How do you manage your condition?
When I was first diagnosed with intracranial hypertension [which happens when cerebrospinal fluid builds up and creates pressure on the brain], I had a shunt implanted to drain excess fluid and relieve the pressure. After I'd had many surgeries and complications, my neurosurgeon implanted a neuromodulation device that has eliminated my headaches.
What has changed since you had the device implanted?
I'm no longer in pain, and I'm much more active. A month after the surgery in 2014, I ran a half-marathon.
Was running that half-marathon a turning point?
When I was cooling down in a park after the run, I suddenly noticed a beautiful tree. I thought about its deep roots, its strength, and how the tree and I work together. I'm giving it carbon dioxide, and it's giving me oxygen. In that moment, I began to love nature and realized I wanted to be immersed in it.
Listen now!
Crystal Gail Welcome speaks with Dr. Audrey Nath on the power of hiking on the Brain & Life Podcast.
Has this newfound love of nature affected your life?
The year after my surgery, I hiked 600 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from the United States–Mexico border to the US–Canada border. I learned everything about backpacking while on the trail. I also learned that I am more in control of my body than I thought. After that trek, I got a master's degree in adventure education and adventure therapy.
What is your latest goal?
I am trying to be the first woman—and first person with a neuromodulation implant—to complete the Great Western Loop. [The 6,875-mile loop links five trails—Pacific Crest, Pacific Northwest, Continental Divide, Grand Enchantment, and Arizona—and courses through the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, 12 national parks, and 75 wilderness areas.] I started in July 2020 and have hiked 1,000 miles, including ascending Mount Whitney. I'm dividing it up by season, and I completed the Arizona Trail in April. I'm hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail now and will complete 700 miles of the Pacific Northwest Trail after that.
Are you worried about your health and safety?
My doctors and surgeons know what I'm doing. I have the most supportive medical team, and I can reach out to any of them at any time. I have to be careful to pace myself—I average about 20 to 25 miles a day—so I don't tax my implant. I also have to pay close attention to the batteries in the implant. Every 10 days, I have to leave the trail to recharge them. If they die before that, I can have dangerous symptoms like terrible headaches and poor vision.
You almost got caught in a tornado during a hike. What happened?
One of the side effects of my surgery is hypersensitivity to changes in barometric pressure, which means I can almost always feel bad weather coming and can stop hiking. The day of the freak tornado, I felt eerie all day but couldn't figure out why. Through my personal locator, which I always wear, I got a message from another hiker telling me to get off the trail. Luckily, I was near the trailhead and was able to get to safety.
What else have you learned from hiking?
I think nature is a unifier. I believe that if more people found peace and healing in nature, we'd be nicer to each other and the planet. I also want to change the stereotype that Black people like me don't hike. When I first told my family about my plans, they said, “We don't go into the woods.” I've changed their minds. Now they say, “If this makes Crystal happy, then we want this for her.” I want to show other Black folks that we deserve this kind of happiness too.
