Defining Happy

I was woken up at 10:30 and told to pack on the layers. We were leaving at midnight on our way up to Uhuru peak.  I was nauseous, exhausted and freezing (thanks to the numerous holes in my tent). I felt horrible. But there was no way I was going to admit that to myself or to the team. I was going to attempt to reach the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. This is what I came here to do.

Right before we set off at midnight I vomited outside my tent.  As we set off into the night with only the stars and our headlamps to light our way I stopped a few more times to throw up.  “NO NO NO”, I thought.  This really can’t be happening to me.  I was so tired that lifting one foot felt like I had 500 pound man strapped to my thigh.  A few hours in and my fingers and toes were frozen stiff, I was falling asleep while walking through dangerous and snow filled terrain, and the frequency of the vomiting increased. The cook and the porter had already stopped me several times to ask me if I wanted to go down.  My answer was always a prompt and stern, “NO, I can’t turn back”.

A few minutes after I had received a time check that we were only a few hours away from the summit point I passed out. Face first…right in the snow.  A few centimeters away from rocks that could have split my head in two.  The culprit…..altitude sickness and mild hypothermia. When my guides finally woke me they told me it was too dangerous to continue and they were taking me back down to the camp.  I remember crying my eyes out because my mind wanted to move forward….my body and God had another plan.

I don’t remember a thing about getting down to the last camp.  When I awoke a few hours later I didn’t even remember where I was.  I was exhausted and a little short of breath but I didn’t feel bummed out.  Granted I was still sick as a dog but I was proud of myself for having reached as far as I did without giving up.  I’m not a hiker or a runner. I like boxing and lifting weights and hadn’t even done that in months.  But in true Venus form…I saw something I wanted to accomplish and went for it.  My out of shape self made it past Stella Point…less than 100 meters away from the top of the tallest mountain in Africa.  I still think that’s pretty impressive.

In life you can’t always win them all so I’m not upset.  I can still say I CLIMBED FRICKEN MOUNT KILIMANJARO!!! This was such an amazing experience and I will never forget it as long as I live.  I really won’t forget it if the feeling doesn’t come back in my toe….still don’t feel a thing. 😐  I guess that’s better than being dead though right?

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes.  Don’t worry about me going back for a second time to reach the top. I got far enough…got a certificate to prove it and now I’m changing my flight to leave this country ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!