From Joel Streed, Mayo Clinic News Network
Nobody ever expected this expedition to be easy. Conducting medical research near the top of the worlds highest point certainly creates challenges. Mother nature is one of those obstacles that the team is having to overcome. The extreme temperatures are playing games with both equipment and the researchers. Much of the equipment, including our computers, is run off battery. Battery life is greatly diminished in the cold. And the frigid nighttime temps can play havoc on other research material that should ideally be stored in controlled conditions, something that is a little hard to do when you’re working in tents.
But team members, including technology lead Dr. Amine Issa, are working hard to find solutions that are keeping the gathering of data on track. We were able to get two of Dr. Issa’s brief comments out from base camp today — this is raw footage due to temporary technical limitations.
I have been watching you from start to finish on Everest. I was just mesmorized.I just had to read every day what you were up against and loved it. The research, the mountain, everyone involved, it was the most amazing feat i think Mayo has ever taken on. I literally traveled all the places you have. Thank you for the experience of a lifetime.