I Shouldn't Be Alive

Okay, I am slightly buzzed, which is the only way I can even consider relaxing so close to Chrustmas. Am I the only one who is wound tight before Christmas? I think the arrival of my period two days ago doesn't help. Oh well. Better a period than another baby, I say. Ugh. That's another blog altogether.

Okay post #2 for today is all about freezing and mountains.

If any of you tuned in to CNN over the past week or so, you have probably seen the story about the climbers on Mt Hood, in Oregon. This story comes after the tragedy sufffered by the Kim family from California. Each of these news stories made me so sad. I was so hopeful that James Kim would be found alive and that the rescuers would find the other two climbers on Mount Hood.

No such luck in either case.

(Okay, I was far too buzzed to continue this post last night; I saved it and will continue with it now).

Wayne and I were watching "I Shouldn't Be Alive" on Discovery Channel last night. The first episode was about a trio of men who were climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska. They get caught in a storm on the mountain; one guy leaves the other two, so he can bring back help. It was just disastrous and difficult to watch. All three men survive with fewer limbs and/or fingers/toes/nose.

It was just so similar, as far as I know, to the three guys on Mount Hood. All week I kept hoping that the men would be found alive on Mount Hood. When they found the first guy, Kelly James, deceased in a snow cave, I still held out hope for the other two, Brian Hall & Jerry Cooke, to be found alive. They just haven't been found at all. Yet.

It completely amazes me that people put themselves at risk by climbing mountains. It fascinates me-- their drive to get to the top of these high peaks. I so don't have "it" in me, whatever "it" is. I kind of wish I had "it"-- that drive.

The other episode was about a family in, like, 1992 who were on their way from California to Idaho for a funeral. They got stuck in the snow after taking a route that was actually closed for the season. They were, of course, unaware that the road was closed. They had their infant son with them, too. They seek help; dad ends up leaving mom and baby in a cave while he seeks helps. he actually finds help after walking miles upon miles; mom and baby are rescued. Mom and dad end up losing only part of their feet, as a result. Read about it here and here.

I was reminded of that saga when the Kim family was in a similar predicament a few weeks ago. The same situation: dad left the mom and kid(s, in this case) to seek help. However, mom and kids were found first and only later was the dad found, frozen to death.

Tragic.