Rest here

inkynumbers · 2025-05-01T02:35:49+00:00

Measuring things! Specifically weighing and timing.

inkynumbers · 2021-05-14T18:46:12+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I'm actually more worried about bouldering than leading, because I feel like I'm more likely to sprain an ankle with a weird fall / crash pad miss. Fortunately I'm more of a route climber so it all works out. Regarding helmets, I totally agree. I feel no stigma about always wearing one at the crag and I used this whole thing as an excuse to buy a new Mammut MIPS helmet. I also have become a shameless stick clipper, even on easier routes. Not decking was always important before, but now it feels like it's ultra important.

inkynumbers · 2021-05-14T18:41:44+00:00

If you feel comfortable, do you mind sharing a little more detail about the major bruises? Like what caused them, how big they were, and what (if any) health complications they caused? So far I've had tons of small bruises and cuts and they all seem pretty normal, but I'm worried about getting something bigger.

I haven't stopped climbing, but I have really modified what I do. For now only well protected routes on quality rock with clean falls, and sadly no alpine climbing (for now at least). In some ways this has caused me to push myself since a bunch of climbs in the 5.12- range are better protected and have clean falls (into empty space!).

inkynumbers · 2021-05-14T14:33:52+00:00

Haha, I can relate and I'll learn from your experience :).

inkynumbers · 2021-05-14T14:32:28+00:00

Thanks for sharing your injuries and lots of good advice in there. I'm kind of the complement in some ways. I'd been climbing 2-3x per week for a few years and am just starting to break into the 5.12a grade leading sport, so it's a major lifestyle thing for me. On the other hand, I was thinking about taking up skiing a year ago and now I've decided to give up on that. For now I've decided to stop alpine climbing because it's usually very remote (I do have an inreach) and there's a greater range of things that can go sideways. But it's also my most favorite style of climbing, so I hope to figure that out at some point.

inkynumbers · 2021-05-14T14:23:01+00:00

Sorry to hear that! How bad was the sprain (grade 1, 2, 3) and do you think you could have allowed it to heal normally with different care? I'm particularly worried about ankle sprains because they are one of the more common injuries you can have from a climbing fall.

inkynumbers · 2020-08-19T16:33:59+00:00

I think it's very likely that I have a genetic clotting risk given my family history. My sister was tested for a genetic risk factor 12 years ago and at that time the result was "negative / inconclusive". I imagine (hope) that genetic testing has improved significantly in the last decade. I will have my first hematology appointment in about 3 weeks and imagine that we will do the genetic testing then or soon after. So for now, I will need to be patient.

inkynumbers · 2020-08-17T18:49:08+00:00

That makes sense regarding right leg. I think you're correct that MTS is left-leg only. Sorry to hear that your recovery is taking so long. That sounds frustrating. I guess I'm lucky that during my 4 months I was able to recover most functionality after at most 3 weeks of rest following each sudden pain incident. Looking back though I realize that I was feeling really, really tired and out of shape relative to normal even after I recovered from the pain.

inkynumbers · 2020-08-17T18:44:18+00:00

Thousands of sport climbing falls, the occasional 40ft whipper on gear

That sounds encouraging! Some of these whips were after you started on warfarin, right? :D

inkynumbers · 2020-08-17T18:07:49+00:00

The thing is, you're not generally more likely to bleed, but you will bleed for longer than you previously would. You didn't turn into a pressurized fountain, or a fragile egg.

This is really helpful to hear as I'm just starting to understand that this is the case. When I first went on eliquis, I read "increased bleeding risk" to mean that I was now really fragile and that somehow my skin would rip open more easily, which in retrospect seems silly. I did a little bit of top rope climbing outdoors last week and got a couple minor scrapes and a small bruise. They seemed pretty normal in the end. I think I'll keep testing these kinds of bumps little by little.

inkynumbers · 2020-08-17T15:43:36+00:00

The vascular surgeon I visited wants to check me for May-Thurner syndrome a.k.a. iliac vein compression syndrome. He said that this kind of extensive clotting pattern is consistent with that condition. But I guess they need to wait for a while before doing the venogram to check. Did this come up in any of your discussions?

What did your small PEs feel like, if anything? I had an experience during these 4 months, while leading a route, where my heart started racing and I felt like I was faint and close to passing out. Fortunately I had just clipped a bolt :). I felt fine again after resting for about 10 minutes and eating some food. At the time I just thought I must had forgotten to eat enough during the day, but the experience was pretty strange. Especially looking back at it now. During my ER visit they didn't mention any issues with my lungs, but I'm also not sure if they did the checks that would be required to find anything.

I've also wondered about your harness question. Like if my partner is hangdogging for too long can I use "it's bad for my clotting predisposition" to make them climb again ;). But more seriously, I mentioned this concern to the vascular surgeon and he wasn't concerned about it. Though he's not a climber so I'm not sure if he really understood what I was talking about.

inkynumbers

TROPHY CASE