Pop!

Written at mile 832 – Bishop

Before I left for this trip, I got my normal testosterone pellet injection. They use a device called a trocar to insert the pellet into the fat of my buttocks. This procedure requires I rest for 1-2 weeks while the skin seals and heals. Afterwards, I feel like a totally normal person. I can’t feel the pellets inside my body and the world is right. 

About a month ago, I started noticing my pellet site becoming raised. I assumed it was because I was losing so much weight (fat) as I could feel my hip bones and the like. 

What I didn’t realize was that during all this incredibly intense hiking, I developed a micro tear at the pellet site, which caused an infection. The pain of this infection was lost on me due to me attempting to stay alive out in the wilderness. 

The infection progressed to the point of being red, and hot to the touch. Because of this, I went into a clinic here in Bishop. They confirmed I am definitely infected. They wanted to cut me open to drain the abscess that formed, but we both understood this wasn’t a normal situation as I needed to get back on trail. They prescribed me antibiotics and I started taking them. 

On night two of the antibiotics, my abscess ruptured and drained itself all over my bed sheets. In a panic, I asked AI what I should do. I followed its advice of showering, and dressing the site. Luckily I have plenty of gauze and tape. In the morning I was to go back to the local clinic. 

The clinic says the drainage was probably a good thing. The site looks fine. I need to continue my antibiotics and stay in Bishop for a few more days to allow everything to heal up. 

Of all the places I’ve been to, Bishop is definitely the best place to lay low for a few days. Lots of restaurants, mountains in the distance, a few museums, and lots of shops to meander in.