The night before I leave Lhasa for Everest

It's the night before I leave Lhasa for Everest and I'm in bed when suddenly I feel a pain in my lower leg. It's late and I'm tired and I don't think anything of it because come on, it's just a pain in my lower leg, but then I remember that this is the first sign of Deep Vein Thrombosis and I sit up straight and I start to panic.

It must have been the cramped conditions on the train, I think, after the long haul flight, I think. It's getting worse. I can feel the blood clot moving up my calf and I get up and pace back and forth and try to calculate how long it'll take to get to my heart.

Now I can feel a slight headache start. I go to the mirror and check my nose for blood: altitude sickness. Nothing. I wonder if I should take some aspirin. Why didn't I bring any aspirin? Maybe they have some down at reception. I put on a robe and sneak down the stairs but it's 2am and the lobby is cold and dark, so I take my altitude sickness and my Deep Vein Thrombosis and the three of us creep back up the stairs again and get back into bed again until eventually, thankfully, we all fall asleep together.

When I wake up in the morning I'm all alone. Any pain is gone and it's bright outside and it's time to get going.