So what was being buried alive like?
- It was warm, honest to god- under the snow I was never really cold. I had some intermittent shivering but that's it. My core temp (which is usually a little high) never dropped below 37. Begin the alpine fat jokes now... I was only in a mid weight capilene and gore tex suit.
- NG tubes SUCK. I gagged, and gagged, and gagged even with the nasal lidocaine, spray lidocaine, and lidocaine gel. I wish that upon no patient, ever. This reaffirms by belief about performing procedures on professionals before they'll do them on patients. I've been strapped to a backboard for 3 hours, had an NG tube dropped on me, had an epidural, and had venous and arterial catheters put in. I can for sure relate to patients a lot more.
- Even sitting upright (think a snow recliner) in the snow, I still got vertigo. There were moments of confusion. I'm confident that if ever buried for real I'll have no idea which way is up
- I couldn't move one inch and the snow was just boot packed around me. The avy debris I've dug through was much, much, much harder. SCARY.
- I was under the snow for an hour but it went by really quick. I was bored, but I meditated and got through it. One guy pissed himself.... I was really happy I just didn't eat or drink that morning.
- Once they dug me out I got really, really cold. As per protocol, I was placed in a hypothermia wrap for an hour while they continued to measure my vitals, etc. Once I hit the air (even in a sleeping bag, tarp, and sleeping pad), I started shivering violently. So violently that my whole body was sore the next day. The rewarming was the most miserable part.
- It couldn't have been that bad... I went back and did it the next day =)
