The Parathyroid Forum

[Admin]

Thought I'd kick things off with a happy topic to cheer us up a bit.
I know before surgery, there were many things which I could no longer do, because I was feeling so unwell.
One thing I dreamed about was being able to go for a hike again or at least walk the dog without any foot pain and free from pain medication. 10 years ago, I went for a 5 mile hike I didn't realise at the time was going to be my last for the next 5 years. I woke the next day with rib pain and unable to put my foot down on the floor after waking up. Little did I know that this was all caused by a parathyroid tumour, which eventually got discovered.
Happy to report that post surgery I can now go for a 5 or even a 10 mile hike without any pain, at the time I never thought I'd see the day, but eventually it came.
If you're pre-surgery, take heart from the happy stories of those of us who are now post surgery and feeling well.

Simon

[NancyMI]

Simon,
It's good to know that there is hope. So glad you were able to get back to hiking.
I have wanted to go Kayaking and then I say I don't know about all of that muscle exertion.

A couple of years ago, before I knew about PTH disease, I would be lifting my granddaughter on and off a swing or slide or carry her up and down stairs and then feel quite bad the following day. Now it makes sense.

I don't think that a lot of people can quite understand how badly exertion can affect someone with PTH disease.

I am sure your dog was happpy to get his companion back.

Nancy

[Admin]

Hi Nancy,

Yes, there is life and healthy exercise and exertion after surgery.
I remember this time last year, digging up a few potatoes as I was having a good day - I paid for it with a week back on crutches with swollen tender ankles.
Both me and the dog lost a good few pounds after surgery, although with all this bad weather, we're not getting out too often.

Simon

[NancyMI]

It's shocking how bad you felt before surgery and that you needed to use crutches.

I want to send you a picture of a favorite place of mine where I went hiking.

I have to find it and then I'll post it.

Nancy

[NancyMI]

http://www.powellguide.com/lake_powell_ ... canyon.htm

Lake Powell is a beautiful spot. It looks almost prehistoric to me. That is what I thought the first time I saw it.

I hiked down into Antelope Canyon. The walls are curved and are a beautiful color.

So glad you were successful in getting treatment.

Nancy

[Admin]

Wow, I'm sure I've seen that place in a film. It wasn't the one where the guy gets his arm trapped and had to chop it off to survive? Based on a true story.

[NancyMI]

I think that hiker was hiking not too far from there.
Maybe the film about him was shot near Lake Powell.

When I was at Lake Powell, filming was going on in the Antelope Canyon. It was just a commercial though.

I have heard about a couple of hikers who have gotten out of tough situations.

I'll have to remember never to go out alone. I couldn't believe the risks some people were taking when I was at the Grand Canyon. They did not seem to have enough regard for heights. I saw a couople of people running along paths very near the edge.

I think I have a healthy regard for nature and it's power.

Nancy

[Dave]

When I'm fit I'd like to.......
"Compleat" my round of the Scottish Munros. Everyone has heard of Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in Scotland and the UK), but many folks maybe don't know that there are 284 individual Scottish mountain summits over 3000ft, often with near-sea-level starts and long (>10-15 mile) round-trip distances, making for long hard days out. People have ascended all of them in a single continuous walk over about 50 days, but my sojourn has so far taken 20 years. I have 195 "ticks" in my book; 89 to go. Primary Hyperparathyroidism has contributed to me not getting a new summit in the last 3 years. Very frustrating. When I'm sorted, I'm going to need to start picking up the remaining peaks at the rate of 10 or so a year if I'm to realistically finish my round and paradoxically, those that remain get harder logistically, being the more remote and isolated ones.
I've uploaded (hopefully) a couple of pictures - Ben Nevis and The Devil's Ridge.
I've also included a photo that I took on a trip to Antelope Canyon (see previous posts in this thread). This was taken using only the ambient light conditions (very long, tripod steadied exposure; no fill flash). At noon in summer, the sun lies directly overhead the canyon and these really majestic shafts of sunlight enter the canyon. I love waterfalls, but these "waterfalls in light" were just something else. I would urge anyone who gets the chance to visit the western US to include Antelope on their itinerary.....

I could go on posting photos from my vast collection of >30,000 landscape, mountain and waterfall images, but fortunately the website only allows 3 attachments per post! Oneday "when I'm fit" another project is to start to do justice to some of these images by publishing them.....

Best
Dave

Ben Nevis

Scotland - Ben Nevis.jpg (14.36 KiB) Viewed 510 times

Antelope - Lightfalls

antelope.jpg (14.6 KiB) Viewed 510 times

Devil's Ridge

Scotland - Devil's ridge.jpg (32.08 KiB) Viewed 510 times

[NancyMI]

Dave,
Great pictures. I didn't know there were such high peaks in Scotland.
Great picture of antelope canyon.

What did you think of Lake Powell?

I would like to go back sometime and rent a houseboat.
Like you, I want to feel fit and be able to go back to Lake Powell. Also, want to come to the British Isles.

Nancy

[NancyMI]

Dave,
I am going to show my friend your pictures of the Munros. Her fathers side is from Scotland, Cruickshanks, and I want her to see your pictures.
Also, I lhave never seen a picture of Antelope canyon like yours. It's beautiful.

Nancy