New and experienced climbers over 50 # 25

Lori Milas wrote:

Wendy, thanks for the update!  I'm so glad you are getting out to walk, and weaning off the meds etc.  

Randy... thanks for the upper.  Things have changed for me this summer... I've gone from wanting to climb 'everything' to wanting to carefully choose a few routes I can work up to.  I wondered about the boulder to the left... looks like that's the better start.  The whole rock is quite stunning, and I just hope my eyes aren't bigger than my stomach, as it were.  

It's been amazing this summer how I've just stumbled onto some of the most beautiful rocks, the most amazing areas of this park.  But it is nerve-wracking to have to be so vigilant about snakes right now.  

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I wasn't going to gripe anymore about the medical establishment, but it does seem relevant to those of us who may need medical treatment at some point.  I did clean up my attitude yesterday and walked into the treatment room with Tony for his Cardiology appointment.  I was kinda suprised to see a very perky, athletic-looking young doctor in bright green tennis shoes, big smile.  I sat back and decided not to speak at all until the whole appointment was over.  Cardiologist said all the recent tests looked 'fine'... 'Keep on doing what you're doing'.  And that was about the sum of it and he was getting up to leave. 

Until I started with some questions.  I asked about the clogged femoral artery, about the calcium score of 10,000 when "0" is optimal.  Doc said "Oh, that... no big deal at this point. You can't undo that, it's been there for 30 years."   (and yet no one in 30 years ever discussed how to stop that progression). 

Then I asked... "Is there anything Tony can do to feel better, to be able to walk more, to stop being so tired?"  Oh!  THEN doc launched into long dissertation on the value of the Mediterranean diet, on losing another 50-75 pounds, on being fastidious about exercise and 'healthy fats'.  I asked about CoQ10 since doc wants him on a statin now.  And we got another 15 minutes on the available studies for and against, on supplements.  Also... that taking any of these meds only adds 1% protection... so maybe he won't want them.   

So the key point here was... we had to ASK.  

I hear you on this. I'm lucky to have a GP who loves to talk about lifestyle and dietary effects on health, but I wonder if doctors sometimes also get fatigue from talking to their patients about diet and exercise and then the patient doing nothing? Seems there's a lot of that in the world, too. I know a lot of people who really just want their MD to write a scrip for some miracle drug that's going to undo the damage and suffering caused by decades of neglecting their foundational health. 

Andrew Rice wrote:

I hear you on this. I'm lucky to have a GP who loves to talk about lifestyle and dietary effects on health, but I wonder if doctors sometimes also get fatigue from talking to their patients about diet and exercise and then the patient doing nothing? Seems there's a lot of that in the world, too. I know a lot of people who really just want their MD to write a scrip for some miracle drug that's going to undo the damage and suffering caused by decades of neglecting their foundational health. 

I think both parties, patients and doctors, are to blame for where we are now. Having owned a medical billing service for 35 years I watched my doctors incomes get squeezed every year until they had almost no living wage. The last time I looked, a doctor could do an Extended physical exam with a complete written report of findings and charge about $65. With a PPO discount he might have income of $55 out of which goes his overhead and staff etc. I just watched virtually half of my clients quit their jobs as doctors because they couldn’t survive on the income. so there’s that. But also, yes, in my world almost everyone I know just wants “the Dr“ to tell them what to do and give them a pill.  I am sure that Tony’s cardiologist was making a lot of assumptions based upon the average 74-year-old cardiac patient.

I don’t know if I mentioned that I went to the urgent care here in Yucca Valley earlier this year, and Tony and I sat in an exam room for quite a while before the doctor walked in, and he kept looking at his chart and looking at me, and finally explained that he was certain that someone had made a mistake. He said the fact that my chart indicated that I was 69 and had an insulin pump just didn’t compute because older diabetics don’t have insulin pumps. I asked him what do they do? And he said they die! And then he went on to give me a very eye-opening lecture about patient profiling, and that doctors have a few quick items they look at before ever seeing a patient. In my case he would have thought of me as an old person and been dismissive.

similarly, I got a new primary care physician this year and our first visit was by the phone so I filled out the paperwork online but I also attached a climbing photo. He thanked me profusely for that because he said his typical 70 year old patient is old and has mostly geriatric problems, and so the picture helped him to get a different impression and a different sense of how I would want to be treated. 

So I think the older we get the more important it is to really advocate for ourselves, and not let the stereotypes interfere with the medical care that we were given.

Lori Milas wrote:

I think both parties, patients and doctors, are to blame for where we are now. Having owned a medical billing service for 35 years I watched my doctors incomes get squeezed every year until they had almost no living wage. The last time I looked, a doctor could do an Extended physical exam with a complete written report of findings and charge about $65. With a PPO discount he might have income of $55 out of which goes his overhead and staff etc. I just watched virtually half of my clients quit their jobs as doctors because they couldn’t survive on the income. 

Yes. When I had young kids our pediatrician practice stopped taking insurance entirely. When I asked why the doctor explained that they'd do a 15-30 minute visit for the approximately $55 you describe above but then have to chase that reimbursement from private insurers for 6 months and spend $45 on overhead just to get paid. The red tape basically put them into the red. I always think of that when people talk about how the private sector is so "efficient" and that's why we can't have single payer! 

Terry E wrote:

Interesting rope list, Phyl. I am wondering if you use a pull cord/tag line at all? Do you do any alpine climbing?

Hi Terry!  Most of my years, I had a 60 M 1/2 rope, usually 8.2, in there, but the last time that one wore out I didn't bother to replace it.  Most of my partners have them, so we just use their's if we need to do double rope raps.  Or take the 8.8 as the second rope.

Edited to say that all this rope business dates back many years to a time when I had one 60 and a set of twins.  And the 60 was worn out and I was debating whether to replace it with a 70.  I asked on Supertopo for people's opinions and Dean Rosnau said "why choose, get both".  And it was like a lightbulb went off in my head and every since, I'm like the Imelda Marcos of ropes.

Brandt Allen wrote:

I am Jay's designated belay slave. He insists that I run each rope through two belay devices. Having eight gri-gris hanging off my harness gets a bit unwieldy, but hey, safety first is our motto!

The reason he has you use two Gri-Gris when you go out with him alone is that the Gri-Gri 2 is only rated down to 8.9mm. With his 8.5s you need that extra safety margin.  The better system is when the three of us go out and we each belay both color ropes.  Then when he says "clipping blue" we coordinate paying out the rope with such beautiful precision.  It's like Olympic level synchronized swimming.  But on land.  With ropes.

Brandt Allen wrote:

Lori, the photo you posted was taken by Todd's wife showing Quail Springs Road leading up to the entrance to JTNP. I live about a mile and a half from the Park entrance. Around 5:00 we noticed a lot of traffic heading up into the Park. By 7:00 it was bumper to bumper, stop and go as far as I could see down the road. It lasted ALL NIGHT LONG.

Here is a photo taken at 2:00 AM from my back porch, about a quarter mile from the road, still packed with cars.

There were people driving all through the neighborhood on the dirt roads trying to short-cut the traffic. At one point two fire trucks and an ambulance came through, lights flashing and sirens blaring, inching their way up the left-hand lane against oncoming cars. 

It was a night I'll always remember as "The Insanity of Humanity."

Heard the line went all the way down to at least Alta Loma. Insane for sure. 

Worse than the usual Thanksgiving queue.

Que sera sera.

Edit: I hope you patrolled the area between us and chased campers and parkers out at gunpoint. Or sic Murph on them!!    

Brian in SLC wrote:

That's fun.  Unless there was a tag or label on each, I'd still have to look and see what rope was what...

I can't imagine anyone ever doing that.  LOL.    

Greg Opland wrote:

I can't imagine anyone ever doing that.  LOL.    

I love this. The fact that they are laminated - that’s some next level Marie Kondo organization. I bow to you. 

Greg Opland wrote:

I can't imagine anyone ever doing that.  LOL.    

What makes a rope "TRAD ONLY!!!!!"?

Andrew Rice wrote:

What makes a rope "TRAD ONLY!!!!!"?

It won't hold a leader fall.

Andrew Rice wrote:

What makes a rope "TRAD ONLY!!!!!"?

Doesn't get all filthy from people getting lowered, rope dropping into the dirt when you pull it, etc.

phylp phylp wrote:

I love this. The fact that they are laminated - that’s some next level Marie Kondo organization. I bow to you. 

Mainly so they don't get all jacked up over time bouncing around the closet and will last longer, but you make a valid point. 

Guilty as charged...    

Andrew Rice wrote:

I hear you on this. I'm lucky to have a GP who loves to talk about lifestyle and dietary effects on health, but I wonder if doctors sometimes also get fatigue from talking to their patients about diet and exercise and then the patient doing nothing? Seems there's a lot of that in the world, too. I know a lot of people who really just want their MD to write a scrip for some miracle drug that's going to undo the damage and suffering caused by decades of neglecting their foundational health. 

Finding a qualified GP these days is basically like finding a needle in a haystack. They all go for the easy money in specialized med. these days. Pharma pretty much dominates the market now.

I brought out an old thick skinned rope last week for TRing some noobs, it was too hard to pull through the OG grigri so lucky me I have another rope in the pile of "never gonna use again". Down to three decent lead ropes, 2 60s and a 70. kiss

apparently lowering puts more wear on your rope than falling.. 

Andrew Rice wrote:

Yes. When I had young kids our pediatrician practice stopped taking insurance entirely. When I asked why the doctor explained that they'd do a 15-30 minute visit for the approximately $55 you describe above but then have to chase that reimbursement from private insurers for 6 months and spend $45 on overhead just to get paid. The red tape basically put them into the red. I always think of that when people talk about how the private sector is so "efficient" and that's why we can't have single payer! 

After going through a full year of pretty devastating health problems, and seeing countless doctors and specialists, what I concluded is that these doctors really really want to help. They would love to be the hero. But they are so limited and constricted from all sides, and with so few tools in the tool chest, namely drugs and surgeries, time and again my wonderful doctors sent me off with prescriptions for Lexapro and trazodone “until we get this all figured out”. I was not clinically depressed and I was already sleeping fine, but I think it made them feel better to “do something”.

I was told that Eisenhower physicians each have 2400 patients and when I laid out an additional $600 for the concierge service, then my primary physician supposedly only had 600 patients. None of them have a real time to treat a patient.

Ultimately, I had to find my own diagnosis and go through some really whack therapies before the right treatment presented itself. I can laugh right along with Russ at all the woo shit out there at the same time some of it actually helped.  

Damn! Back when I was contemplating a move to Joshua tree Guy said something like “get yourself a cowboy hat, and a shotgun and keep the shotgun under the front seat.“. At the time I thought what? My beautiful little tribe of hippies, artists and climbers?  

Yesterday I went and bought a shotgun. Now I have to learn how to use it. I have never owned a gun – – Tony is another story. This was not on my to do list. There’s a group of ladies in town who get together to shoot shit and I understand that’s where I will be trained. I’m picturing “Chicks with nuts” for the NRA. 

My neighbor, who was in rehab for four months after the swat team carried him off, returned a week ago, looking really good and really healthy. A few days later, he started sharing some paranoid fantasies and I had to walk away. Having gone through 20 years of listening to the stories of drug addicts and every goddamn time I bought it, I finally learned that they can weave the most convincing stories and you have to clamp down on that. So I knew our neighbor was losing it, and I could almost predict to the minute when he would attack us. 

One thing I never knew, and this casts a real shadow on my ability to deal with this, is that you have to wait until your attacker is fully inside your house before you can shoot him. Or her. I’m not sure I can remain that calm. We sat up, armed and ready last night – – Tony is not happy about this, but maybe give him something to do.  

So a whole new learning curve here – – I had to re-arm our security system, buy video cameras and flood lights and motion detectors, purchase a gun or two, and totally watch our backs at all times even walking out to the car.

What I have learned about myself is that I can get used to scorpions and tarantulas and rattlesnakes and danger on the rock and navigate some of the wonky issues of living in the high desert and I will get on top of this situation as well. I’m so grateful for Russ, who has dealt with this stuff forever and is kind enough to share helpful hints for dealing with maniacs. Ironically for me, I love it here all the more.

If you are going to blast anyone in your home, for sure the best way to stay ahead of the court system is to always have a “drop knife” in your sock and watch lots of Forensic Files on TV.

That ladies gun club thingy gets pretty good reviews.  Get some practice on the mechanics of the shotgun, and don’t worry about accuracy on the target.  Hard to miss a tweaker in a hallway with a shotgun.

Lori…. Good for you. So you passed the background check, waited, got the scatter gun in hand?
What did you get?
If you need a wall mounted shotgun safe I have one new, still in the box, that I found when cleaning out my parents garage. I’ll mail it to you if you want. All of my guns live in a real big, heavy, thick walled safe. Owning a gun requires one to be calm and reasonably sane about its use. Never ever use it to warn or threaten someone, it’s for your protection- think last resort- a charging Grizzly Bear if you will. Take extra training and get really good at working its controls so it becomes 2nd nature to you.
Do this and you will never need to huddle in fear on your couch, in the dark, waiting to be slaughtered.
The world is really screwed up right now and I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon.

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Random thoughts.

What is it about Joshua Tree that draws all the nuts to it?
Back in the 40’s thousands of people drove out there to “meet the aliens” …. Created a traffic jam streaming as far back as Palm Springs. Much like the photos, posted here, of the traffic jam leading into the park the other evening. Completely nuts. If you wanted to watch a meteor show you could keep driving east past 29 Stumps and about 15 miles out you are in the middle of nowhere.

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Carl- good luck with your comp! Drink plenty of coffee and energy drinks before hand! Find that aggressive side of your climbing and unleash it! You only get one shot.

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Idaho Bob. Why do you have a 100m static line?

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Everyone be well.

Later 

Guy Keesee wrote:

Carl- good luck with your comp! Drink plenty of coffee and energy drinks before hand! Find that aggressive side of your climbing and unleash it! You only get one shot.

Back in the day, when Timmy Fairfield returned from France (I seem to remember that he was the first American to win a bouldering World Cup), he suggested that I drink a glass of red wine before a local comp. I drank half a bottle and went on to have a pretty good showing. I felt really relaxed with zero pre-comp jitters…zero stakes, just fun.