One Man’s Will to Survive: Medical Emergency on MT Everest
Filed Under : Adventure Movies by SummitBlog
Apr.18,2012Base Camp 3 (29,029FT Above Sea Level): the Doctor is IN
One of the worst medical emergencies in the history of Mount Everest occurs in 2009, and Dr. Ken Kamler a microsurgeon who specializes in hand reconstruction and finger reattachment was the only doctor on the mountain.
An exert from Dr. Kamler’s talk shared at a TEDMED conference, touches on the mystery of the human brain and one man’s moment of triumph over tragedy:
“The [Everest] climbers passed him by, and Beck lay there for a day, a night and another day, in the snow. Then he said to himself, ‘I don’t want to die. I have a family to come back to.’ The thoughts of his family, his kids and his wife, generated enough energy, enough motivation in him, so that he actually got up.” (Ken Kamler)
Watch video [14:00]:
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Guest Author: Lynny Young
Tags : climbers, Dr. Ken Kamler, Everest, mountaineering, Survival, TEDMED, Video
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Love the analogy. If you’ve read about Everest there is aalyws a base camp. The hikers will go up for a few days and then come back down. Once acclimated, they move the camp up the mountain and, once again, the climbers will go up and get acclimated and then come back down. Eventually, the climbers are able to reach the Summit but they didn’t start off and just go straight up the mountain. It takes many days and many trips of going up and down, up and down.You are still on your way up the mountain, getting and acclimated. There are times that you may have to come back down but eventually you will make it!
I cannot imagine summitting Everest; however, I do enjoy learning about the expeditions.
That’s some true courage.
I’ve been hearing that the terrain is getting cluttered from people leaving behind items from their base camps.
Welcome Jackeline, and we look forward to hearing more from your point of view.
-Lynny