New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

@ Li Hu

1) the Horst exercises are fine. Campusing isn't rocket science.

2) If you can even find a bacher ladder, they are notoriously hard on elbows. Fun, but maybe not worth the risk.

3) Sounds like you are killing it in the training room, but what exactly are you training for? Just to train, for the gym, or for outside?

4) I hesitate to offer advice, since everyone responds differently to training, (and it's not like I'm Adam Ondra,) but it seems like you are changing your regimen every week, if not more frequently. Maybe try picking a reasonable training plan and sticking with it long enough to see what works? Like 6-8 weeks? Then iterate as needed. 

5) Gabe, Ward, Todd? Y'all are climbing hard, what do you think?

PS leaving for Hueco in two days!!!!

Daniel Joderwrote:

Carl…. Out of curiosity, if all the planned closures were to go into effect at Arapiles, will there be enough available rock (with easy to moderates) left to keep it on my worldwide bucket list? In terms of percentages, what would be the effect of currently proposed closures. Not sure if I’ll ever make it there, but it has been on my list for a few years. 

Yes, I think it’ll still be worth coming. There’s also good climbing in The Grampians and that’s not that far away 45 mins?). 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

I have met a few prima donna climbers ...  not as bad as star football players but either way it doesn't impress me .. -6 f last night. thats about -25c for Carl

Minus 25 is just silly. It got to 43.6 here today, with a hot windy and then no wind at all. Very oppressive. 26 tomorrow so that’ll be my first climbing day this trip. Easy trad while I learn what my new partner is like.

Well, for me it’s ALWAYS easy trad. 

Mark E Dixonwrote:

@ Li Hu

1) the Horst exercises are fine. Campusing isn't rocket science.

Thanks, I was sort of looking for affirmation. I'm just beginning campus, and don't want to get injured.

2) If you can even find a bacher ladder, they are notoriously hard on elbows. Fun, but maybe not worth the risk.

Gotcha.

3) Sounds like you are killing it in the training room, but what exactly are you training for? Just to train, for the gym, or for outside?

Hard climbs in the gym, mainly. Outdoors, I'm not planning anything yet. Maybe boulders?

4) I hesitate to offer advice, since everyone responds differently to training, (and it's not like I'm Adam Ondra,) but it seems like you are changing your regimen every week, if not more frequently. Maybe try picking a reasonable training plan and sticking with it long enough to see what works? Like 6-8 weeks? Then iterate as needed. 

This is great advice, appreciate it! I'm just adding more and more stuff every couple months as my capabilities evolve.

Endurance climbing, Fingerboard, Board climbing and now, finally, campus.

Still doing all the other stuff. It's one heck of a "warmup session"   

5) Gabe, Ward, Todd? Y'all are climbing hard, what do you think?

Thanks in advance. This is a new phase in my training.

PS leaving for Hueco in two days!!!!

Very cool!

Carl. I love easy trad. 

Todd Berlier wrote:

Must do Ghetto Simulator!!!!

As far as training, all I do is limit bouldering. That's what's fun for me!

+1 for Ghetto Simulator, also Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive at the same grade.

The skill component in climbing is so high that you can get good by just climbing, but not by just training.  

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Yes, I think it’ll still be worth coming. There’s also good climbing in The Grampians and that’s not that far away 45 mins?). 

Thanks, Carl. I’ll keep both areas on my list.

And about that 43 degrees C… I started climbing as a teen in the Phoenix, Arizona area so I know about that heat of which you speak. We tried to fry an egg on the sidewalk concrete once but it didn’t quite cook as we expected. Very early morning shade or higher elevations was our answer in those summer months. 

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Yes, I think it’ll still be worth coming. There’s also good climbing in The Grampians and that’s not that far away 45 mins?). 

Hi Carl. I have also had Arapilles and the Gramps on the bucket list, but aren’t the Gramps also something like 70% closed?

I got out for the morning yesterday. I was feeling sick and miserable, but it was just too late to cancel. So I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. My experience both in the gym and on rock is you never know until the moment you put your foot on that first hold, it’s always a surprise.
So the day was wonderful. King Dome is now a beloved, friendly formation where I have climbed many times. Bob suggested I do three laps on Arturo’s, I did two but could’ve done three. Things are healing and I was able to easily do some moves that I couldn’t do just a few weeks ago. So it was all a happy surprise.

There is a tiny knob on an important sequence – – it’s no bigger than an acorn. But if you remember it’s there it makes the crux so much easier.  Also, there are some left – right – left sequences that you don’t want to screw up. If you get it right it all flows. If you miss it, you trip over your own feet.

Good days, bad days, just show up.

Things have gotten dire with Tony. I wish I didn’t have to deal with this today, but he cannot stay another day. Now he has some open sores. He’s really lost time, doesn’t know daytime from night time. A deep depression has set in and at this point he doesn’t care about anything but escaping. I don’t blame him. I was hoping we could wait until one of those rehabs will accept him. Either way we need something definite today and I’m headed down the hill to make that happen. I never thought I would see a big strong and fearless guy reduced to this. Enough!

Lori Milaswrote:

Things have gotten dire with Tony. I wish I didn’t have to deal with this today, but he cannot stay another day. Now he has some open sores. He’s really lost time, doesn’t know daytime from night time. A deep depression has set in and at this point he doesn’t care about anything but escaping. I don’t blame him. I was hoping we could wait until one of those rehabs will accept him. Either way we need something definite today and I’m headed down the hill to make that happen. I never thought I would see a big strong and fearless guy reduced to this. Enough!

@ Lori- I don't have any experience with nursing homes and hope I never will.

Developing pressure sores is not  good sign.

Nevertheless, what exactly do you hope to accomplish today?

Demanding better care has not worked so far, even getting the state authorities involved.

Perhaps this group can brainstorm better options, but from me, all I can suggest is that you dedicate the next month or two to spending the day with Tony, either in his room there or at your home, and ensure that he moves enough and eats enough. If this is impossible for some reason, then perhaps you can hire reliable people to do it. I realize you thought that's what you were doing with the staff at the NH, but apparently not.

Good luck, Tony can get through this and come back stronger than ever, but he can't do it alone.

(Hope I'm not being extreme, but it sounds like his deterioration is really headed to a life or death kind of situation.)

I agree with Mark. Being there as close to full time as possible--and openly documenting everything, seems necessary at this stage. Also, do you have the contact information for the person from the State who 'responded' last week ( if not I'm sure the Nursing Home does and demand it from them)? Contact her and update her on the current situation. I'd do this both through the phone and in writing--especially email or text.

Good luck to both you and Tony.

Lori Milaswrote:

Good days, bad days, just show up.

Things have gotten dire with Tony. I wish I didn’t have to deal with this today, but he cannot stay another day. Now he has some open sores. He’s really lost time, doesn’t know daytime from night time. A deep depression has set in and at this point he doesn’t care about anything but escaping. I don’t blame him. I was hoping we could wait until one of those rehabs will accept him. Either way we need something definite today and I’m headed down the hill to make that happen. I never thought I would see a big strong and fearless guy reduced to this. Enough!

Wishing for the best, I hope Tony gets back up the hill both literally figuratively.

Well, I’m in tears and feeling so grateful for you all. I’m just sad today but gathering my warrior energy before I launch from here and head to the nursing home.

I have posted about Tony in part because we are all getting older and some of us will be facing the need for care… and I believe this is “standard American care”. It helps to be forewarned.  Actually this nursing home is deemed one of the better in the area.  

I’m realizing today that it’s not in Tony’s character to complain or put people out. So, the situation has just simmered and he has tried to tolerate and muscle through.

Info I need today:  are there any insurance repercussions if he leaves without medical clearance?  Does he jeopardize his ability to return to a hospital or NH if he needs to?  What if I got a big strong guy to carry him out of there and into my car and then into the house once we’re home?  I KNOW I can do a better job than what he is currently receiving although it all sounds desperate.  

I’ll be checking out home health care, wound care and PT.

I’ll be making phone calls to the four facilities that are “real” rehabs to see where we stand with our applications although at this point I don’t know if Tony can tolerate another day at a “facility”.  

I guess I better get a move on.  This whole situation is fucked up.  

Lori Milaswrote:

Well, I’m in tears and feeling so grateful for you all. I’m just sad today but gathering my warrior energy before I launch from here and head to the nursing home.

I have posted about Tony in part because we are all getting older and some of us will be facing the need for care… and I believe this is “standard American care”. It helps to be forewarned.  Actually this nursing home is deemed one of the better in the area.  

I guess I better get a move on.  This whole situation is fucked up.  

Agreed. It’s the entire culture that keeps the young so busy surviving that they can’t care for their elders.

That said, we all have hopes that Tony will pull through. 

Does Tony's health insurance company have someone who can answer your questions and maybe help you?

As Wendy said, check with the insurance carrier, though as we see emphasized in the headlines the past 2 weeks, the health insurance industry in general is always looking for ways not to pay. Does California have an insurance commissioner ( or something similar) with an ombudsman position to respond to such questions?

One other thought, I don't know the 'rules' in CA, let alone Tony and your financial situations, but in some places you can hire your own health aide or other professional ( PT,OT) to assist him in a facility ( supplementing the regular staff) as well as at home. This can be very pricey, so that might make it a non-starter for you, and also I wonder if there are many ( any) qualified professionals available in that part of the state, but it could be a possible option if for some reason you can't immediately 'evacuate' Tony from his current locale.

Look for a patient advocate. They specialize in helping navigate all those questions.

https://www.cms.gov/medical-bill-rights/help/guides/patient-advocate

Brandt Allenwrote:

We have some vague plans for Spring, but meanwhile...

And some frivolous flowers.

We also planted carrots, broccoli, swiss chard, and kale. Paula claims they all are suitable for a winter garden. I've had good luck in the past with the salad greens type of stuff. We'll see about the broccoli and carrots.

How do you do that in the winter. Days are nice, but it gets down into the 20's some nights in the neighborhood when the colder days hit.

phylp phylpwrote:

Did they outlaw that at some point?  I remember a few years when I used to see and hear low flying planes in BVC regularly.  It was really obnoxious.  But I haven't noticed them for a while.

We were there a few weeks back and it's SO frickin' annoying that those bozos in planes are up west of the canyons flying acrobatics and making a ton of noise. 

They're loud as hell. Ruins my wilderness experience.

I was thinking the same thing, Greg. I was sure Paula was throwing away our money when she planted all that. But lo and behold, we have sprouts that continue to grow! It's been pretty mild so far this fall. A few nights have been cold but daytime temps have been mostly in the 60's. We'll see how it goes if we get some real winter weather.