Dispatch 10: Update on Ed’s Prostheses
September 4, 2001 Basecamp, Rongbuk Glacier

As you may recall, when we departed for Nepal we left with three sets of sockets and two sets of Springlite Luxon Max feet.

The prostheses Ed chose to wear were 6mm silicone inserts that fit quite snug with suction suspension. He had these sockets for only two days before we left the US.

We knew that the added stress of the expedition would cause Ed to lose weight. So, we thought it would be beneficial to wait and fit his prosthesis, because he looses so much weight on a climb such as this.

As of today this has proven to be false. When climbers acclimatize, they have to drink an excessive amount of water to help their bodies get accustom to the dehydration that altitude induces. This tends to be very frustrating when you have suction sockets that rely on a volume fit.

After two and a half weeks of fighting with different sockets we came to the conclusion that by controlling water intake we could control the volume or fit of the socket. However, this alone was not enough. Ed has to wrap his residual limbs at night to prevent his body from sending excess fluid to the ends of his residual limbs to protect them from the abuse that mountain climbing creates.

Three 32 ounce bottles of water seem to keep the sockets fitting well if Ed is just acclimatizing in camp. However, when Ed goes for a hike or climb and the suction starts to break, he needs to sit down, release the valves at the distal end, pull out of the sockets approximately 3/8 inch, drink 12 to 16 ounces of water and wait five to ten minutes to allow the fluid to go back into his residual limbs. Then he stands up, expels the excess air and is good to go for another hour or two. This seems to work out well because, after walking up extremely rough glacial terrain for an hour or two, your whole body is ready for a five-minute rest.

I know this first hand as Ed has dragged me around the mountains of Tibet for the past three weeks. In Nylam we went for a hike up the mountain through the clouds, gaining 1,520 feet of altitude. In Tingri we went for a hike gaining over 1,000 feet of altitude. From Basecamp at 17,000 feet, we walked up the East Rongbuk, past the British Camp I, which is 11 miles round trip gaining over 1,000 feet of elevation.

After the first trip I sat in the mess tent drinking water and eating aspirin, with my head, right knee and left ankle hurting. I jokingly said to Ed, “You don't know how lucky you are not to have ankles.”

It was hard to admit that I had just been walked into the ground by a bi-lateral below-the-knee amputee. When I asked Ed how his residual limbs felt, he said they felt good — but he could tell that he had had a workout. By the way, the Springlite Luxon Max feet and the SOGI liners are working great!

I feel comfortable that Ed is ready for the mountain.

--Thomas Halvorson, RT O&P

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