The first time that I observed Kathie suffer heat exhaustion was around thirty years ago. We were serious wood burners then and always on the lookout for a fresh supply of firewood.
Our property boarders a creek with one side that has a very steep bank.
Occasionally tall poplar trees would be toppled by the wind and lay on the steep creek bank. The trunks were a foot to a foot and a half in diameter and a perfect size to cut up with a chain saw and split into beautiful firewood for our home’s wood burner.
One warm afternoon I convinced Kathie that she should assist me in cutting several fallen poplar trees.
I would run the chain saw. Then Kathie and I would carry the chunks of wood up the steep bank and deposit them in a pile on top of the bank.
The plan got off to a great start as the chain saw roared to life and wood chips and sawdust filled the air.
Kathie grabbed a chunk of freshly cut wood and began the exhausting climb to the top of the bank.
Again and again, she and I made that difficult climb.
After forty-five minutes I asked Kathie how she was doing and when I glanced at her face no answer was required. Her face was a scarlet red and her hair was saturated with sweat.
She was approaching heat exhaustion!
The workday was cut short as we had to stop and allow my over- heated wife to cool down! 🙂
Ever since that overheating experience Kathie has had to be very careful about over- exerting during hot weather.
This past weekend that heat exhaustion experience was a long- forgotten memory. Instead, we were preparing to watch our granddaughter, Bree participate in the North Dakota Girl’s State Soccer Tournament.
We were proudly decked out in our Fargo Davies Eagles t-shirts and ready to cheer on the soccer team.
As we pulled into the stadium complex and stepped out of our vehicle we were hit with a blast of really hot air, like 90 degrees hot air! 🙁
We had arrived a little too early as I look back on it. There was two hours before game time!
So, we wandered around in the heat and ‘people watched’ for a while. There were a few early birds like ourselves sweating right along with us. 🙂
Finally, we did return to our car and cool down in the air conditioning and guzzle a little water.
Now all this time I am feeling fine, forgetting my wife is sensitive to ninety- degree temperatures.
The stadium bleachers were made of metal and had no roof, so the sun beat down on us with full force.
The stadium began filling with spectators and the excitement of the approaching game began to build. However, the temperature wasn’t getting any cooler.
Soccer has two halves; each are 40 minutes long with a running clock.
Finally, the teams were introduced and the Star- Spangled Banner performed.
The forty minutes began to tick off on the clock and I began to worry how Kathie was holding up. We did have an umbrella in the car which I retrieved and that offered Kathie a little protection from the relentless sun.
It seemed like the time would never expire.
The Eagles finally scored a goal and mercifully the forty- minute half time came to an end!
Now to get my wife to some shade and a breeze.
That’s when the problems began. As I held Kathie’s hand to help her stand she kept appearing like she was going to faint. We would take a couple steps and then she would begin to fade away.
We would have to hold her up, take a few more steps and the process began all over again.
Finally, our son, Steve, just picked her up in his arms very much like Kathie had done to him those many years ago.
I led the way fearing all the way down the stairs that Steve and Kathie would trip and tumble on top of me. Thankfully Steve was able to maintain his balance. He was at that moment my hero! 🙂
We maneuvered carefully down the thirty steps and quickly found shade under the bleachers.
A chair suddenly appeared along with two bags of ice and the cool down began.
There was nothing funny about that experience except for one thing. We were all wearing Davies’ Eagles t-shirts with the name Larson on the back.
Hopefully no one has a video of our mini-Larson parade escaping to a cool place.
Nothing like advertising who we were to a stadium full of hundreds of soccer fans. 🙂
Needless to say, Kathie and I did not watch the second 40- minute half. We went to Steve and Sara’s air- conditioned house and Kathie enjoyed fluids and several bags of ice. 🙂
That evening when we returned home, I asked Kathie what she remembered about her son carrying her down the many steps of the soccer bleachers.
She replied that she has no memory of that scary adventure.
So, every thirty years I forget about Kathie’s sensitivity to heat that means I’ll be 108 when it happens the next time.
I have a feeling I will never forget again!
Until next time.
