Chasing Summits or Go Big Then Go Home

This will be my last post from Uganda. I am writing from the outdoor seating area at the Travellers Rest Hotel, one of my favorite spots near our home here. I cannot even believe that the end is so soon but before I get all weepy about having to leave let me just tell you about my recent experiences.

Last week I returned from my wonderful stay at Lake Bunyonyi. I did some data entry on Tuesday afternoon because last week was the final push. Wednesday morning I was scheduled to go on supervision with Sam and he picked me up promptly at 8am. We went to the villages of Dometiera and Naomi, two of the new village health workers. In Dometiera’s village we spoke with a man who had been seen in the hospital for cirrhosis of the liver and met with two pregnant women to discuss prenatal care and their delivery plans (both will go to the health center near their village). Naomi’s village was very different from the others that I have seen. We train the village health workers to assess the quality of structures like kitchens, homes and latrines and then they assign the structure a grade: A-Highest quality, B-could be improved and C-looks like it could fall over, unsafe. Most of the villages are mostly Bs and Cs but Naomi had all As. She also had no patients for us to visit there, we had gone just to test her on her ability to evaluate the structures (she passed, she will now be certified as a village health worker). So I asked if her community was wealthier than the others. Her response really surprised me. She said that no, most people were farmers, but her community has very low levels of alcoholism. She said that as a result, she does not see many malnourished children in her role as the health worker. This information really surprised me. I know that there are very high levels of alcoholism. I also know that in this area there are very high levels of malnutrition. I had not thought that these things were connected or possibly even a cause and effect relationship. I do think that this would be an interesting thing to explore and if Naomi’s observation reflects the truth/data then it seems like Nutrition clinics shouldn’t just provide lumpy butter (high calorie foods), but they should also provide AA type services. And if alcoholism really is the cause of many problems here it would make sense for more dramatic interventions, right now it seems there is just an AA meeting at Kisoro hospital which last time was attended by 2 people.

Then the rest of the week was data entry time. We did all get up early on Thursday morning to climb Crater Hill and watch the sunrise, but it was cloudy so that was not too exciting. I was going to go again with Sarah on Friday morning but I decided to give my legs a rest before my big hike on Saturday. Which brings me to Muhabura…

Holy hell.

Muhabura means “the guide” in Kinyarwanda and the name makes sense because you can see this volcano from most places near the Rwanda/Uganda border. It is massive, towering above its neighboring volcanoes. I had to do the climb alone because no one had any desire to even attempt it. We had all heard from Katrina that it was not enjoyable and she had gone slowly so at 11am the guide told her she would not make it to the top so she climbed a bit further and then went down. She said she made it around halfway. So I knew I was in for a tough time, but I was grateful that Emma was willing to hike with me because company is essential on these treks. So Emma and I climbed up to the lodge, I had to carry my backpack which contained two large water bottles, sandwiches, snacks, my good camera etc. I was horrified that I was winded by the time we got to the base lodge and thought about calling it quits there. Thanks for coming, lets go home. But I sat through the orientation and saw that Emma and I would be climbing with 3 other Ugandans, a guide, and my porter. Following behind us was a group of 30 college age Ugandan students who were there for a trip. We were told they race so they would blow by us. So we began climbing and I found that the Ugandan men were moving pretty slowly and stopping regularly. I asked the guide if it was ok for Emma, my porter and me to climb ahead because I had this fear of repeating Katrina’s experience. I climb for the feeling of reaching the top so being told halfway that I was done would have been a bummer. So the three of us headed off at a slow but steady pace. We reached the first of two huts and I was feeling good. We stopped, grabbed some water and continued. Then things just went downhill (figuratively of course, this mountain was entirely UPHILL at an incline of 45 degrees or greater). The distance between the first and second hut is 500 meters. This terrain was just rocks, ladders, brutal switchbacks and absurdly fast altitude gain. And I felt every step. I tried to keep drinking water but I think the altitude started affecting me and we had been climbing for 3.5 hours so my legs were really burning. The porter was ahead of me and keeping a pretty quick pace and I found myself needing to stop after each strenuous maneuver (climbing up a boulder, ascending a ladder) and trying to keep up made me feel like I was dying. So when we finally reached the second hut I told Emma I had had enough. I was done. I was tired and in pain and probably had sweat out the 1.5 liters I had consumed and I was cold and I couldn’t tell if my hands were numb from the cold or hypoxia. NOT a happy camper. But Emma said that we had just 1.5 hours left (JUST?!) and that he would be disappointed if I quit. So we regrouped and I asked to lead so I could set my own pace. So I just put one foot in front of the other. We passed students and were passed by students and somehow the trail just kept going but eventually we reached the top! I am not a very emotional person but I sort of get this feeling in my chest when I accomplish something like this hike. I got it when I did the marathon too. It sort of feels like you are about to cry but I always manage to pull it together. It was hard and parts sucked and I still had to make it down but I MADE IT, and in 4.5 hours instead of the predicted 5! We spent some time walking around the small crater lake, passing from Uganda to Rwanda and back. I watched the clouds speed by below and occasionally there was a break so I could see the lands and homes. We ate some food, drank water, took pictures and then we began the descent. Usually I LOVE the downhill. Sometimes I can run, if the terrain allows. This was SO difficult. My fatigued legs were shaking and balancing on the ladders was not something I was capable of at that time so my porter held my hand to help me balance on those. After 3 hours my knees started stinging and I worried that I had torn something in my left one but after a brief stop I realized they were just tired and sore after being used as a breaking system for 3 hours of steep descent. And then we were back at the starting point. 8 hours up and back! And we actually were the first group to return so the students were impressed ;) I am pretty competitive. Then Emma and I went to a 3 course meal at Travellers to celebrate. I am so grateful for his friendship, he has been so helpful all summer and I do not know what I would have done without him.

So this is the end. Tomorrow and Tuesday my peers and I will take the data and turn it into a presentation that we are delivering on Wednesday. Then Wednesday at 5pm we are heading back to Rwanda. Maddie is flying out to South Africa on Wednesday very late (technically Thursday as her flight is after midnight) and Sarah leaves Thursday night. Then I will head to the airport Friday evening and make my way to Amsterdam.

I feel like I should end the leg of this journey with some profound idea or statement. This trip has been unbelievable. I have never been bored here. I learned a lot and saw a lot and experienced so many new things. I am so grateful for everyone who made this trip possible. It has truly been transformative and I hope that I never forget it. I would like to leave you with this quote that popped up on my Facebook under the Gates foundation page (pages suggested for you...thanks Facebook) but I think it summarizes nicely something that I have learned or felt this summer:
“I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do”- Helen Keller

Thank you all for following this, hopefully I will be able to continue the blog in Amsterdam and Ireland but in the event that I cannot I hope that you have all enjoyed this journey. I know I certainly have.

Love,
Hope