Climbing at altitude taxes the human body. When life goes bad we have two “get out of jail” cards. O2 and Dex. May 1999 I participated in a rescue of a climber on the north ridge of Everest after the climber experienced an open bivouac.

After consulting with MDs via radio we administered a dose of dexamethasone via an intramuscular injection. The climber, who at this point was not ambulatory and had to be lowered down the icefall, responded immediately.

The strength of this steroid was such that he stood up and became less of a burden for my friends and I. When President Trump boasts, “I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” , it’s not because of Covid 19, Diet Coke or cheeseburgers. It’s the Dex, dude.

Dex is an incredibly effective drug when used at altitude. I would rather have President Trump on a 6 liter per minute flow of oxygen then jacked on ‘roids. The benefit of oxygen is increased mental acuity. Dex, on the other hand, can lead to aggression, agitation and anxiety.