It is always good to have a friend along when one discovers something about oneself. This was a cool early spring day in March 2007, out taking one of the first hikes on the season near Mineral Point. Sadie and I had lunch at this spot viewing the smooth waters and the views to the east towards Scotsman's Peak from Mineral Point. We were about an hour and a half from the Highlander and in starting up hill for the hike back I could go no faster than half speed. I did not feel bad, nor ill just a bit funny? I could not move any faster than half speed. I sat down to give myself more time and then started up again , at half speed. I thought, am not going to get back to the car sitting so at half speed I walked back to the car taking three hours instead the expected hour and a half. Well to make a long story short the doctor said I have atrial fibrillation which is an irregular heart beat, not a heart attack. And, o by the way you are also a pre- diabetic and let's talk. Now it took me three doctor visits for them to determine the "fib" thing because my heart would not cooperate with the ekg. Only when I felt funny one day and in calling the nurse she told me to get in there pronto so they could hook me up. I did and finally that is what they found.
The consequences of this effort had mixed results which for six months I attempted to reverse. When one is diagnosed with "the fib" and the doctor stated that I am now 9 percent more prone to getting a stroke so he has to put me on blood thinner therapy and keep me there for at least a year until I demonstrate with medicine that I will not "fib" any more. I thought this was OK for awhile until I sustained a nose bleed one wintery December night that would not stop. I ended up in the emergency room during a blizzard under which my wife demonstrated her superior driving skills. Doctor said this would require surgery if I happens again because where the weakness is he cannot cauterize.What is the take home message here? Just like being careful what one prays for, so should one be careful with how hard one should seek diagnosis. With liability the way it is, doctors will not take chances and if you want them to care for you ,be ready for them to lock you down! Fortunately my doctor had confidence in my telling the truth when I say I "fibed" and he aggreed that I was a good canditate for getting off of the warferin. Having completely tracked my diet for a year, loosing 22 pounds, and excercising regularly helped do that. Today I am warferin free but still taking the heart regulating medicine which if I overdose on or take without food will make me into a zombe.
What do these pictures have to do with my learning path you say? I will tell you. The first picture is my buddy, Sadie, who is sitting on a ledge on Mineral Point from which the next photo was taken of the Cabinet Range to the east containing Scotsman Peak- highest peak in the middlebackground. The next two photos are some proof that I did survive under the medicines prescribed and still was able to beat the brush, measuring trees and helping people tend their "tall gardens". The picture chronology is discovery in April, through summer to October 2007, thense (surveyor talk) November where I added to the crew working in the same area. They all have Scotsman Peak although a bit camoflaged in them, the first in the clouds just to the left of the tallest tree, and the second through the larch tree crown upper left corner.
The big bright picture of Scottsman Mountain is a telephoto shot taken from a subdivision in Algoma just south of Sagle. While taking a walk one wintery day I happened to look east and there it was applified by the snow and alighned in the middle of the slot between Gold Mountain to the north and Grouse Ridge to the south. Hard to see in the summer when the haze is more pronounced.
The picture of my wife and I contains Scottsman Peak located just above her and was taken in March of 2008 during Easter sunrize with two other discoveries of the year namely our new neighbors whom we are most grateful for them being there. Scottsman peak is right below the wingtip of Sandpoint Seaplane and is one of the first rides provided by a brand new company in Sandpoint. The pilot is from Alaska and is looking for renote lakes in the Inland Northwest to take people. The whole family went on this trip and came back throughly charged. I guess a discovery point here is that it is a wonderfull feeling to help other people get settled in this now our God's Country.
