Aug. 4 - I arrived in Calgary yesterday, but left my heart back home in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. As I mentioning in my first blog, Jimmy is on a clinical trial out of the Cleveland Clinic. He has done remarkably well so far. Unfortunately, a potential side effect of one of the medications he is on is a temporary drop in hemoglobin (which carries oxygen), which is predicted to go back up in a few months. Jimmy’s response to treatment followed that path. Being as physically active as he is, Jimmy’s physician recommended “a boost” in the form of a blood transfusion, which took place on Tuesday, Aug. 2.The, perhaps naive, plan was for him to meet me and the group in Waterton on this day and hike Friday and Saturday. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Jimmy’s medical team benched him from hiking at elevation. I was sad for him as I could hear the combination of disappointment and stress in his voice. He felt like he was disappointing me and the entire group. He was not. The group was incredibly supportive. Like me, they wanted him with us. And, they were looking forward to meeting him outside the box of our prior Zoom meetings. BUT, like me, their first and foremost concern was for him. Wonderful, wonderful people!

THIS is the frustrating unpredictability of MPNs and its treatments. THIS is why research is so important and why we are so grateful for your financial support. You have been so generous! Our personal goal was to reach $9,000 and we are just about there! The overall goal from this trek is to reach and exceed $50,000 and we are getting very close! Thank you!We completed our first trek to Summit Lake on this day with a stop at the Waterton Biosphere Reserve. It took my figurative breath away!

Aug. 5 – On this day, we embarked on an eight-plus mile trek to Goat Lake and would reach the summit at an elevation of 7,700 feet. The miles didn’t worry me. Jimmy and I had logged plenty of miles during our training. My concern was the elevation.All of our training had taken place through the flat paths of the Jersey shore. The greatest elevations there are speed bumps! I told Jimmy I would do my best. He replied that I would “smoke it!” That was all the encouragement I needed. It was a long and challenging trek with narrow ledges and loose rock. It was at this portion of the trek that a fellow hiker became anxious and unsure if she could go on. One of our guides, Milo, and photographer, Ben, sprung into action. Milo guarded/blocked her on the downside of the trail and the Ben in front. They moved her focus away from a potential, yet unlikely, downward fall to the, more likely, path straight ahead toward the summit. They guided her one step at a time. From behind, I could hear them repeat again and again, “You Got This” and “I’m so proud of you!” She reached the summit with a fellow hiker and I, right behind her! It was amazing on so many levels! WE smoked it!

Aug. 6 - This was the final day of hiking. We would ferry across Waterton Lake and hike up to Crypt Lake. The biggest challenge (not really) was figuring out how to dress. This morning was cold! Many of my fellow hikers were wearing puffy coats, hats and gloves! I had not packed any of that. But, I dressed warm. Unfortunately, I did not layer properly AND left my Sole 2 Soul for MPN™ blue t-shirt on my chair. As the day progressed, the temperature rose and I was hot – rookie mistake! Thankfully, I erred on “waterfall” hike! En route to the top of a waterfall, we passed over many “babbling brooks/streams” of cold clear water where I would soak my cooling cloth, fill my hat with cold water and pour it down my back! Heaven! It was another breathtaking hike which ended at the awe-inspiring Crypt Lake surrounded by a US/Canadian mountain range. Our friends who had done the training hike in Colorado came “prepared” with bathing suits and plunged into the frigid water. Darn! I couldn’t join them. It was another great day of hiking and bonding with constant concern and requests for updates on their new friend and brother, Jimmy.

Aug. 7 - Final thoughts: When exchanging our goodbye hugs and sharing final words amongst each other, I was struck by those shared by a fellow hiker. He said, “I know this doesn’t make any sense because your husband is not here, but we feel like we know him and we all love him.” I felt his sincerity.When I shared that with my husband, he completely understood and shared that he loved them too. Another goal of this trek, besides raising money, was to begin building a community so that patients with these rare conditions do not feel alone. I would say, mission accomplished.