[TowerTalk] Hidden danger in Tower Climbing

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

I had an article published on this as a pilot, but I'll try to keep it 
oriented to tower climbing,

Something to think about when climbing!
I'd still be climbing except a stroke grounded me.  I exercised and 
watched what I ate.  I felt fine. One day I turned around and stepped 
forward only to have my left foot slip like I'd stepped on ice, but it 
was on the living room carpet.  No warning or advanced symptoms.  As I 
waited for them to haul me away I could feel my left side shutting down 
as I was able to do less and less movement.  I didn't know if I'd ever 
be back.  Had I been on the tower or piloting an airplane  I would not 
have had time to get on the ground safely.

We think of strokes as a malady that comes with age and deterioration 
and "some" do, but a good percentage of strokes happen to much younger 
people, not  50s or 60s, but even teens in high school and on up.  They 
tend to be more common with those who are healthy, active, and in their 
prime.  They are involved with sports that result in highly elevated 
heart rates.     Think of that first tower climb of the season when you 
may be a bit out of shape.  Think about being "up there" and losing the 
use of an arm and leg on either side.  IOW that side has become 
completely useless.  It's not just useless, it gets in the way.  You can 
no longer hook and unhook safety gear. You only have one arm and leg to 
use climbing around guy lines.  Let your imagination be your guide.

A possible warning that a person is prone to having strokes is a TIA, or 
Transient Ischemic Attack.  "Many people have them and never recognize 
them for what hey are.  Fingers or toes going numb for no apparent 
reason, losing coordination, losing balance, having the vision in one 
eye temporarily go bad, and Vertigo are a few "possible indications of a 
TIA..

There is a condition called Arterial Fibrillation. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_fibrillation.

Although a little over weight, < 10#, I exercised and watched what I 
ate. As I said, "No warning".  One of my exercises was riding a road 
bike and I could maintain 20 MPH which is fast for a non competitive 
rider in his late 60s.  (67 to be more precise) for 10 miles, no 
problem.  At 20 MPH my heart rate would spike to ~140 after 3 or 4 
minutes and then quickly drop back to ~130, or a bit less which is a 
good sign.  The previous evening I had the bike set up on a "wind 
trainer" in the shop due to weather.  After riding for about 20 minutes, 
I decided to see how fast I could really go.  I hit 30 MPH for one 
minute which was all I could manage. I had a heart rate of 160 - 163.  I 
had the stroke the next morning.  The strokes can happen almost 
immediately or a day later.  When, if, and the damage done depends on 
luck.  They can be minimal, turn you into a vegetable, kill you, or 
worse, leave you completely alert in a body that doesn't work, or 
communicate.  A few years ago a ham died on top of his tower near here.  
They had a devil of a time getting him down. That one made the evening news.

With A-fib the heart loses its rhythm at elevated rates.  It's likely 
I'd never had the stroke ( The Doc agrees) had I not tried to test as my 
limit as to how fast I coud go..  So when going up the tower, consider 
the shape you are in.  Over weight?  Out of shape? No, or little 
exercise lately?  These all lead to a more elevated heart rate, but it's 
difficult to clinically predict which healthy person is prone to having 
A-fib.  In my case the upper chamber was slightly enlarged. So slight 
that no one had noticed over the years.  HOWEVER The Doc tells me that 
is what caused the A-fib with the elevated heart rate.

The heart loses rhythm, but usually restarts on its own (Not always). 
Problem is that during A-fib the muscles sort of vibrates instead of 
pumping.  The blood pools and clots form.  When it goes back to beating 
it squirts out those tiny clots which may migrate to the brain.  So, you 
head up the tower, a bit over weight and a bit out of shape leaving you 
huffing and puffing the last part of the climb.  You might even feel a 
bit light headed when you get "up there".  Even if you are one of the 
unlucky ones prone to have A-fib it's a crap shoot as to when or if and 
how bad.

Many, if not most hams I know are over weight and out of shape. Most of 
them are quite a bit over weight and way out of shape.  A flight of 
stairs has them huffing and puffing.  Thankfully most of them do not climb

Recovery is partly luck, determination, endurance, willingness to work 
"hard" tolerate pain, and the highly important...attitude!

73, good luck, and climb safely,

Roger (K8RI)


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73

Roger (K8RI)


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