I made the ascent to the peak of Easter mountain yesterday without incident. In fact, I made it to the top without much difficulty, which is especially surprising. I had carried my portable nebulizer with me in anticipation of a breathing attack during the climb, but I didn’t need it. Oh sure, I did some huffing on puffing on the way up, but the normal kind, not the “oh my God, I can’t breathe” feeling I’ve been experiencing recently. Even my hiking companion, Jim, was surprised at my slow but steady progress up the mountain without the need to stop and rest. I hope this is a sign that whatever has been ailing my worn-out lungs has left the building. Another indication that things may be improving is that I’m sleeping through the night without the need to get up and nebulize. I’m not sure what has changed, but it occurs to me that perhaps my rejection of gin as my alcoholic beverage of choice had a positive impact. Whatever, feeling healthier is like, well, a breath of fresh air!
The purpose of yesterday’s climb was to scout the trail for the traditional Easter Monday Hash run. The way we are going to the top is steep but not as tough as some other paths we’ve Hashed recently. Now, getting back down was another matter. There is still a lot of grass, which made finding an easy-to-follow trail difficult. In fact, we are going back out on Wednesday to find a better alternative than what we took yesterday. We’ll do that by starting at the bottom where we want to come out and then working our way back up. So, yes, I have another Easter mountain climb in the near future, actually, two more because we’ll also need to go back and mark the trail on Easter Monday.
The Hashers will ride rented Jeepneys to the trailhead next week. Jim and I took a trike yesterday to the starting point.
We are off to a good start, though.
And now, for the rest of the day. I bought the Hideaway girls some Korean-style chicken wings and bulgogi from John’s place, along with a pizza from Shamboli’s for their Sunday feeding.
And after my time at Hideaway, I kept my promise and dropped by to see Aine, the new old girl at Wet Spot.
It is Hash Monday for me, so I need to prepare myself for that adventure. Hopefully, it goes as well as yesterday did for me.
Of the ladies you know, Aine is easily the best looking to me. And she seems nice.
Whatever I might say about your “love” life, I have mucho respect for all the hill-climbing you do. As you know, I’m a big believer in staircase training, but a steep hill is just as good if not better (given how it helps one develop balance).
I typed “pulmonary implications of gin consumption” into Google, and a few results came up about alcohol’s effect on the lungs. Too many links to note here, but I’ll quote from the first link, which is from the National Institutes of Health:
Next time you see your docs, give them an honest rundown of your drinking habits, ask them whether they think you might have AUD (if you don’t, then the above paragraph is probably irrelevant), and be sure to ask their opinion of whether stopping gin might increase lung performance. I assume the stoppage of gin is the only significant change in a constellation of variables in your life, which is why you’re thinking the gin might be connected to the lungs. I think that’s a reasonable assumption (I use the same sort of eliminative logic all the time for my various health issues), but it doesn’t hurt to consult with your docs, especially since you have such a comfortable relationship with them.
Another thing to ask is whether there’s a connection between COPD, ARDS, and AUD (or just good ol’ alcohol consumption, disordered or not). ARDS sounds as if it could be a consequence of COPD. I’m thinking specifically of either your trudging uphill or your receiving a “happy ending” at the end of a massage. It could be that COPD is the underlying condition, and ARDS is what you experience when you suddenly start gasping. Please check with your docs re: how these things are related.
Meantime, keep tromping up those hills.
Well, I don’t know about Alchohol Use Disorder (AUD); it’s the first time I’ve heard the term. I’ll read up on the link you sent. I assume it’s a polite way to say “alcoholic”. Now, clearly, I over-indulge based on the “recommended” average daily consumption of no more than two drinks, and that may certainly have health implications down the road, especially for my liver. Truth is, I’ve never adhered to that low standard at any point since I began drinking fifty years ago. I am perhaps blessed with good alcohol tolerance genes–my father was a heavy drinker until his passing at 83.
Even so, I don’t consider myself “alcoholic,” which implies addiction to the booze, although maybe I’m fooling myself. I choose to drink on a daily basis because I enjoy the social relaxation it provides. I almost never drink at home, and when I do, it is when I have company. I work to control my consumption so that I’m comfortably buzzed without being overtly drunk (i.e. falling down). Most nights, I succeed at that, especially when I confine myself to the low-alcohol beers that I prefer.
Anyway, next time I see Dr. Jo, I will engage her for thoughts on AUD and how my imbibing may impact my health in general and my lungs in particular. We’ll see what’s in the ARDS!
” “For women, as well as for men ages 65 and older, drinking levels for low-risk drinking are defined as no more than 3 drinks per occasion or 7 drinks per week. Exceeding these daily or weekly drinking limits significantly increases the risk of developing AUD”
Well, there you go; if I don’t have AUD, I’m a prime candidate. I’d say 7 drinks per NIGHT is more my standard level of consumption.
I don’t know how to judge what counts as alcoholic since I don’t drink, but you’ve recently written about a couple blackouts, and you were having trouble figuring out how to moderate the gin, so to my mind, that’s a truck without brakes going over a cliff. I can’t say this is AUD (a concept I haven’t studied in depth, anyway), but it sure doesn’t sound like moderate drinking.
Kev, Yeah, no question that gin was not a healthy choice for me. There are worse things than a beer belly, for sure. I will henceforth stay in my comfort zone with my low-alcohol beer for company.
I don’t know what the “experts” would say about my drinking other than it is too much, too often. I don’t have any of the classic addiction indicators, and I function just fine without it during the 20+ hours per day I don’t drink. Beer is a part of my life for sure, but not the dominant part. And if I were to compare myself to a lot of the expat community, I’d say I’m practically a teetotaler.
Coincidentally, I came across a Washington Post article in which the “experts” are now saying that moderate drinking (that whole 2 drinks a day is okay meme) is unhealthy too. Fuck it; I don’t care. Not enjoying whatever time you have left in life is also unhealthy. I’m going to do it my way.