Breckenridge Days 5 - 9

Sunday 29th January - Thursday 2nd February

I have written nothing for the last 5 days, because I have had nothing much to say, and have been feeling quite ill. The upper respiratory tract infection is clearing up now, so I am no longer coughing so much. The doctor gave me 12 days supply of an antibiotic, and that is starting to work. The troubling diagnosis is AMS - advanced mountain sickness. I have a drug called Diamox for that. I had to have 24 hours on the oxygen, and then go back to the doctor.

When I originally arrived there on Saturday, they took my blood oxygen level, which was 88%, dangerously low. When I went back on Sunday, I travelled there with the portable cylinder, so the blood oxygen level was 93% when I arrived. However, they took me off the oxygen, and after 30 minutes, I was back down at 89%. This was clearly not good news, so I was sent home to have more oxygen and 'keep taking the pills'.

Since then, I have done little but sit indoors and read books and have occasional blasts of oxygen. I also have to breathe the oxygen all night. I am finding it quite depressing to be here and have to stay indoors, especially if there is bright sunshine, but I get so out of breath if I walk anywhere, and climbing the stairs to our room leaves me gasping for breath for quite a while.

Yesterday (Wednesday) there was bright sunshine, and Paul and I went down to the local supermarket as I needed a number of things. I was able to walk down, as it is downhill, but we took two buses to come home. I was tired after about an hour and a half, and there was a lot of heavy shopping as we cater for ourselves - this is a bed and breakfast, but with cooking facilities. There were some lovely views from the bus station, which is near the supermarket. The view below is to the right of the town of Breckenridge, and gives a very clear view of some of the ski runs.

Still further to the right, there are fewer runs visible, but more snow on the higher peak.

I sometimes ski on that side of the village, though I am more likely to be on the other side.

However, I don't know if I'll be skiing on any side of the village this holiday. The doctor sent me home last Sunday with instructions not to ski for the moment, so I will see what message I get when I go back tomorrow. I may have to go down to Denver for a day or two and try to acclimatise. This could just turn out to be the most expensive ski holiday I never had!