Heat Casualty

[ANGRYCivilian]

I wanted to tell a little story about yesterday:

Here goes:

The FL Trail, starting at Juniper Springs and going to FR-10. The naked people were still at Hidden Pond, but clothed this time. I think they live there.

21.45 miles of SUCK. I was a heat casualty for the first time in my f*cking life, an actual heat casualty...as in, seizure and maybe death was very close. This sh!t happened at around mile 15 or so, in a 45 minute time span.

Both calves locked in the foot pointed down position and continued to tighten beyond the point that my feet could no longer tilt downward. I fall over, and it hurts severely. My pulse gets faster and faster, and I start to fade out. I'm out of the 1.5 gallons of water and electrolyte mix and food I brought and still have 6 miles to get back to my vehicle. I roll over on my back and try to control my breathing to relax my pulse for about 30 minutes; it doesn't work. My arms start tingling bad and start to curl up; I can't move my hands more than about 6". I jerk my body as hard as I can and knock my pack over, and shimmy up to it and miracle my cell out and holy jesus I have signal. I'm almost totally incoherent, and can barely speak at this point. I call my Mom and ask her to call Juniper Springs and tell them that I'm not going to make the 5:00 closing deadline. At least, that's what I was trying to say. She calls 911. I call her back to tell here my coordinates, and they come out all f*ucked up. I am now lying on my back again and throw up everything I've eaten all damn day all over myself, in my hat...everywhere. I continue to dry heave for about 3 more hours. It's the only thing that kept me conscious, even though I couldn't form sentences or move.

911 calls me and has me call them back so they can get a fix on my cell, and I stay on the phone with 911 for 4 more hours or so. During this time, after 2 hours, my legs and arms start to work again. I move on down the trail, cross the creek, walk some more and collapse. I move down the trail some more, and this is where I remain until the Sheriff's helicopter finds me, which took a long time. It took even longer for the Medics to walk to me, once they realized they couldn't land the helicopter or drive anything to me. By this time, I've had a little water and am feeling mobile, and we all walk out, at night, blazing our own trail through the woods like bulls in a china shop. The blazing the trail part I thought was stupid; I told the deputy I would stick to the trail because I know it, if it were me.

21.45 miles from Juniper Springs to FR-10 to the Sinkhole back to FR-10 and Juniper Springs. I had originally intended to just og to Hidden Pond and back, ~12 miles; but no, I pushed on, and on, and finally made it to FR-10 when I saw a sign for a sinkhole. I just had to go see the Sinkhole, which added about 1.5 hours of hiking, which made me late. I was moving at 5-6mph pace for over an hour without any water when my body said, "I'm done."

My new motto: You're not pushing it until you need to be medivaced out of the woods and walk out instead.

All joking aside, the Sheriff's Office, the Fire Rescue, and the park personnel went above and beyond to take care of me. I feel like a total asshole for being a heat casualty pussy and wasting a crap load of county money; but I respect the guys that came to my aide even more than I did before.

The good news out of this, is I'm improving for Bataan in March, and haven't died yet. :D Some things I've learned about my body/mind: There's nothing I can do when my body just totally stops working; other than that, I have full control and have no issue pushing through pain and weakness. The bad news is, I have to experience something before I can fully understand it; an unfortunately being a heat casualty was one of those things that's never happened before, so...

[RRDTm3]

hahahahahaha, you feel out of your own movement....................................................BTDT :?




DRINK WATER

[Flesh Thorn]

That had to suck!

[dbmtrman]

Sounds like LE put a lot of resources into saving your ass. Hope you don't get billed for all the time and money it took to get you out.

[ma91c1an]

Bro, you need to get some blood work done, and some urinalysis.

No shit.

This is not a trivial matter.

You need to ensure that your body is recovered before you put yourself into that situation again. You also need to remember that once you are a heat casualty, that you can go down faster and easier a second time.

You really need to keep tabs on yourself.

[ANGRYCivilian]

Thanks for the replies, Rangers. I didn't think about getting labs tested for any issues. I've called the VA and am awaiting a return call to schedule an apt. I would have gone right back out there once feeling better.

When I'm gtg, I'm moving my training area to one of the main forest roads. It has tons of sand and some elevation change, not much, but this is FL. It's easily accessible for a truck or 4wd vehicle. I'm also starting small and incrementing gradually instead of just going until I fall out.

[ANGRYCivilian]

Also, my lower left leg is pretty sore, and stiff as hell in the morning. I feel a little weak still; but am walking around and eating and trying to replenish nutrients. Hopefully, the labs will come back with good news.

[rgrpuck]

The Army now requires a minimum one year Profile for a heat Casualty. Then you have to be reevaled for a MED Bd.

Majic man is correct this is nothing to fuck with and will effect you for months ....possibly years to come.

[Rock Island Ranger]

Well, any of you Docs can refute this if you want however....once you have had a heat related injury it will always be a risk factor for you and you will be more at risk. Rangers, athletes, doesnt matter. Heat kills and they know it. Tough is nice but death sucks.

[rgrokelley]

Well, any of you Docs can refute this if you want however....once you have had a heat related injury it will always be a risk factor for you and you will be more at risk. Rangers, athletes, doesnt matter. Heat kills and they know it. Tough is nice but death sucks.

Why is that? I've always wondered why heat, and cold, injuries are easily repeated. Does anyone know why the body does that?

[Ranger Ron]

Sorry Bro! Doesn't sound fun. You have already gotten the good advise so I will just PAY ATTENTION TO 'EM!

[RRDTm3]

Well, any of you Docs can refute this if you want however....once you have had a heat related injury it will always be a risk factor for you and you will be more at risk. Rangers, athletes, doesnt matter. Heat kills and they know it. Tough is nice but death sucks.

Why is that? I've always wondered why heat, and cold, injuries are easily repeated. Does anyone know why the body does that?

kinda like the 1/75 guys, sucka dick once......................

[Rock Island Ranger]

Well, any of you Docs can refute this if you want however....once you have had a heat related injury it will always be a risk factor for you and you will be more at risk. Rangers, athletes, doesnt matter. Heat kills and they know it. Tough is nice but death sucks.

Why is that? I've always wondered why heat, and cold, injuries are easily repeated. Does anyone know why the body does that?

kinda like the 1/75 guys, sucka dick once......................

Right....similar to weight control. Once you get chubby, it sticks like super glue. Oh, Im sorry fatty....you were sayin?

[rgrpuck]

wow