Heat warning

[Lazy WP]

I copied this from Facebook, but I think it is important to remember 

 

⚠️ PLEASE READ — A WARNING ABOUT EXTREME HEAT & RHABDOMYOLYSIS ⚠️

I want to share what happened to my dad yesterday because I honestly didn’t realize how quickly something like this could happen, or how serious it could become.

Yesterday, my dad was picking up 100 bales of hay. At the time, the temperature was around 100°F, with a “feels like” temperature of 108°F.

He knew it was hot. He was drinking water and Gatorade profusely and trying to stay hydrated.

Within about an hour, he was in trouble.

He began having absolutely excruciating cramps in his hands, arms, and legs. Not normal muscle cramps — his muscles were painfully contracting and locking up to the point that he needed an ambulance.

He was transported to the ER, where bloodwork showed that he had developed rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo). After receiving multiple bags of IV fluids and electrolytes, he was ultimately admitted to the hospital.

I’m sharing this because a lot of us know about heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but may not realize that extreme heat combined with intense physical exertion can also cause serious muscle breakdown.

Rhabdomyolysis happens when damaged muscle tissue breaks down and releases its contents into the bloodstream. One of those substances is myoglobin, a muscle protein that can damage the kidneys. In severe cases, rhabdo can cause acute kidney injury, dangerous electrolyte abnormalities, abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, permanent kidney damage, and even death.

Symptoms can include:
• Severe muscle pain, cramping, weakness, or swelling
• Extreme fatigue or difficulty continuing an activity
• Dark, tea- or cola-colored urine
• Decreased urine output
• Nausea, confusion, or feeling extremely unwell

And something I really want people to understand after watching this happen:

Drinking plenty of water does NOT make you invincible in extreme heat.

My dad WAS drinking water. He WAS drinking Gatorade. He wasn’t intentionally ignoring hydration. And this still developed within roughly an hour while doing extremely strenuous work in dangerous heat.

If you are working outside, farming, doing yard work, exercising, roofing, construction, moving hay, or doing anything physically demanding during extreme temperatures, please take the heat seriously. Take frequent breaks in the shade or air conditioning, don’t push through severe muscle cramps or weakness, and stop immediately if your body is telling you something isn’t right.

Severe, widespread muscle cramps during strenuous activity in extreme heat are not something to just “tough out.” If symptoms are severe, worsening, or accompanied by weakness, confusion, fainting, dark urine, or decreased urination, seek medical attention.

We were very fortunate that my dad got help quickly and was taken to the hospital.

And I have to give a huge thank you to Mike Reed with Clarksville Fire Rescue. Mike just happened to show up on his way to play pickleball, and he ended up being an enormous help in getting Dad taken care of. Sometimes the right person really does show up at exactly the right time. Mike, we are incredibly grateful you were there and for everything you did to help. ❤️

Please share this, especially with the farmers, construction workers, first responders, athletes, landscapers, and anyone else in your life who spends hours working outside.

Extreme heat can overwhelm the body much faster than you think — even when you’re trying to do everything right. ❤️

[acem]

I hope he heals completely and quickly.

Thanks for posting as a reminder to us.

High temperature's can cause serious injuries and death. Watch yourself and for others.

[Chester5732]

Thanks for the warning. I have never heard of that let alone experience it. I have passed out from dehydration but that turned out ok.  Now when it gets hot I am as much of a hermit as possible.  

[MT Matt]

I hope he fully recovers. One thing not mentioned is the frequency of being exposed to heat with strenuous work. Do you move 100 bales every day?  Just because you hydrated, that doesn’t mean you can jump from an AC tractor to the heat and do that kind of work if you haven’t been doing physical labor up to that point.

The first couple weeks of hay season is getting tougher to get used to for me.  I’m 55 and no matter what you think you do leading up to it, long days in the heat takes time to acclimate to.  I need to spend time in the gym before hay season starts to be better prepared for it.

The average age of a farmer is not young. I for one need to prepare myself a little better before jumping in with both feet.  Thanks WP for bringing it to our attention. 

[acem]

A few weeks ago I had to shovel a good bit of grain in a bin. It was 100+F outside. It was way hotter in the bin.

I got part done and had to stop. I was overheated but not heat stroke or anything.

I got out. Sat in the cab with the doors open. Slowly drank water and cooled down. Then I went home.

 

[MacAR]

This is something good to know! I've been tinkering around with the Junkyard Special 450 today, and it's not cool here by any means. But, I can get along pretty good if I'll work a while and then go sit in the shade and drink water. I try to come in every couple hours and cool off, that seems to help quite a bit too. 

[oleman]

14 minutes ago, acem said:

A few weeks ago I had to shovel a good bit of grain in a bin. It was 100+F outside. It was way hotter in the bin.

I got part done and had to stop. I was overheated but not heat stroke or anything.

I got out. Sat in the cab with the doors open. Slowly drank water and cooled down. Then I went home.

conveyor system, rigid hose with a blower motor / vacuum motor. There has got  to be a better way.  

Some days I think I am too old for this stuff.

[Alan Dinan]

Three years ago I had been in the hayfield, just raking hay for several hours. Then jumped in the truck with low Freon and drove for an hour and a half. Went into an air conditioned store, never fully having cooled down. Did my shopping and then went to the gas station, where a Tahoe was dead at a pump. I asked the attendant if he needed a hand pushing it out of the way and he said sure, so we pushed it about 200’ to a parking spot. That’s when I quit sweating. I walked back to the truck and pumped my gas and got a drink of water. Felt a little dizzy, getting back into the truck. Turned the fan on high and grabbed another bottle of water. Was feeling better about half way home. Probably shouldn’t have been driving, but needed to get home. Got to the house and sat in the AC for the rest of the night. I can’t handle the heat anymore, since then.

[Farmall1066]

I had heat stroke back in 2001, extreme heat and humidity knocks me down after 2-3 days. 

[acem]

A local school canceled a cross country meet tomorrow. Forecast high of 105F. Deemed unsafe.

 

[cjf711]

we have had pretty much all of our HS soccer and football practice and games moved back to later in evening

Chopped corn silage all weekend with the 1206 on the chopper,   dad had to take more breaks than all the previous years together I think?  Brutal heat and no escape from the sun,  and so dry out there again.  Beans really look tired out as well... 

Anyone else also have horrible late summer allergies?  If not for the farm I would move away from these miserable summers immediately.  

 

[acem]

I usually have some late summer allergies.

However it's been so dry and hot for so long that most everything is dead and not releasing pollen.

I'd rather have some moisture and lower temperatures with allergies...

 

[Lazy WP]

We are in our 4th week of 100 plus degrees in a row. Had a 2 week break before this run, and 2 weeks of 100 plus before that. 
Amazing that the crops are still alive, for the most part. The early corn didn’t make it, and there were some beans that gave up early on. 
I have had a nasty cold for a week now and I have NO stamina in the heat!!

[acem]

They have revised our forecast. High of 107F.

Time for the video again! Hopefully for the last time this year.

It was a hundred and seven
We were heading to town
She had her sleeves rolled up
And the windows rolled down
That girl is a cowboy

 

my wife picked out her car, factory no AC...