Mountaintops, Hospitals and Amazing People...

Hm, how should I start this one? I suppose I should retrace our path back to Gorham... here goes.  Grab a comfy spot, this is a long one...
Ahhhh, the Whites!  Known to be the most rugged of the entire trail. Beautiful endless views over majestic mountain ranges,  the most erratic weather known to man, lots of elevation gain and loss, unforgiving, rocky terrain, limited (free)camping options (due to the terrain and being above treeline ), oh and the huts ( which are only for rich people and don't allow furry friends ), and last but not least no campfires. :(  .  Needless to say, we went into the Whites with a bad taste in our mouths.
After Bailey's recovery and new boots arrived, we waited out yet one more days of storms in Gorham. By day 4 I was "restless" to say the least. I don't relax well and I tend to get bored with doing nothing. The clouds broke and we were finally able to get out of the motel room. We no sooner walked 200 feet from the hotel and a couple pulled over and offered us a ride to the trailhead (3.6miles). Things were looking up!
We took our time along the gradual path that followed the river up the 2 miles to the first (and last free ) shelter. The thunder began rumbling in the distance. We found a spot sown by the river to have a snack, which turned into lunch, which turned into "hey, let's cast a few lines", which turned into us finding a really nice tentsite across the river on a bed of pine needles, which turned into camp, which turned into us bumping into "The Provider" (whom we met our first day on trail back in Andover, briefly). We spend awhile catching up with him, crawl into our tents and plan for a big day when we wake.
The next morning "The Provider" lives up to his name and bluetooths me a list of stealth (aka free) sites through the Whites ... things happen for a reason and again, things are looking better!
We plan to head for a site 10 miles in, over 2 summits and then down into a gap. We scramble over Mt.Moriah and before heading over our next mountain, we need to stop at the shelter for water. We head the .02 miles off trail downhill (which doesn't sound like much, but anything "offtrail" is huge) to the shelter. We fill our water bags and have a snack. The shelter is packed and everyone has questions about Bailey. The usual, "how is she holding up, how much does she carry, does she get tired, how are her feet, where does she sleep, what does she eat, what about bears, what did you do with her in the Smokies,  can she stay in the huts, is she always attached to you, and what kind of dog is she (I am sure I am missing a few:) ".  Bailey always attracts attention and questions,  so our brief trip for water turned into us being there for an hour + , during which time massive thunderheads rolled in. Then the rain began. The big fat, hard kind of rain. We found a platform (that is what you have to use in the Whites, terrain remember? ) and threw on our raingear and managed to get only slightly soaked while we set up the tent ( I won't lie, I always get inside first after the fly is on to get Bailey situated and Nick finishes staking the tent out,  xoxo ;) ).  Unfortunately, the AMC got us for $16 that night, just to pitch our tent...UGGGG! 
When we did get over that next mountain the next day we were glad we were not up there in the storm, above treeline and big slippery rockface. The freezing rain began  and our day was once again cut short. Miserable and unable to get warm,  we set up camp and crawled into our tent, not really caring about the consequences of being caught. 
The next day, we woke to find "The Provider" in his hammock a few trees away. Seems we all had the same idea. That day was beautiful!!! The sun was shining, it was warm and we were motivated. The views promised from the Whites began to deliver.  Carter Dome was amazing and we stopped there for a snack and set all our wet gear out to dry. From there we climbed down the steeeeep backside down to the pond, Nick fished for a bit and we had lunch before tackling the Wildcat Mountain Range.
After summiting the first peak, then the second,  the thunder started. There were 2 more peaks to go over. Not only does Nick hate storms, but so does Bailey and she has discovered a way to put her brakes on , completely stopping him. Then she burrows. Basically,  getting her over the next peak was a challenge. Lots of coaxing and baby talk. When we reached the ski gondola (alien ship) we decided to take it down since we both had never been on one. When we got to the bottom we realized the time and decided to road walk to the visitor center to get our drop box.
We get the usual stares from the dayhikers as we organize our food bags on the picnic table. After which we get back on trail, slide off onto a side trail and find a nice free spot by a stream, free bathing, free laundry, dinner and off to sleep.
The next few days are a blur for me ( the reason is explained later ). We climb the Presidential range and I am feeling drained and lagging behind. We get to the top of Mt. Washington, 50 miles of visibilty and there are hundreds of people.  Nick pops inside the visitor center and comes out with two hotdogs and sodas:) ((I LOVE HOTDOGS!!!))  We take the obligatory summit pic and head across the ridgeline. ((( I am exhausted))) I smile and push on, nowhere to stop here... by the time we finally drop below treeline, I am almost glad to hear voices( meaning there is a camp nearby). We finally hit Mizpah shelter and campsite, I am still insistent on not to pay to pitch and Nick goes in to see if we can do a "work for stay". We are in luck, no caretaker and therefor, no fee. Awesome, I am tired. We set up camp have dinner and off to sleep.
Ugh, the next day.... For those that know me, I am in bed before the sun goes down and up before it. So when Nick wakes me at 8:45am, something is wrong. I am in a ball, freeeezing. I can't move and have no desire to. Not good.  I feel as if my body is filled with ice, yet I am burning up. Oh,  and I am nauseas.  I may just throw up inside my sleeping bag and I don't care. Not good.
Nick is outside talking to a few other hikers and the sounds are bothering me, the light is bothering me. I barely get the zipper open and my head off the platform before the inevitable happens. Nick comes to check on me and offers to make something to eat... no food please, just water, I am so thirsty. I don't think I will be hiking today. But of course there is a storm rolling in, imagine that. Nick wants to get off the mountain and I don't want to assume we will be lucky enough to get another free night, but I cannot move.  Around noon, he wakes me again and I feel "slightly" better and agree to try to get down the mountain.  He packs up camp while I struggle with some Ritz crackers.
Half an hour in,  not so good. He spots a side trail leading straight to the highway (2.6) instead of the 6.7 on the scenic A.T. route , I agree to take it.  Slow, slow, slower and sick.
When we finally reach the highway, we end up right at the visitor center where out next drop is, how convenient. 
We sort our bags and then the rain begins, again. We wait it out under the porch and once again, I have gone from bad to worse. After the rain we try to hitch the entire 3.5 back to the trailhead. No luck, whatsoever.  People smile and wave, give us thumbsup... wth? Really? Nick searched for sites along the road to pitch and I searched for spots to get sick. When I couldn't walk anymore I just laid down,  in the gravel or the grass on the side of the road, shivering. Nick insisted I had to walk and I couldn't sleep on the side of the road, oh yes, yes I could,  he had no idea...;/
We never found a roadside spot and I struggled the entire way back to the trail. We found a spot just by the river and set up camp. With no desire to eat, I went to bed.
Maybe it was the hotdog, maybe I had that virus that is spreading on trail, maybe I caught a bug from one of the tourists atop Washington, maybe Giardia, maybe I was pregnant (lol), maybe I used a dirty leaf??? Whatever it was, it wasn't going anywhere.
The next morning, I slept in again. But felt slightly better. Nick did some fishing and then we packed up. I didn't think I was able to climb out of the notch so we decided to thumb into town (wait a second, this didn't work last time) it took us hour or so and if course I was feeling worse, eventually a day hiker at the trailhead drove us 10 miles to a town. We sat outside at a table at a convenient store for the entire afternoon trying to weigh our options. All of which were rash, hurried, rational and irrational. I was frustrated with myself and the lack of miles. We decided to sleep on it and found a campground.
The next morning, you guessed it...ick. Still unable to shake the fever, Nick spoke with the campground owners and they told us about the hospital and offered to give us a ride there.
We got to the Weeks Medical Center and I went straight to the E.R. I instantly felt better, not medically but mentally. Nick waited outside with Bailey in the shade. My doctor (Dr. LeBlanc) even went out and sat in the grass with Bailey so Nick could come in and visit.;) They ordered the usual tests, blood, urine and the routine questions. It was obvious I was going to be there awhile so Nick decided to go ahead and get a hotel room (for Bailey) so he could stay with me. He brought in my bag and one of the nurses called around town for a pet friendly place and even printed out directions.
Alan, the nurse who was doing my blood work literally tossed him the keys to his Subaru so they didn't have to walk. ;)
The people at the hotel weren't so amazing and $100 later Nick returned and Bailey sat in her hotel room watching Animal Planet.
The first round of tests came back...fever 102°, very low potassium 3.1 (explaining my exhaustion)and high white blood count, not pregnant, some bacteria.  My mother (via texting ) is convinced I have diabetes.  "Nope, my sugar is good", he says, "90". Also, that doesn't explain the pain in my lower abdomen, or the fever. Dr. LeBlanc wants to be sure he isn't missing anything and orders a CT scan. This sounds serious.
Enter Nurse Betty....she loads me up with liters of fluids through my I.V. and this lovely liquid she mixes with Powerade and strict instructions to drink a cup every half hour, for 2 hours.  I am beyond thirsty and it is delicious! Then came the liquid potassium and she was right, it was downright disgusting.
By this point I was up to about 6 blankets and still freezing. We waited for the CT results.
Dr.Leblanc came in and informed me I had an advanced UTI that spread into my kidneys, Pyelonephritis, to be exact. Not ever having a UTI and hearing the symptoms, I wonder how I didn't know I had one? They sound horrible, but I didn't seem to notice anything they mentioned and my kidneys weren't hurting?:/
Lo and behold it was the source of my problem. The doctor advised admitting me for 2 days to ensure I shake the fever, bring up my potassium and begin to tackle the infection. We agreed it would be best.
We also realized there was no way Nick was going to get another hotel room and we joked about him pitching on the lawn of the hospital. Then Nurse Alan comes in and says Nick and Bailey can stay in a bunk at the Fire Department down the road...sweet! Then Nurse Betty enters and tells us she has this log cabin just across the state line in Vermont over looking the Presidential range.  She uses it on HomeAway and the people were leaving. Whaaaaat?;) The cabin is divided with a full 1br house downstairs and she offers it to us for a few days for me to begin my meds and recover. Of course now I am crying and once again amazed by the generosity of people.I get admitted, Nick walks back to the hotel. I stay in the hospital overnight for observation, it is uneventful and the next morning I am running a slight fever but the new doctor says I can go home.
Nurse Betty has shown up for her (so-very-long!) shift and has heard I am being discharged.  She has already arranged a ride for us to the cabin with her son-in-law, a NH State Trooper. I couldn't wait to tell Nick!
Chuck, the Trooper, arrived (in his truck) to drive us to the cabin. He even stopped at the pharmacy and the grocery store for us. When we arrived at the cabin, we were blown away. Everything about it was beautiful! Chuck gave us the tour and  his number in case I had any problems, then left.
We settled in and I rested. Nick picked some veggies from the garden (Betty insisted) and grilled a pork loin for dinner.  Then I rested, again.
The next morning (yesterday) I took my first round of meds and as the label warns, I was nauseas.  I refuse to waste a pill that cost $60 each (UGH!) So I dealt with it. Betty called to check on us and offered to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy for nausea on her way up...wow:)
She arrived and then leant us her car to drive to the store. Now instead of searching the labels for carnal, I was searching for potassium :) Nick grilled a Drunken Chicken for her, with beet slaw and rice pilaf to show our gratitude.  Today he is going to mow the yard. I was ordered to rest, she said :).
So here I sit, feeling better, staring at the mountains. Feeling guilty about not hiking but knowing that if I get back out to soon, I will do more damage than good. The trail seems so far away...
Until then I will rest, relax and recover ( in this pretty damn fine spot ;) and realize, once again, the kindness in humanity. Just when things seem to be on a downward spiral, there is always that one twist that brings you right back out of the dark. There are people who, without knowing,  do much more good for one than they could ever imagine. The staff at Weeks didn't just didn't heal my body,  they healed my spirit and my drive and my faith in humanity and for that, I am forever thankful.

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