It was the summer I was 18. It had been oppressively warm and humid, the air heavy, the skies growing ever darker with the promise of an approaching thunderstorm. I was weeding the garden and wanted to get as much of it done as I could before the storm arrived.
Before I got done and before the storm arrived, things went wrong. My legs collapsed, my head was spinning, and I became very sick. Somehow I managed to halfway crawl and drag myself into the house where I lay on the cool floor, sure I was going to die, but not really caring.
My parents were alarmed, and sought help. Heat exhaustion, bordering right on heat stroke was the diagnoses. I got cooled off and rehydrated and was able to go my merry way. The only thing being I was much more sensitive to heat after the experience.
~~~~~
Living in Missouri where summers were much warmer, I was pleased that it seemed enough time had passed that I was able to take the heat much better. But then it happened again. This time I had been mowing the yard, but managed to drag myself into the house before collapsing.
LV wasn't at home when it happened and without a cell phone there was no way to contact him. Somehow I managed to call my Mom and she was able to send help to our house. It was a scary helpless feeling, and this time seeing the anxious faces of our three little children staring at me as I lay there I knew I did not want to die.
I survived, but once again I had to be very careful to not get too warm.
~~~~~
Fast forward to this morning. As soon as the dew had dried of the grass I headed outside to mow. As the sun kept climbing in the sky the temperature kept rising. Sharon and Steven would bring drinks out every once in a while, and I kept going. But then I could feel it coming. My legs started feeling wooden, my head started spinning, and I was sure I was going to be violently sick.
I abandoned the mower and stumbled across the yard to the house. Clinging to the handrails I managed to get up the porch stairs and into the house where I did everything I could to cool off as fast as possible. I'm okay, still feeling exhausted, but otherwise okay.
Heat, I've learned, is not something to play with.
So glad you're okay! That sounds scary. :(
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are ok now, but it sounds like you really need to be careful in the heat.
ReplyDeletePrayers. Be careful. Don't push yourself.
ReplyDeletePrayers. Be careful. Don't push yourself.
ReplyDeleteOh my! I have the same issue and I can sympathize and also will pray for you. Please be careful and pace yourself and don't overdo. If you're like me you tend to think "it will only be a few more minutes, I'll be fine." Not good.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
Heat stroke is dangerous! We've had several construction workers die in Maryland, working in the heat. Now, as soon as it is above 65-F at night, they haul out HUGE banks of lights, and the work is done after the sun goes down. Take it easy out there. LV and the children need you! And so do we.
ReplyDeleteOh my!! That's a scary experience to endure! Not worth it to risk your health or safety to do yard chores. Please be careful and give yourself a break from outside chores, too dangerous!!
ReplyDeletePraising God for sparing your life those three times- not to mention the many times He's intervened in our lives that we don't even know about!
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you managed to get into the house and get cooled down quickly. As several have already said, the heat is nothing to mess with.
ReplyDeleteOh that's no good, I've had heat stress and it's terrible. I hope you are feeling better and that you don't have to go through it again.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you learned enough from the past experiences to spot the warning signs and avoid a third collapse from heat exhaustion. I don't tolerate heat well either.
ReplyDelete