A new perspective on life
A new perspective on life
Novato athlete recovering from unknown illness
By Josh Boxer
IJ correspondent
Editor’s note: The following story is of former Makoti resident Dave Lampert. It appeared in the Marin (Calif.) Independent Journal and is being run with their permission
For the past 10 years, racing triathlons has taken Dave Lampert to increasingly greater heights. However, it took the height of Mount Kilimanjaro and a mysterious illness to truly put life and racing in perspective for the 54-year-old Novato resident.
Seeking to cross another item off his “bucket list” and as a way to celebrate his 50th birthday, Lampert and his wife, Lisa, set out to summit Kilimanjaro in October 2007.
“I was probably in the best shape of my life,” said Lampert, who is an executive for General Electric. “I had done a couple of Ironmans earlier that year, and I made it to the summit without any problems.”
After his climb, however, and a week spent on safari, Lampert knew that something was just not right.
“I felt a little flulike but I thought that it was just tiredness from the travel,” he said.
A few weeks later, his fatigue, headaches and flulike symptoms persisted, prompting multiple doctor visits, including a referral to an infectious disease specialist.
