Comments on: Absence Seizure http://www.nittanyturkey.com/archives/2008/07/10/502/ Mostly about Penn State football, this is a tale told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:29:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: The Nittany Turkey http://www.nittanyturkey.com/archives/2008/07/10/502/comment-page-1/#comment-71014 The Nittany Turkey Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:05:16 +0000 http://www.nittanyturkey.com/?p=502#comment-71014 The Turkey knows. Heat exhaustion was responsible for one of my two near death experiences in the Little/Big Econ State Forest (soon to be renamed the Charles H. Bronson State Forest, for purely egotistical political reasons, but I digress). The mercury shot out the top of the thermometer that day, reaching 102F, and God only knows what the "RealFeel" was. The humidity was high, so it had to be up there around 120 or so. No wind was blowing. I was in the forest, desperately trying to find shade between the open meadows I had to traverse, as I stopped sweating (with the humidity high and ambient temperature greater than body temperature, that happens). My body was directing blood away from vital organs to go to the human radiator, the capillaries close to the skin, in a desperate attempt to cool itself down. My vision began to narrow and fleetingly black out. I was lightheaded and my muscles felt weak. I lay down on some pine needles for a little rest, thinking this is what people think they're doing when they die in the desert. I had plenty of water and was staying hydrated, but it didn't help. I was out at high noon and there was no hiding from that sun. I lay there for a good fifteen minutes and when I got up I felt no better than I had before I rested. It was a struggle to walk the remaining mile back to the Jeep. When I got home, I went to my bedroom, cranked the air conditioner down as low as it would go, turned on the ceiling fan, stripped and prostrated myself, trying to cool down. I couldn't. It took me about 12 hours before I felt I was back to normal. So, don't fool around with heat. The other near death experience in the LBESF (soon to be named the CHBSF)? That was a near drowning, which is another story for another time. ---TNT The Turkey knows. Heat exhaustion was responsible for one of my two near death experiences in the Little/Big Econ State Forest (soon to be renamed the Charles H. Bronson State Forest, for purely egotistical political reasons, but I digress). The mercury shot out the top of the thermometer that day, reaching 102F, and God only knows what the “RealFeel” was. The humidity was high, so it had to be up there around 120 or so. No wind was blowing. I was in the forest, desperately trying to find shade between the open meadows I had to traverse, as I stopped sweating (with the humidity high and ambient temperature greater than body temperature, that happens). My body was directing blood away from vital organs to go to the human radiator, the capillaries close to the skin, in a desperate attempt to cool itself down. My vision began to narrow and fleetingly black out. I was lightheaded and my muscles felt weak. I lay down on some pine needles for a little rest, thinking this is what people think they’re doing when they die in the desert. I had plenty of water and was staying hydrated, but it didn’t help. I was out at high noon and there was no hiding from that sun. I lay there for a good fifteen minutes and when I got up I felt no better than I had before I rested. It was a struggle to walk the remaining mile back to the Jeep.

When I got home, I went to my bedroom, cranked the air conditioner down as low as it would go, turned on the ceiling fan, stripped and prostrated myself, trying to cool down. I couldn’t. It took me about 12 hours before I felt I was back to normal.

So, don’t fool around with heat.

The other near death experience in the LBESF (soon to be named the CHBSF)? That was a near drowning, which is another story for another time.

—TNT

]]> By: The Redhead http://www.nittanyturkey.com/archives/2008/07/10/502/comment-page-1/#comment-71008 The Redhead Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:22:07 +0000 http://www.nittanyturkey.com/?p=502#comment-71008 On the day of this post, The Redhead joined her running group for a couple of miles. We took it slow--even though it was 6pm, it was 92 degrees under a blazing sun and no breeze. When we could we grabbed little pockets of shade. After a little over mile one I had to start taking frequent walk breaks. As I've been coming back from a two month layoff due to an injury, my fitness is not up to my half marathoning standard. I sent my pals on ahead because I knew if I kept going I would be in danger of heat exhaustion or worse. I was able to cool down and run a little to get back to the start where my fellow runners gather around the all-important water cooler. Ah, did that taste good. Will I run again in the heat? Yes. But training in Florida summers can be deadly--you've got to be careful. And as the Turkey knows, sometimes you just get caught in the heat and you do what you have to do to get cool and rehydrated. Popsicle anyone? The Redhead. On the day of this post, The Redhead joined her running group for a couple of miles. We took it slow–even though it was 6pm, it was 92 degrees under a blazing sun and no breeze. When we could we grabbed little pockets of shade. After a little over mile one I had to start taking frequent walk breaks. As I’ve been coming back from a two month layoff due to an injury, my fitness is not up to my half marathoning standard. I sent my pals on ahead because I knew if I kept going I would be in danger of heat exhaustion or worse. I was able to cool down and run a little to get back to the start where my fellow runners gather around the all-important water cooler. Ah, did that taste good. Will I run again in the heat? Yes. But training in Florida summers can be deadly–you’ve got to be careful. And as the Turkey knows, sometimes you just get caught in the heat and you do what you have to do to get cool and rehydrated.

Popsicle anyone?

The Redhead.

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