cervical fusion pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post-surgical neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Are You A Candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics?</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC, and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy neck treatment, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy,</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Regenerative Orthopedic treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Neck-Testimonials/\">Neck testimonials</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Headache-Testimonials/\">Head Testimonials</a> pages.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Neck Injury Treatments','','inherit','closed','closed','','536-revision-v1','','','2021-09-02 01:56:08','2021-09-02 01:56:08','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4881',0,'revision','',0),(4882,9,'2021-09-02 01:56:54','2021-09-02 01:56:54','<h1>Neck Injury Treatments</h1>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"-SyCX5PtrL4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Peter-Neck.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Neck\"]\r\n<strong>Peter - Neck</strong></div>\r\n<h4>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Treatments for Pain and Headaches</h4>\r\nOur Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments, such as Prolotherapy, can help people like you, with head and neck pain, get your life back. Is neck pain keeping you from enjoying life as you would like? Whether you are an athlete with an injury, or simply an individual suffering from neck pain, we would love to help!\r\n\r\nIn cases of trauma, a hit to the head or neck can stretch and injure the ligaments in the neck.  Ligaments are what connect bone to bone. They help to stabilize the vertebrae. When injured, they become somewhat \"loose,\" similar to a stretched-out rubber band, and this can lead to neck instability. The instability can lead to a myriad of different symptoms, some of which can include dizziness and headaches.\r\n\r\nWe have written an article that discusses the symptoms of neck instability in more depth. If you are interested in finding out more about these symptoms of neck instability (cervical instability), please <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/cervical-instability/\">clicking here</a>.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h3>Common Neck Injury Treatments</h3>\r\nMost patients try to self-treat with NSAID medications such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen. If these medications do bring relief, the relief is often temporary. And once the drugs become ineffective, the patient often seeks even stronger prescription medications, such as nerve blocks. After that, an MRI is frequently taken, and then surgery is often recommended.\r\n\r\nFortunately, there is an alternative to surgical cervical fusion for chronic neck pain and pain from neck injuries by using comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatments at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4878\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"428\"]<img class=\" wp-image-4878\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Non-Surgical-500x500.png\" alt=\"Non Surgical\" width=\"428\" height=\"428\" /> <strong>Choose a Non-Surgical Alternative for Neck Pain</strong>[/caption]\r\n<h3>Regenerative Orthopedic Neck Injury Treatments by Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC is also known as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>  He has treated many athletes from all levels of sport, as well as the weekend warrior. Neck injuries can also be the result of overuse. Those of us who spend hour after hour in front of the computer can also suffer from ligament injury of the neck.\r\n\r\nRegenerative Orthopedic treatments can resolve the neck pain and headaches that result from these injuries too. Get back to doing what you love without surgery, without medications, and without extended time away from the activities you love in your life.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, a comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck treatment along with a Natural Medicine program is the preferred way to treat neck pain for optimal long-term results.\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a></h3>\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Some of the most common neck and head injuries we treat with comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedic neck injury treatments are:</strong></h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Atypical facial pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Barre-Lieou Syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Cervical instability</li>\r\n 	<li>Jaw pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Migraine headaches</li>\r\n 	<li>Muscle contraction headache</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post cervical fusion pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Post-surgical neck pain</li>\r\n 	<li>TMJ syndrome</li>\r\n 	<li>Whiplash</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Are You A Candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics?</h3>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC, and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy neck treatment, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy,</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Regenerative Orthopedic treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Neck-Testimonials/\">Neck testimonials</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Headache-Testimonials/\">Head Testimonials</a> pages.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Neck Injury Treatments','','inherit','closed','closed','','536-revision-v1','','','2021-09-02 01:56:54','2021-09-02 01:56:54','',536,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4882',0,'revision','',0),(4884,9,'2021-09-22 19:06:34','2021-09-22 19:06:34','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner, and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Eight Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing!</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-09-22 19:06:34','2021-09-22 19:06:34','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4884',0,'revision','',0),(4885,9,'2021-09-25 22:45:33','2021-09-25 22:45:33','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_4894\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"359\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4894 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/heart-attack-1-359x500.png\" alt=\"Heart Attack (1)\" width=\"359\" height=\"500\" /> Heart Attack (1)[/caption]\n\nOver 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go-to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\n\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a few studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\n\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\n\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\n\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\n\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AF)</h3>\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, after knee and hip replacement surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrillation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrillation.2\n\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\n<ol>\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\n</ol>\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-autosave-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:45:33','2021-09-25 22:45:33','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4885',0,'revision','',0),(4886,9,'2021-09-22 20:21:59','2021-09-22 20:21:59','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1123\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a of couple studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated and this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrilation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrilation, a common heart arrhythia, after knee and hip replacment surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrilation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrilation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk Briefly','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-22 20:21:59','2021-09-22 20:21:59','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4886',0,'revision','',0),(4888,9,'2021-09-25 22:28:47','2021-09-25 22:28:47','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1123\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a of couple studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated and this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrilation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrilation, a common heart arrhythia, after knee and hip replacment surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrilation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrilation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:28:47','2021-09-25 22:28:47','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4888',0,'revision','',0),(4889,9,'2021-09-25 22:29:37','2021-09-25 22:29:37','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1123\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a of couple studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrilation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrilation, a common heart arrhythia, after knee and hip replacment surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrilation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrilation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:29:37','2021-09-25 22:29:37','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4889',0,'revision','',0),(4890,9,'2021-09-25 22:30:06','2021-09-25 22:30:06','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1123\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a of couple studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrilation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrilation, a common heart arrhythia, after knee and hip replacment surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrilation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrilation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:30:06','2021-09-25 22:30:06','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4890',0,'revision','',0),(4891,9,'2021-09-25 22:31:11','2021-09-25 22:31:11','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1123\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go-to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a of couple studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, after knee and hip replacement surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrillation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrillation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:31:11','2021-09-25 22:31:11','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4891',0,'revision','',0),(4892,9,'2021-09-25 22:31:33','2021-09-25 22:31:33','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1123\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go-to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a few studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, after knee and hip replacement surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrillation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrillation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:31:33','2021-09-25 22:31:33','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4892',0,'revision','',0),(4893,9,'2021-09-25 22:32:13','2021-09-25 22:32:13','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-1123 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/man-heart-attack-200.jpg\" alt=\"Man Heart Attack 200\" width=\"252\" height=\"378\" />Over 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go-to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a few studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, after knee and hip replacement surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrillation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrillation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:32:13','2021-09-25 22:32:13','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4893',0,'revision','',0),(4894,9,'2021-09-25 22:45:01','2021-09-25 22:45:01','Heart Attack (1)','Heart Attack (1)','Heart Attack (1)','inherit','open','closed','','heart-attack-1','','','2021-09-25 22:45:01','2021-09-25 22:45:01','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/heart-attack-1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(4895,9,'2021-09-25 22:45:52','2021-09-25 22:45:52','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-4894 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/heart-attack-1-359x500.png\" alt=\"Heart Attack (1)\" width=\"359\" height=\"500\" />\r\n\r\nOver 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go-to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a few studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, after knee and hip replacement surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrillation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrillation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:45:52','2021-09-25 22:45:52','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4895',0,'revision','',0),(4896,9,'2021-09-25 22:46:04','2021-09-25 22:46:04','<h2>Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-4894 size-medium alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/heart-attack-1-359x500.png\" alt=\"Heart Attack (1)\" width=\"359\" height=\"500\" />\r\n\r\nOver 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA),  a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. And when the pain gets unbearable, many people opt to have joint replacement surgery. Surgery is a common go-to, especially considering how often it is recommended.  But remember, all surgery has risks! And knee and hip replacements increase heart attack risk.\r\n\r\nIn this article, we\'ll take a look at a few studies and the conclusions the researchers came to. Interestingly, in one of the studies, the researchers were trying to prove that knee and hip replacement surgery decrease heart attack risk. However, the results showed that overall risks were substantially increased in both the total knee and total hip groups.\r\n<h3>What Is the Reason for the Elevated Risk?</h3>\r\n\'The reason for the elevated risks is unclear at this point\", said senior author Yuqing Zhang of Boston University School of Medicine. Regardless, he said, the findings suggest that the risk of a heart attack in the weeks after total <a href=\"/Articles/Prolo-News/Joint-Surgery-Think-Again-Learn-About-Prolotherapy\">joint replacement surgery</a> “may have been previously underappreciated,” and ways to prevent this serious complication may need to be considered.\r\n\r\nZhang and colleagues studied roughly 40,000 patients age 50 or older, all with osteoarthritis. They compared 13,849 patients who underwent total knee replacement to 13,849 closely matched people who did not have surgery. They also compared about 6,000 patients who had hip replacement surgery to 6,000 who did not.\r\n\r\nWithin a month after the operations, there were 35 heart attacks among knee replacement patients, compared to four in the control group. In that same period, there were 13 heart attacks in the hip replacement group vs three in the control group.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\nHeart attack risk was highest in that first month following surgery and declined again over time, the authors reported in Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology. By three years after the operations, heart attack rates had evened out for the surgery groups and the control groups.\r\n<h3>Blood Clot Risk with Joint Replacement</h3>\r\nAs for a type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism, the knee replacement patients had 190 in the first month, compared to three in the control group. The hip surgery patients had 78; the control group had just one. So that is a significant rate of blood clots.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1125\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knee-illustration-200.jpg\" alt=\"Knee Illustration 200\" width=\"200\" height=\"266\" />Five years later, the odds of having venous thromboembolism were still significantly higher in the surgery groups\r\n\r\nIndeed, Zhang said, the health risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery remain complicated. And this study’s findings cannot quantify them for an individual patient.\r\n<h3>Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AF)</h3>\r\nA 2021 study in the medical journal Gerontology showed an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, after knee and hip replacement surgery. They studied 280 patients compared to a group of 280 control patients with no AF. New-onset AF was defined as AF demonstrated postoperatively in patients with no previous clinical history of atrial fibrillation. One-year mortality in elderly patients undergoing total knee or total hip replacement is significantly increased in the patients that develop new postoperative atrial fibrillation.2\r\n\r\nClinical consequences of AF include decreased cardiac output and risk of thromboembolism, and the presence of AF is associated with increased mortality. AF has also been associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate (6.4%) after noncardiac surgery.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>SOURCE: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http://bit.ly/1NIXl8o</a> Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology, online August 31, 2015.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n2. Varon, Ben, et al. \"New-Onset Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee   and Hip Replacements.\" <i>Gerontology</i> (2021): 1-6.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Knee And Hip Replacements Increase Heart Attack Risk','','inherit','closed','closed','','1480-revision-v1','','','2021-09-25 22:46:04','2021-09-25 22:46:04','',1480,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4896',0,'revision','',0),(4897,9,'2023-03-15 19:24:49','2023-03-15 19:24:49','<h2>Hand Injury Treatment</h2>\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"ThzUVq3rx2Y\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Suzie-Wrist.jpg\" alt=\"Hand Injury Treatment Suzie Wrist\"]\n<strong>Suzie - Wrist</strong></div>\n<h4>Prolotherapy Hand and Wrist Injuries and Treatment</h4>\nWhether you suffer from a sprained finger from football or baseball or wrist pain from tennis or golf, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> treats numerous finger, hand, and wrist injuries with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/ \">Prolotherapy</a> hand treatments. We can treat your pain or injury without surgery, without pain medications, or without extended time away from training and competition.\n\nIn our experience, comprehensive Prolotherapy can successfully treat pain in your fingers, hands and wrists, with optimal long-term results. Dr. Fields, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, can consult with you to determine if you are a candidate for <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Prolotherapy</a>. Because of his participation in Triathlons and Ironman competitions, he understands your desire to return quickly to the sports in which you participate.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\n<h4>Common Hand and Wrist Injuries are Treatable by Prolotherapy</h4>\nThe most common finger, wrist, and hand pain and injuries we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy are:\n<ul>\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\n 	<li>Baseball injuries</li>\n 	<li>Carpal tunnel</li>\n 	<li>Finger pain</li>\n 	<li>Football injuries</li>\n 	<li>Golf injuries</li>\n 	<li>Hand pain</li>\n 	<li>Overuse injury</li>\n 	<li>Sprain injury</li>\n 	<li>Stiffness</li>\n 	<li>Tennis injuries</li>\n 	<li>Thumb pain</li>\n 	<li>Wrist pain</li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy hand injury treatments, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy,</a> and <a href=\"/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\n\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Knee-Testimonials/\">Prolotherapy Hand and Wrist Testimonials page</a>.\n\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>','Hand Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','615-autosave-v1','','','2023-03-15 19:24:49','2023-03-15 19:24:49','',615,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4897',0,'revision','',0),(4898,9,'2021-10-01 00:55:34','2021-10-01 00:55:34','<h2>Hand Injury Treatment</h2>\r\n<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"ThzUVq3rx2Y\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Suzie-Wrist.jpg\" alt=\"Hand Injury Treatment Suzie Wrist\"]\r\n<strong>Suzie - Wrist</strong></div>\r\n<h3>Prolotherapy Hand and Wrist Injuries and Treatment</h3>\r\nWhether you are suffering from a sprained finger from football or baseball, or wrist pain from tennis or golf, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> treats numerous finger, hand and wrist injuries with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/ \">Prolotherapy</a> hand treatments. We can treat your pain or injury without surgery, without pain medications or without extended time away from training and competition.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, comprehensive Prolotherapy can successfully treat pain in your fingers, hands and wrists, with optimal long term results. Dr. Fields, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, can consult with you to determine if you are a candidate for <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Prolotherapy</a>. Because of his participation in Triathlons and Ironman competitions, he understands your desire to return quickly to the sports in which you participate.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h4>Common Hand and Wrist Injuries Treatable by Prolotheraphy</h4>\r\nThe most common finger, wrist and hand pain and injuries we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy are:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Baseball injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Carpal tunnel</li>\r\n 	<li>Finger pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Football injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Golf injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Hand pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Overuse injury</li>\r\n 	<li>Sprain injury</li>\r\n 	<li>Stiffness</li>\r\n 	<li>Tennis injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Thumb pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Wrist pain</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\r\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy hand and wrist treatments, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Knee-Testimonials/\">Prolotherapy Hand and Wrist Testimonials page</a>.\r\n\r\n<a style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\"><img style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\" width=\"275\" /></a>','Hand Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','615-revision-v1','','','2021-10-01 00:55:34','2021-10-01 00:55:34','',615,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4898',0,'revision','',0),(4899,9,'2021-10-01 00:56:27','2021-10-01 00:56:27','<div class=\"youtube-click-div video_left\">\r\n[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"ThzUVq3rx2Y\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Suzie-Wrist.jpg\" alt=\"Hand Injury Treatment Suzie Wrist\"]\r\n<strong>Suzie - Wrist</strong>\r\n</div>\r\n<h4>Prolotherapy Hand and Wrist Injuries and Treatment</h4>\r\nWhether you are suffering from a sprained finger from football or baseball, or wrist pain from tennis or golf, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> treats numerous finger, hand and wrist injuries with comprehensive <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\r\n\">Prolotherapy</a> hand treatments. We can treat your pain or injury without surgery, without pain medications or without extended time away from training and competition.\r\n\r\nIn our experience, comprehensive Prolotherapy can successfully treat pain in your fingers, hands and wrists, with optimal long term results. Dr. Fields, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, can consult with you to determine if you are a candidate for <a title=\"Prolotherapy\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/dextrose-prolotherapy/prolotherapy-treatment-overview/\">Prolotherapy</a>. Because of his participation in Triathlons and Ironman competitions, he understands your desire to return quickly to the sports in which you participate.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\n<h4>Common Hand and Wrist Injuries Treatable by Prolotheraphy</h4>\r\nThe most common finger, wrist and hand pain and injuries we treat with comprehensive Prolotherapy are:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Arthritis</li>\r\n 	<li>Baseball injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Carpal tunnel</li>\r\n 	<li>Finger pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Football injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Golf injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Hand pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Overuse injury</li>\r\n 	<li>Sprain injury</li>\r\n 	<li>Stiffness</li>\r\n 	<li>Tennis injuries</li>\r\n 	<li>Thumb pain</li>\r\n 	<li>Wrist pain</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h4>Are You A Candidate for Prolotherapy?</h4>\r\nDr. Fields and our staff at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup> offer traditional Dextrose Prolotherapy hand and wrist treatments, as well as <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/prp-treatment/\">PRP Prolotherapy</a> and <a href=\"/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\">Stem Cell Prolotherapy</a>. To see if you are a candidate for one of our Prolotherapy treatments, or for a second opinion for a recommended surgery, contact us for a consultation, OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>, <a href=\"tel:+[phone_raw]\">[phone]</a>.\r\n\r\nStill not convinced? Check out the testimonials on this page and on our <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Testimonials/Knee-Testimonials/\">Prolotherapy Hand and Wrist Testimonials page</a>.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&promocode=CLT/\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0 auto; max-width: 275px;\"><img width=\"275\" style=\"max-width:100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_280x100_a_v1.jpg\"/></a>','Hand Injury Treatment','','inherit','closed','closed','','615-revision-v1','','','2021-10-01 00:56:27','2021-10-01 00:56:27','',615,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4899',0,'revision','',0),(4900,9,'2021-10-01 01:14:27','2021-10-01 01:14:27','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Day Seven Hike</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Climbing to the top and beginning the descent</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing! Final Goodbyes and certificate</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-10-01 01:14:27','2021-10-01 01:14:27','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4900',0,'revision','',0),(4901,9,'2021-10-01 01:48:25','2021-10-01 01:48:25','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Pre-Climb Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Second Day Hike</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Climbing to the top and beginning the descent</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>The descnet and saying goodbye</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing! Final Goodbyes and certificate</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-10-01 01:48:25','2021-10-01 01:48:25','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4901',0,'revision','',0),(4902,9,'2021-10-01 01:59:58','2021-10-01 01:59:58','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Pre Hike</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Getting to the Trailhead and First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Hiking to 11,400 ft</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Day Three Hike</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Day Four Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Day Five Hike</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Day Six Hike</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Climbing to the top and beginning the descent</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>The descnet and saying goodbye</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing! Final Goodbyes and certificate</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-10-01 01:59:58','2021-10-01 01:59:58','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4902',0,'revision','',0),(4903,9,'2021-10-01 02:04:53','2021-10-01 02:04:53','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Pre Hike</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Getting to the Trailhead and First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Hiking to 11,400 ft</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Hiking to 13,400 ft</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Hiking to 15,500 ft</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Getting to camp at 16,500 ft</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Hiking to 18,500 ft</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Climbing to the top 19,341 ft/5895 meters and beginning the descent</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>The descnet and saying goodbye</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing! Final Goodbyes and certificate</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-10-01 02:04:53','2021-10-01 02:04:53','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4903',0,'revision','',0),(4904,9,'2021-10-04 01:47:09','2021-10-04 01:47:09','<h1>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb (late by two years!)</h1>\r\n<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>\r\n\r\nAfter waiting ten years with this on my bucket list, I finally was going to climb Kilimanjaro.\r\n<h3>Getting to Mount Kilimanjaro</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nThe trip to Kilimanjaro began with an 11-hour flight to London where I had a 36-hour layover. Saw \"Tina, The Musical\" (life and times of Tina Turner). Great show.  Then 9 ½ hour flight to Nairobi, where I spent 24 hours so I was able to see the city. Then a one-hour flight to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. My arrival at Kilimanjaro airport was on Sunday night. This was followed by a two-and-a-half-hour ride, with half of it on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the destination at the base camp. Since it was almost midnight, I went straight to my tent, which was quite luxurious for camping, and included a sink, a bathroom, and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Pre Hike</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain. It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. The guide leader went through our entire pack to make sure that we would be taking everything we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was just spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where at the top of the small hill they had wine waiting for us. A pleasant surprise.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Finally-hiking\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Getting to the Trailhead and First Day Hike Towards Kilimanjaro</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-4.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-3.jpg\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/killi-trailhead-2.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nAfter a two-hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts since we were only 3 degrees off the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpa’s that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa’s( there were six hikers) to carry each person\'s clothing (colder weather gear, nighttime clothes, toiletries, etc.). Then six to carry our bedding, and tents ( double roofed for better rain protection), six would carry our food for 7 days ( three full meals a day), eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, four to carry the toilets and tents over them, plus about 10 other Sherpa’s would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also 10 more to carry all of the sherpa’s food and equipment.\r\n\r\nWe had to register and show our passports, and after that, we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7700 feet and climbed to 9300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds, and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Hiking to 11,400 ft</h3>\r\nAt 6:30 AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and then we started off to hike again. For hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day as well as drink a minimum of three liters of water a day. Without this exhaustion, dehydration, and more can happen. The guides made sure that we would eat a lot and consume lots of water.\r\n\r\nWe headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.\r\n\r\nI felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. I had a Camelback-style drinking system so I was drinking copious amounts of water. At night it was cold but with the proper gear (well worth the expense!), I felt warm.\r\n<h3>Hiking to 13,400 ft</h3>\r\nWe had another early wake-up call today and another substantial breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, toast, jelly, peanut butter, tea/coffee, and more. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the upper heath zone, where there were no more trees here, just a lot of different plants. And lots of volcanic rock (the last active volcano here took place over 10,000 years ago).\r\n\r\nThe hiking was very slow and consistent, as they say in Swahili, “Poli, Poli.” Again I felt very good when arriving at Moir camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views of the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!\r\n<h3>Hiking to 15,500 ft</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"226\" /><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Kilihiking15000-4.jpg\" width=\"423\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up again at 6:30 AM, had breakfast at 7, and were hiking by 7:30. Today was a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived at camp after hiking for only 2 hours and 20 minutes. We were now at 15,500 feet. The air is very thin, so with every step you take, you have to think about it. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents. I probably took a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the beautiful skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Getting to camp at 16,500 ft</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"170\" />\r\n\r\nWe had the usual wake-up call at 6:30 AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees. The sun came out, so it was warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. Plus with the altitude (lots of breathing) and hiking effort, one was rarely cold. Today\'s hike was only one thousand feet of climbing and a short hike to the base camp. The big hike tomorrow will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around\r\n10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was canceled. Tomorrow morning, we will have a 4 AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300-foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Hiking to 18,500 ft</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4864 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-13.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 13\" width=\"492\" height=\"277\" />\r\n\r\nWake-up call at 4 AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slow group left at 5. We (my hiking partner, myself, and our guide) left about 5:30. At this altitude of over 16,000 feet, everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it got extremely steep and no longer covered in snow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlamps. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountainside since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp-16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/camp.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-4865 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16500-18400-12.jpg\" alt=\"16500 18400 12\" width=\"240\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe were now over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier on our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb, even kneeling on the next step up because the step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air.\r\n\r\nWhen we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air meant we had to take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Like having a bag over your head and pulling for each breath.\r\n\r\nFinally, we reached the craters ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet.\r\n\r\nAfter that, we enjoyed a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4 AM to <em>climb to the top of Kilimanjaro!</em>\r\n\r\n[video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16000ft.mp4\" poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dance-18000.png\"][/video]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/16-500-feet-to-18-400\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Climbing to the top 19,341 ft/5895 meters and beginning the descent</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2282\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"397\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2282\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/summit-19341-7.jpg\" alt=\"Summit 19,341 (7)\" width=\"397\" height=\"310\" /> Summit 19,341[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures probably down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm! I laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag (which was rated to zero degrees), plus I had a liner inside the sleeping bag which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth. I am definitely not a cold weather person but with the right gear, it was not too bad.\r\nWe were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff ( only our personal things; the Sherpa took care of the sleeping bag and tent each morning and night, we were off for a 75-minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of it, and we moved very, very slowly. 10 feet could take several minutes. After a very hard, straight-up climbing, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. The wind was blowing like crazy. The air temp was around minus 10 Fahrenheit with the wind chill probably down to negative 45 or 50 Fahrenheit. But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling!\r\n\r\nI always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it the whole way with me!\r\n\r\nWe took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were almost on the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always at around 6:30 without much variation from season to season.\r\nImmediately, once we started to go down, we could feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quads really felt it, and we would be walking downhill for the next 5 to 6 hours!\r\nWe did stop for a small break for some lunch, but our appetite was low due to altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches loss of appetite, and weakness. But it was worse for me while descending, but fortunately, I had only lost my appetite with slight nausea and it lasted only for a short period of time. Anyway, we finally made it to camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3>The descent and saying goodbye</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Sunriseuptop-3.jpg\" />\r\n\r\nWe woke up at 6:30 AM, which was a big difference from 4 AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Sherpas and guides. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.\r\n\r\nAfter breakfast, the 40 or so sherpas gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3-minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.\r\n\r\nWe then set off for our last 6 to 7-hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, it was a dried-up river bed that was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quads to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, so we just kept going. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, we saw the base camp. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.\r\n\r\nWe had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, which was a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days, I took a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7 PM. That night, was my first night of sleep in a bed, after 9 days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>\r\n<h2>Kilimanjaro Was Amazing! Final Goodbyes and certificate</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2213 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg\" alt=\"Klimanjaro (5)\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" />\r\n\r\nEven though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet, it was something I had had on my bucket list for over 10 years. It was extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving and needed assistance. But we all persevered. I\'ve done 10 Ironman races so far (now 11!), which require monumental training. But the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, with the subsequent day of summiting, followed by the 9,000-foot descent, were some of the hardest things that I\'ve ever done. And that includes all my Ironman competitions.\r\n\r\nYou just can\'t imagine what it\'s like trying to move at that altitude. As I said before, it is similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to grasp for air. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15 or 20 seconds just to get my heart rate and breathing back down, repeating that again and again and again. Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 45-60 seconds to cross. All this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow, and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to keep you going. But the views were spectacular and the feeling of being literally on top of the world made it all worth it.\r\n\r\nI\'ll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It\'s a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.\r\n\r\n[video poster=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dancing.png\" width=\"352\" height=\"640\" mp4=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DANCING-v3.mp4\"][/video]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/final-goodbyes-1.jpg\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates\"><strong>See Photos</strong></a></p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Thank You to Everyone Who Made Kilimanjaro A Possibility!</h3>\r\nThank you to everyone that sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb. It meant so much!\r\n\r\nI also thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are.\r\nThey always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going to achieve my goals.\r\nAs I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.\r\n\r\nThank you for taking the time to read this. I hope this will inspire you that if a goal is desired, to just put your head down and keep going no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC </strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\">Click here</a> to find out more about <strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>® </sup></strong>','Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb','','inherit','closed','closed','','2208-revision-v1','','','2021-10-04 01:47:09','2021-10-04 01:47:09','',2208,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4904',0,'revision','',0),(4907,9,'2022-02-25 23:07:30','2022-02-25 23:07:30','<div></div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ironman Maryland Race Report</h2>\n<div></div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\n\n<img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-362\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Ironman-Maryland.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Maryland\" />\n<h6 class=\"text-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Saturday, September 29, 2018</em>\n<em>2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em></h6>\n<p class=\"text-center\"><em>\"Never lose sight of your goals\"</em>-Yvette and Fred Fields</p>\n\n<h3><strong>Here’s the story of my 10th Ironman:</strong></h3>\nI originally scheduled this to take place at Ironman Hamburg, Germany, on June 30, 2018.\nHamburg is special for me as I lived there for 9 months many years ago. And both my parents were born in Germany.\nUnfortunately, it was not meant to be.\n\nDue to the extreme heat in Europe this summer, they canceled the swim three days before the event due to the high algae count in the lake.\n\nUpon returning to the states I had to reevaluate. If one does 12 Ironman races and at least one in each year, you can get a special lottery entry into the world championships in Kona, Hawaii. My count now still stood at 9. If I didn’t do one this year my total would go back to zero. I looked at my options and the best one was <strong>Ironman Maryland</strong> at the end of September. Since it was less than two months away, I just had to maintain my fitness level with moderate workouts.\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Getting There:</strong></h3>\nThe flight to Maryland was a lot easier than it was to Hamburg. It was in Cambridge, Maryland, which is the outer banks of Maryland. Cross-country flight to Philadelphia and a short flight to a small airport near Cambridge. After checking in at the hotel,  I looked over the course and got ready for race day. The swim took place in a river that fed from the ocean. The day of the race the weather was very good.\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Ironman Maryland-The Swim 2.4 miles:</strong></h3>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-363\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/swim-400.jpg\" alt=\"Swim 400\" width=\"242\" height=\"410\" />Ironman Maryland is notorious for rainy weather but race day was clear and without clouds. My swim went well. The water was wetsuit legal which meant the water was below 76.2 degrees. At 74 degrees, it was warm but I left my wetsuit on as did most of the other athletes. Because I’m a strong swimmer, it’s easy for me to overheat in a wetsuit. I had learned in practice, just two days before, to pull the zipper down on the back of my wetsuit to let a little bit of water in to cool me down.\n\nPlus, twice during the race I lifted the front of my wetsuit off my chest and let water in. This was enough to cool me down. All in all, I felt very good in the swim. As I exited the water after 2.4 miles, I was aware of the problems I had on the bike so was very cautious and prepared with my nutrition intake.\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike 112 miles:</strong></h3>\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-364\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike2-600.jpg\" alt=\"Bike2 600\" width=\"411\" height=\"341\" />There was some wind on the bike which picked up after 40 miles. But somehow, I felt strong. I was biking faster than I had ever biked before. Halfway through I was under 3 hours. My normal time for 56 miles is 3:10 or more.\n\nI kept pushing ahead without exerting myself too much to save myself for the run.\nAnd I did not have any stomach problems!\n\nI got off the bike at 6 hours and 6 minutes which was 24 minutes faster than I had ever done a bike ride in an Ironman. I was exceptionally pleased. I even commented to the people in the transition why were there so many transition bags in the area and they all said those people haven’t finished. This surprised even me as I am usually a lot slower and there are usually less bags there.  Everything was going as planned.\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run 26.2 miles:</strong></h3>\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-365\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/run1-400.jpg\" alt=\"Run1 400\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" />As I exited the transition area to start my marathon run, I felt very good and strong. The first 5 or 6 miles went well. Unfortunately, then I started to have some foot problems. Ironman races are all about crisis control. So, I knew not to lose my cool and just keep going.\n\n<strong>Foot problems turned out to be my Achilles heel for this race.</strong>\n\nSo, I ran and walked for a while. Around mile 13 I had some stomach problems which made me sit down for a bit, but I battled through that.\n\nUnfortunately, foot problems persisted, which slowed me down and even made me fast walk at least 8 of the last 12 miles. But either way, after what had happened in Hamburg, I was determined not to let anything stop me from completing the race. I just stayed focused even as the sun went down and I started to get cold since I was not running as much.\n\nOne of the houses I passed by had a few people outside cheering, so I asked if they had an extra t-shirt. One guy there went inside and brought back his volunteer shirt (he had volunteered earlier in the race) and just told me to turn it inside out, so people did not think I was a volunteer. I thanked him profusely. This helped a lot and kept me going without getting cold.\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-366\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/finish-line-C-400.jpg\" alt=\"Finish Line C 400\" width=\"300\" height=\"338\" />So, as I turned the last corner and headed to last 500 yards I knew I had made it. Even with my foot problems and some stomach problems I was able to keep my head in the game and not lose concentration. <strong>There is a saying that in an Ironman the run is 90% mental and the rest is in your head! Hahaha.</strong>\n\nAnd as I entered the finish chute and crossed the finish line, for the tenth time I heard the announcer say:\n\n<em><strong>Peter Fields, “You are an Ironman!”</strong>\n</em>\n\nAll my aches and pains just faded away.\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Ironman Maryland Postscript:</strong></h3>\nAs with every race, my parents’ spirit was with me the whole way. What they went through to survive fascism of World War II in their countries and resettle in this country was nothing compared to what I had to do for this one day. The fortitude and determination that they gave me kept me going the whole way. I am eternally grateful to have had them as my parents.\n\nA very dear friend of mine is going through a severe illness right now. I do not wish to put his name out in a mass email to allow him some privacy. I wrote his initials on my forearms so that I could think of him when racing. It’s a tough time he’s going through. Never letting anything stand in his way. Smiling every day and keeping a positive attitude no matter how he is feeling.  He is the true Ironman. When things got bad during my run I looked at my forearms and thought of him with his will and perseverance no matter how bad things get. This helped me get through my day. I dedicated this race in his honor.\n\nI want to again thank everybody who thought of me during the race or who offered me congratulations on\nfinishing my 10th Ironman.\n\nAnd of course, everyone who took the time to read this.\n\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</strong>\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 10X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\n\n</div>\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\"><a class=\"youtube\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTJCmEnrqYg\"><img style=\"width: 250px; height: 276px;\" title=\"Ironman Maryland 2018 Finisher\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/post-finish-400b.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Maryland 2018 Finisher\" /></a>\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC,<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup>,\n</strong></span>Post race pic\n<em><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Click image above to view video</span></strong></em><a href=\"https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN-HsVLxHi_BQ_2nP6zLXP6J8ZTFSNJ6IOp8OWMOlpDKkKhr2mo1qrbf6IRAb3iPg?key=cnNlNUFmU0VxUEZuR0lhTmVOOXp3dDB2czNkMTNB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2018 Maryland\nClick For More Photos</a>Click below for Pictures &amp; Story\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2017 Ironman Santa Rosa</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-8th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-7th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Switzerland</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-6th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-5th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Brazil</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-4th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2014 Ironman Austria</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-3rd-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2013 Ironman Canada</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/the-athletic-doc/race-report-2nd-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2012 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/the-athletic-doc/race-report-1st-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2011 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n\n</div>','Race Report 10th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','361-autosave-v1','','','2022-02-25 23:07:30','2022-02-25 23:07:30','',361,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4907',0,'revision','',0),(4908,9,'2021-11-29 23:43:57','2021-11-29 23:43:57','<div></div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ironman Maryland Race Report</h2>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-362\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Ironman-Maryland.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Maryland\" />\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Saturday, September 29, 2018</em>\r\n<em>2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</em></h6>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><em>\"Never lose sight of your goals\"</em>-Yvette and Fred Fields</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong>Here’s the story of my 10th Ironman:</strong></h3>\r\nI originally scheduled this to take place at Ironman Hamburg, Germany, June 30, 2018.\r\nHamburg is special for me as I lived there for 9 months many years ago. And both my parents were born in Germany.\r\nUnfortunately, it was not meant to be.\r\n\r\nDue to the extreme heat in Europe this summer, they canceled the swim three days before the event due to the high algae count in the lake.\r\n\r\nUpon returning to the states I had to reevaluate. If one does 12 Ironman races and at least one in each year, you can get a special lottery entry into the world championships in Kona, Hawaii. My count now still stood at 9. If I didn’t do one this year my total would go back to zero. I looked at my options and the best one was <strong>Ironman Maryland</strong> at the end of September. Since it was less than two months away, I just had to maintain my fitness level with moderate work outs.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Getting There:</strong></h3>\r\nThe flight to Maryland was a lot easier than it was to Hamburg. It was in Cambridge, Maryland, which is the outer banks of Maryland. Cross country flight to Philadelphia and a short flight to a small airport near Cambridge. After checking in at the hotel,  I looked over the course and got ready for race day. The swim took place in a river that fed from the ocean. The day of the race the weather was very good.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Ironman Maryland-The Swim 2.4 miles:</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-363\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/swim-400.jpg\" alt=\"Swim 400\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" />Ironman Maryland is notorious for rainy weather but race day was clear and without clouds. My swim went well. The water was wetsuit legal which meant the water was below 76.2 degrees. At 74 degrees, it was warm but I left my wetsuit on as did most of the other athletes. Because I’m a strong swimmer, it’s easy for me to overheat in a wetsuit. I had learned in practice, just two days before, to pull the zipper down on the back of my wetsuit to let a little bit of water in to cool me down.\r\n\r\nPlus, twice during the race I lifted the front of my wetsuit off my chest and let water in. This was enough to cool me down. All in all, I felt very good in the swim. As I exited the water after 2.4 miles, I was aware of the problems I had on the bike so was very cautious and prepared with my nutrition intake.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike 112 miles:</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-364\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike2-600.jpg\" alt=\"Bike2 600\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" />There was some wind on the bike which picked up after 40 miles. But somehow, I felt strong. I was biking faster than I had ever biked before. Halfway through I was under 3 hours. My normal time for 56 miles is 3:10 or more.\r\n\r\nI kept pushing ahead without exerting myself too much to save myself for the run.\r\nAnd I did not have any stomach problems!\r\n\r\nI got off the bike at 6 hours and 6 minutes which was 24 minutes faster than I had ever done a bike ride in an Ironman. I was exceptionally pleased. I even commented to the people in the transition why were there so many transition bags in the area and they all said those people haven’t finished. This surprised even me as I am usually a lot slower and there are usually less bags there.  Everything was going as planned.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run 26.2 miles:</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-365\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/run1-400.jpg\" alt=\"Run1 400\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" />As I exited the transition area to start my marathon run, I felt very good and strong. The first 5 or 6 miles went well. Unfortunately, then I started to have some foot problems. Ironman races are all about crisis control. So, I knew not to lose my cool and just keep going.\r\n\r\n<strong>Foot problems turned out to be my Achilles heel for this race.</strong>\r\n\r\nSo, I ran and walked for a while. Around mile 13 I had some stomach problems which made me sit down for a bit, but I battled through that.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, foot problems persisted, which slowed me down and even made me fast walk at least 8 of the last 12 miles. But either way, after what had happened in Hamburg, I was determined not to let anything stop me from completing the race. I just stayed focused even as the sun went down and I started to get cold since I was not running as much.\r\n\r\nOne of the houses I passed by had a few people outside cheering, so I asked if they had an extra t-shirt. One guy there went inside and brought back his volunteer shirt (he had volunteered earlier in the race) and just told me to turn it inside out, so people did not think I was a volunteer. I thanked him profusely. This helped a lot and kept me going without getting cold.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-366\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/finish-line-C-400.jpg\" alt=\"Finish Line C 400\" width=\"300\" height=\"338\" />So, as I turned the last corner and headed to last 500 yards I knew I had made it. Even with my foot problems and some stomach problems I was able to keep my head in the game and not lose concentration. <strong>There is a saying that in an Ironman the run is 90% mental and the rest is in your head! Hahaha.</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd as I entered the finish chute and crossed the finish line, for the tenth time I heard the announcer say:\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Peter Fields, “You are an Ironman!”</strong>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\nAll my aches and pains just faded away.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Ironman Maryland Postscript:</strong></h3>\r\nAs with every race, my parents’ spirit was with me the whole way. What they went through to survive fascism of World War II in their countries and resettle in this country was nothing compared to what I had to do for this one day. The fortitude and determination that they gave me kept me going the whole way. I am eternally grateful to have had them as my parents.\r\n\r\nA very dear friend of mine is going through a severe illness right now. I do not wish to put his name out in a mass email to allow him some privacy. I wrote his initials on my forearms so that I could think of him when racing. It’s a tough time he’s going through. Never letting anything stand in his way. Smiling every day and keeping a positive attitude no matter how he is feeling.  He is the true Ironman. When things got bad during my run I looked at my forearms and thought of him with his will and perseverance no matter how bad things get. This helped me get through my day. I dedicated this race in his honor.\r\n\r\nI want to again thank everybody who thought of me during the race or who offered me congratulations on\r\nfinishing my 10th Ironman.\r\n\r\nAnd of course, everyone who took the time to read this.\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</strong>\r\n<strong>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 10X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\"><a class=\"youtube\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTJCmEnrqYg\"><img style=\"width: 250px; height: 276px;\" title=\"Ironman Maryland 2018 Finisher\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/post-finish-400b.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Maryland 2018 Finisher\" /></a>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC,<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup>,\r\n</strong></span>Post race pic\r\n<em><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Click image above to view video</span></strong></em><a href=\"https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN-HsVLxHi_BQ_2nP6zLXP6J8ZTFSNJ6IOp8OWMOlpDKkKhr2mo1qrbf6IRAb3iPg?key=cnNlNUFmU0VxUEZuR0lhTmVOOXp3dDB2czNkMTNB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2018 Maryland\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2017 Ironman Santa Rosa</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-8th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-7th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Switzerland</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-6th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-5th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Brazil</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-4th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2014 Ironman Austria</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-3rd-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2013 Ironman Canada</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/the-athletic-doc/race-report-2nd-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2012 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/the-athletic-doc/race-report-1st-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2011 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n\r\n</div>','Race Report 10th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','361-revision-v1','','','2021-11-29 23:43:57','2021-11-29 23:43:57','',361,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4908',0,'revision','',0),(4910,9,'2021-12-15 02:36:59','2021-12-15 02:36:59','<h2>Bio-Identical Hormones for A Happier and Healthier Life</h2>\nA balanced program of exercise and the consumption of whole foods takes you far down the road of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But when necessary, the inclusion of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy as recommended by your physician might be the boost you need for a happier and healthier life.\n<h3><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1129\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/health-insurance.jpg\" alt=\"Health Insurance\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />How to Achieve Optimal Aging</h3>\nAs people age, they may encounter symptoms that make them feel less than optimal. Even those that follow healthy eating programs. It is possible to stop much of the undesirable aspects and symptoms  associated with aging. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a science which has shown to improve the quality of your life.\n<h4><em>Your Physician Will Take A Detailed History and Perform Lab Testing</em></h4>\nPhysicians who prescribe these hormones will take a detailed history of the symptoms you experience. Following this, a laboratory evaluation of your hormone levels will be done. With these results, a personalized hormone supplementation program can be prescribed for you.\n\nAfter initiating the therapy, you will be monitored and the hormone replacements will be balanced for optimal benefits. Many patients experience how natural hormone supplementation can help with healthy aging.\n<h3>Bio-Identical Hormones Are Not the Same As Synthetic Hormones</h3>\nBio-identical hormones are prescribed, but they are natural substances that function as messengers to stimulate cells to heal, reproduce, and rejuvenate. Disease and symptoms of aging occur when hormone levels decline.\n\nNatural, bio-identical hormones are preferred over synthetic hormones, so you can achieve all of the benefits of hormone replacement without the risks and side effects associated with synthetic hormones.\n<h3>Common Bio-Identical Hormones To Boost A Happier and Healthier Lifestyle</h3>\n<strong>DHEA</strong>\nBy age 40, DHEA has declined markedly. Replacement results in immune enhancement, therefore making DHEA extremely important in cancer and infection prevention. DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones and is therefore an important building block in the production of these hormones. DHEA helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol, while reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.\n\n<strong>ESTROGEN</strong>\nReplacement with natural estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer\'s disease, and osteoporosis in women. Estrogen prevents symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, temperature deregulation, mood swings, urogenital atrophy, decreased libido, and depression. Estrogen lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good cholesterol).\n\n<strong>PROGESTERONE</strong>\nReplacement with natural progesterone protects against uterine and breast cancer , and also osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces symptoms of menopause. Progesterone occurs naturally with estrogen and should be prescribed concurrently to balance estrogen.\n\n<strong>MELATONIN</strong>\nThis hormone is produced by the pineal gland and declines significantly by age 40. Melatonin controls circadium rhythm and sleep cycles. It induces sleep, improves quality of sleep, and increases REM sleep and deep stage IV sleep. During this deep stage of sleep, the immune system is stimulated. It has anti-cancer effects and modulates immune function by activating the cytokine system (lymphocytic function).\n\n<strong>TESTOSTERONE</strong>\nThis hormone is necessary in both men and women and declines steadily after age 30. Testosterone is responsible for sustaining libido, muscle mass, and immunity. It protects against disease in men plus the degeneration of muscle, bone, tendon and joints. It is a great mood enhancer and imparts a sense of well being in aging men and women.\n\n<strong>THYROID</strong>\nThis metabolic hormone decreases steadily with age. Lack of thyroid hormone results in cold intolerance, fatigue, lassitude, weight gain, increased cholesterol, thin and dry skin, hair loss, thin and brittle nails. Replenishment results in reversal of these symptoms plus increased energy and metabolism.\n\n<strong>PREGNENOLONE</strong>\nDecline of this hormone occurs after age 30. This hormone aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system and is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones.\n\nIf you are not feeling optimal even though you are exercising and eating right, ask your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.\n\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Your best health insurance','','inherit','closed','closed','','1486-autosave-v1','','','2021-12-15 02:36:59','2021-12-15 02:36:59','',1486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4910',0,'revision','',0),(4911,9,'2021-12-15 02:28:59','2021-12-15 02:28:59','<h2>Bio-Identical Hormones for A Happier and Healthier Life</h2>\r\nA balanced program of exercise and the consumption of whole foods takes you far down the road of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But when necessary, the inclusion of vitamin supplementation or hormone replacement therapy as recommended by your physician might be the boost you need for a happier and healthier life.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1129\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/health-insurance.jpg\" alt=\"Health Insurance\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Bio-Identical Hormones As We Age</h3>\r\nAs people age, they may encounter symptoms that make them feel less than optimal. Even those that follow healthy eating programs. It is possible to stop much of the undesirable aspects and symptoms  associated with aging. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a science which has shown to improve the quality of your life.\r\n\r\nPhysicians who prescribe these hormones will take a detailed history of the symptoms you experience. Following this, a laboratory evaluation of your hormone levels will be done. With these results, a personalized hormone supplementation program can be prescribed for you. After initiating the therapy, you will be monitored and the hormone replacements will be balanced for optimal benefits. Many patients experience how natural hormone supplementation can help with healthy aging.\r\n\r\nBio-identical hormones are prescribed, but they are natural substances that function as messengers to stimulate cells to heal, reproduce, and rejuvenate. Disease and symptoms of aging occur when hormone levels decline. Natural, bio-identical hormones are preferred over synthetic hormones, so you can achieve all of the benefits of hormone replacement without the risks and side effects associated with synthetic hormones.\r\n<h3>Common Bio-Identical Hormones To Boost A Happier and Healthier Lifestyle</h3>\r\n<strong>DHEA</strong>\r\nBy age 40, DHEA has declined markedly. Replacement results in immune enhancement, therefore making DHEA extremely important in cancer and infection prevention. DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones and is therefore an important building block in the production of these hormones. DHEA helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol, while reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.\r\n\r\n<strong>ESTROGEN</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer\'s disease, and osteoporosis in women. Estrogen prevents symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, temperature deregulation, mood swings, urogenital atrophy, decreased libido, and depression. Estrogen lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good cholesterol).\r\n\r\n<strong>PROGESTERONE</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural progesterone protects against uterine and breast cancer , and also osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces symptoms of menopause. Progesterone occurs naturally with estrogen and should be prescribed concurrently to balance estrogen.\r\n\r\n<strong>MELATONIN</strong>\r\nThis hormone is produced by the pineal gland and declines significantly by age 40. Melatonin controls circadium rhythm and sleep cycles. It induces sleep, improves quality of sleep, and increases REM sleep and deep stage IV sleep. During this deep stage of sleep, the immune system is stimulated. It has anti-cancer effects and modulates immune function by activating the cytokine system (lymphocytic function).\r\n\r\n<strong>TESTOSTERONE</strong>\r\nThis hormone is necessary in both men and women and declines steadily after age 30. Testosterone is responsible for sustaining libido, muscle mass, and immunity. It protects against disease in men plus the degeneration of muscle, bone, tendon and joints. It is a great mood enhancer and imparts a sense of well being in aging men and women.\r\n\r\n<strong>THYROID</strong>\r\nThis metabolic hormone decreases steadily with age. Lack of thyroid hormone results in cold intolerance, fatigue, lassitude, weight gain, increased cholesterol, thin and dry skin, hair loss, thin and brittle nails. Replenishment results in reversal of these symptoms plus increased energy and metabolism.\r\n\r\n<strong>PREGNENOLONE</strong>\r\nDecline of this hormone occurs after age 30. This hormone aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system and is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones.\r\n\r\nIf you are not feeling optimal even though you are exercising and eating right, ask your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Your best health insurance','','inherit','closed','closed','','1486-revision-v1','','','2021-12-15 02:28:59','2021-12-15 02:28:59','',1486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4911',0,'revision','',0),(4912,9,'2021-12-15 02:29:40','2021-12-15 02:29:40','<h2>Bio-Identical Hormones for A Happier and Healthier Life</h2>\r\nA balanced program of exercise and the consumption of whole foods takes you far down the road of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But when necessary, the inclusion of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy as recommended by your physician might be the boost you need for a happier and healthier life.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1129\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/health-insurance.jpg\" alt=\"Health Insurance\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Bio-Identical Hormones As We Age</h3>\r\nAs people age, they may encounter symptoms that make them feel less than optimal. Even those that follow healthy eating programs. It is possible to stop much of the undesirable aspects and symptoms  associated with aging. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a science which has shown to improve the quality of your life.\r\n\r\nPhysicians who prescribe these hormones will take a detailed history of the symptoms you experience. Following this, a laboratory evaluation of your hormone levels will be done. With these results, a personalized hormone supplementation program can be prescribed for you. After initiating the therapy, you will be monitored and the hormone replacements will be balanced for optimal benefits. Many patients experience how natural hormone supplementation can help with healthy aging.\r\n\r\nBio-identical hormones are prescribed, but they are natural substances that function as messengers to stimulate cells to heal, reproduce, and rejuvenate. Disease and symptoms of aging occur when hormone levels decline. Natural, bio-identical hormones are preferred over synthetic hormones, so you can achieve all of the benefits of hormone replacement without the risks and side effects associated with synthetic hormones.\r\n<h3>Common Bio-Identical Hormones To Boost A Happier and Healthier Lifestyle</h3>\r\n<strong>DHEA</strong>\r\nBy age 40, DHEA has declined markedly. Replacement results in immune enhancement, therefore making DHEA extremely important in cancer and infection prevention. DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones and is therefore an important building block in the production of these hormones. DHEA helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol, while reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.\r\n\r\n<strong>ESTROGEN</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer\'s disease, and osteoporosis in women. Estrogen prevents symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, temperature deregulation, mood swings, urogenital atrophy, decreased libido, and depression. Estrogen lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good cholesterol).\r\n\r\n<strong>PROGESTERONE</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural progesterone protects against uterine and breast cancer , and also osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces symptoms of menopause. Progesterone occurs naturally with estrogen and should be prescribed concurrently to balance estrogen.\r\n\r\n<strong>MELATONIN</strong>\r\nThis hormone is produced by the pineal gland and declines significantly by age 40. Melatonin controls circadium rhythm and sleep cycles. It induces sleep, improves quality of sleep, and increases REM sleep and deep stage IV sleep. During this deep stage of sleep, the immune system is stimulated. It has anti-cancer effects and modulates immune function by activating the cytokine system (lymphocytic function).\r\n\r\n<strong>TESTOSTERONE</strong>\r\nThis hormone is necessary in both men and women and declines steadily after age 30. Testosterone is responsible for sustaining libido, muscle mass, and immunity. It protects against disease in men plus the degeneration of muscle, bone, tendon and joints. It is a great mood enhancer and imparts a sense of well being in aging men and women.\r\n\r\n<strong>THYROID</strong>\r\nThis metabolic hormone decreases steadily with age. Lack of thyroid hormone results in cold intolerance, fatigue, lassitude, weight gain, increased cholesterol, thin and dry skin, hair loss, thin and brittle nails. Replenishment results in reversal of these symptoms plus increased energy and metabolism.\r\n\r\n<strong>PREGNENOLONE</strong>\r\nDecline of this hormone occurs after age 30. This hormone aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system and is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones.\r\n\r\nIf you are not feeling optimal even though you are exercising and eating right, ask your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Your best health insurance','','inherit','closed','closed','','1486-revision-v1','','','2021-12-15 02:29:40','2021-12-15 02:29:40','',1486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4912',0,'revision','',0),(4913,9,'2021-12-15 02:32:18','2021-12-15 02:32:18','<h2>Bio-Identical Hormones for A Happier and Healthier Life</h2>\r\nA balanced program of exercise and the consumption of whole foods takes you far down the road of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But when necessary, the inclusion of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy as recommended by your physician might be the boost you need for a happier and healthier life.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1129\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/health-insurance.jpg\" alt=\"Health Insurance\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />How to Achieve Optimal Aging</h3>\r\nAs people age, they may encounter symptoms that make them feel less than optimal. Even those that follow healthy eating programs. It is possible to stop much of the undesirable aspects and symptoms  associated with aging. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a science which has shown to improve the quality of your life.\r\n\r\nPhysicians who prescribe these hormones will take a detailed history of the symptoms you experience. Following this, a laboratory evaluation of your hormone levels will be done. With these results, a personalized hormone supplementation program can be prescribed for you. After initiating the therapy, you will be monitored and the hormone replacements will be balanced for optimal benefits. Many patients experience how natural hormone supplementation can help with healthy aging.\r\n\r\nBio-identical hormones are prescribed, but they are natural substances that function as messengers to stimulate cells to heal, reproduce, and rejuvenate. Disease and symptoms of aging occur when hormone levels decline. Natural, bio-identical hormones are preferred over synthetic hormones, so you can achieve all of the benefits of hormone replacement without the risks and side effects associated with synthetic hormones.\r\n<h3>Common Bio-Identical Hormones To Boost A Happier and Healthier Lifestyle</h3>\r\n<strong>DHEA</strong>\r\nBy age 40, DHEA has declined markedly. Replacement results in immune enhancement, therefore making DHEA extremely important in cancer and infection prevention. DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones and is therefore an important building block in the production of these hormones. DHEA helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol, while reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.\r\n\r\n<strong>ESTROGEN</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer\'s disease, and osteoporosis in women. Estrogen prevents symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, temperature deregulation, mood swings, urogenital atrophy, decreased libido, and depression. Estrogen lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good cholesterol).\r\n\r\n<strong>PROGESTERONE</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural progesterone protects against uterine and breast cancer , and also osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces symptoms of menopause. Progesterone occurs naturally with estrogen and should be prescribed concurrently to balance estrogen.\r\n\r\n<strong>MELATONIN</strong>\r\nThis hormone is produced by the pineal gland and declines significantly by age 40. Melatonin controls circadium rhythm and sleep cycles. It induces sleep, improves quality of sleep, and increases REM sleep and deep stage IV sleep. During this deep stage of sleep, the immune system is stimulated. It has anti-cancer effects and modulates immune function by activating the cytokine system (lymphocytic function).\r\n\r\n<strong>TESTOSTERONE</strong>\r\nThis hormone is necessary in both men and women and declines steadily after age 30. Testosterone is responsible for sustaining libido, muscle mass, and immunity. It protects against disease in men plus the degeneration of muscle, bone, tendon and joints. It is a great mood enhancer and imparts a sense of well being in aging men and women.\r\n\r\n<strong>THYROID</strong>\r\nThis metabolic hormone decreases steadily with age. Lack of thyroid hormone results in cold intolerance, fatigue, lassitude, weight gain, increased cholesterol, thin and dry skin, hair loss, thin and brittle nails. Replenishment results in reversal of these symptoms plus increased energy and metabolism.\r\n\r\n<strong>PREGNENOLONE</strong>\r\nDecline of this hormone occurs after age 30. This hormone aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system and is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones.\r\n\r\nIf you are not feeling optimal even though you are exercising and eating right, ask your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Your best health insurance','','inherit','closed','closed','','1486-revision-v1','','','2021-12-15 02:32:18','2021-12-15 02:32:18','',1486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4913',0,'revision','',0),(4914,9,'2021-12-15 02:34:33','2021-12-15 02:34:33','<h2>Bio-Identical Hormones for A Happier and Healthier Life</h2>\r\nA balanced program of exercise and the consumption of whole foods takes you far down the road of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But when necessary, the inclusion of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy as recommended by your physician might be the boost you need for a happier and healthier life.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1129\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/health-insurance.jpg\" alt=\"Health Insurance\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />How to Achieve Optimal Aging</h3>\r\nAs people age, they may encounter symptoms that make them feel less than optimal. Even those that follow healthy eating programs. It is possible to stop much of the undesirable aspects and symptoms  associated with aging. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a science which has shown to improve the quality of your life.\r\n\r\nPhysicians who prescribe these hormones will take a detailed history of the symptoms you experience. Following this, a laboratory evaluation of your hormone levels will be done. With these results, a personalized hormone supplementation program can be prescribed for you. After initiating the therapy, you will be monitored and the hormone replacements will be balanced for optimal benefits. Many patients experience how natural hormone supplementation can help with healthy aging.\r\n<h3>Bio-Identical Hormones Are Not the Same As Synthetic Hormones</h3>\r\nBio-identical hormones are prescribed, but they are natural substances that function as messengers to stimulate cells to heal, reproduce, and rejuvenate. Disease and symptoms of aging occur when hormone levels decline. Natural, bio-identical hormones are preferred over synthetic hormones, so you can achieve all of the benefits of hormone replacement without the risks and side effects associated with synthetic hormones.\r\n<h3>Common Bio-Identical Hormones To Boost A Happier and Healthier Lifestyle</h3>\r\n<strong>DHEA</strong>\r\nBy age 40, DHEA has declined markedly. Replacement results in immune enhancement, therefore making DHEA extremely important in cancer and infection prevention. DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones and is therefore an important building block in the production of these hormones. DHEA helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol, while reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.\r\n\r\n<strong>ESTROGEN</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer\'s disease, and osteoporosis in women. Estrogen prevents symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, temperature deregulation, mood swings, urogenital atrophy, decreased libido, and depression. Estrogen lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good cholesterol).\r\n\r\n<strong>PROGESTERONE</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural progesterone protects against uterine and breast cancer , and also osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces symptoms of menopause. Progesterone occurs naturally with estrogen and should be prescribed concurrently to balance estrogen.\r\n\r\n<strong>MELATONIN</strong>\r\nThis hormone is produced by the pineal gland and declines significantly by age 40. Melatonin controls circadium rhythm and sleep cycles. It induces sleep, improves quality of sleep, and increases REM sleep and deep stage IV sleep. During this deep stage of sleep, the immune system is stimulated. It has anti-cancer effects and modulates immune function by activating the cytokine system (lymphocytic function).\r\n\r\n<strong>TESTOSTERONE</strong>\r\nThis hormone is necessary in both men and women and declines steadily after age 30. Testosterone is responsible for sustaining libido, muscle mass, and immunity. It protects against disease in men plus the degeneration of muscle, bone, tendon and joints. It is a great mood enhancer and imparts a sense of well being in aging men and women.\r\n\r\n<strong>THYROID</strong>\r\nThis metabolic hormone decreases steadily with age. Lack of thyroid hormone results in cold intolerance, fatigue, lassitude, weight gain, increased cholesterol, thin and dry skin, hair loss, thin and brittle nails. Replenishment results in reversal of these symptoms plus increased energy and metabolism.\r\n\r\n<strong>PREGNENOLONE</strong>\r\nDecline of this hormone occurs after age 30. This hormone aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system and is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones.\r\n\r\nIf you are not feeling optimal even though you are exercising and eating right, ask your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Your best health insurance','','inherit','closed','closed','','1486-revision-v1','','','2021-12-15 02:34:33','2021-12-15 02:34:33','',1486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4914',0,'revision','',0),(4915,9,'2021-12-15 02:35:57','2021-12-15 02:35:57','<h2>Bio-Identical Hormones for A Happier and Healthier Life</h2>\r\nA balanced program of exercise and the consumption of whole foods takes you far down the road of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But when necessary, the inclusion of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy as recommended by your physician might be the boost you need for a happier and healthier life.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1129\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/health-insurance.jpg\" alt=\"Health Insurance\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />How to Achieve Optimal Aging</h3>\r\nAs people age, they may encounter symptoms that make them feel less than optimal. Even those that follow healthy eating programs. It is possible to stop much of the undesirable aspects and symptoms  associated with aging. Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a science which has shown to improve the quality of your life.\r\n<h3><em>Your Physician Will Take A Detailed History and Perform Lab Testing</em></h3>\r\nPhysicians who prescribe these hormones will take a detailed history of the symptoms you experience. Following this, a laboratory evaluation of your hormone levels will be done. With these results, a personalized hormone supplementation program can be prescribed for you. After initiating the therapy, you will be monitored and the hormone replacements will be balanced for optimal benefits. Many patients experience how natural hormone supplementation can help with healthy aging.\r\n<h3>Bio-Identical Hormones Are Not the Same As Synthetic Hormones</h3>\r\nBio-identical hormones are prescribed, but they are natural substances that function as messengers to stimulate cells to heal, reproduce, and rejuvenate. Disease and symptoms of aging occur when hormone levels decline. Natural, bio-identical hormones are preferred over synthetic hormones, so you can achieve all of the benefits of hormone replacement without the risks and side effects associated with synthetic hormones.\r\n<h3>Common Bio-Identical Hormones To Boost A Happier and Healthier Lifestyle</h3>\r\n<strong>DHEA</strong>\r\nBy age 40, DHEA has declined markedly. Replacement results in immune enhancement, therefore making DHEA extremely important in cancer and infection prevention. DHEA is a precursor to the sex hormones and is therefore an important building block in the production of these hormones. DHEA helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol, while reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.\r\n\r\n<strong>ESTROGEN</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer\'s disease, and osteoporosis in women. Estrogen prevents symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, temperature deregulation, mood swings, urogenital atrophy, decreased libido, and depression. Estrogen lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good cholesterol).\r\n\r\n<strong>PROGESTERONE</strong>\r\nReplacement with natural progesterone protects against uterine and breast cancer , and also osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces symptoms of menopause. Progesterone occurs naturally with estrogen and should be prescribed concurrently to balance estrogen.\r\n\r\n<strong>MELATONIN</strong>\r\nThis hormone is produced by the pineal gland and declines significantly by age 40. Melatonin controls circadium rhythm and sleep cycles. It induces sleep, improves quality of sleep, and increases REM sleep and deep stage IV sleep. During this deep stage of sleep, the immune system is stimulated. It has anti-cancer effects and modulates immune function by activating the cytokine system (lymphocytic function).\r\n\r\n<strong>TESTOSTERONE</strong>\r\nThis hormone is necessary in both men and women and declines steadily after age 30. Testosterone is responsible for sustaining libido, muscle mass, and immunity. It protects against disease in men plus the degeneration of muscle, bone, tendon and joints. It is a great mood enhancer and imparts a sense of well being in aging men and women.\r\n\r\n<strong>THYROID</strong>\r\nThis metabolic hormone decreases steadily with age. Lack of thyroid hormone results in cold intolerance, fatigue, lassitude, weight gain, increased cholesterol, thin and dry skin, hair loss, thin and brittle nails. Replenishment results in reversal of these symptoms plus increased energy and metabolism.\r\n\r\n<strong>PREGNENOLONE</strong>\r\nDecline of this hormone occurs after age 30. This hormone aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system and is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones.\r\n\r\nIf you are not feeling optimal even though you are exercising and eating right, ask your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Your best health insurance','','inherit','closed','closed','','1486-revision-v1','','','2021-12-15 02:35:57','2021-12-15 02:35:57','',1486,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4915',0,'revision','',0),