July in the Midwest…intense heat, high humidity, and the plethora of outdoor activities from mowing the grass to sports, picnics and more. Take care! Heatstroke kills!

 There are many types of heat-related illnesses but the two everyone should be able to recognize are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion typically develops first and if not treated develops into heat stroke. Heat stroke if left untreated can result in death due to the failure of any of the major organ systems.

 Heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur when excessive loss of body fluids inhibit the body’s ability to lower the body’s core temperature. The body’s primary method of cooling itself involves perspiration. As sweat evaporates from the skin the body cools. As the body runs low on fluid for perspiration the method no longer works effectively. The result? Rising body temperatures. Core body temperatures of 105 degrees Fahrenheit can be fatal.

  The typical symptoms of heat exhaustion include: hot, flushed, sweating skin; headache; dizziness; and fainting. Without treatment these symptoms progress into heat stroke with the development of confusion, stupor or agitation, seizures, or coma. The person in heat stroke may no longer sweat due to the depletion of body water.

  How do you treat heat exhaustion? Take a break from the activity that’s making you hot. Find some shade and a breeze so your sweat can evaporate effectively. Fan yourself, squirt yourself with cool water, take a dip in the pool, get a cool drink, etc. Make sure you’re drinking proper fluids during activity or exercise, i.e., eight ounces of fluid for every 15 minutes of moderate exercise. (Beer and other containing alcohol have a diuretic effect and will dehydrate you more quickly. You must be drinking other fluids on the side!) Electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and Powerade can help replace some of the water, potassium and sodium lost during perspiration.

  If you suspect heat stroke, contact emergency medical services immediately then start cooling measures. Move the person to a cool place, splash them with cool water or apply cool towels and encourage them to drink water if they are still conscious.

  Although children and the elderly are most at risk, the heat can affect everyone. Invest in a wide-brimmed hat and some loose-fitting, light colored clothes. Drink plenty of fluids and take frequent breaks. But most of all make sure you can recognize heat stress signs and symptoms and know how to help. Don’t let your next family get-together turn into a medical emergency!

  One of the things I love to do more than almost anything else is fish. Pond, river, reservoir, lake, ocean, even a damp spot on the freeway - it makes no difference so long as there's even the slightest chance some finny creature will latch onto my dangling hook.

  A recent month-long hot, dry sweltering stretch of summer's worst weather had left the ground hard-packed and virtually worm-free. Finding bait was a very difficult task and I had been searching for several hours when I happened upon an odd sight. There in the middle of a dried up pond bottom was a ragged and dusty old speckled snake. From the looks of his bones showing through loose folds of scale-draped skin, he too was having a tough time finding "bait". But, he had just experienced a bit of luck. That is, up 'til I happened by. Dangling from his mouth were the two hind legs of a small green frog. Still kickin'! What I saw hangin' out of that speckled snake's mouth wasn't a pair of green frog legs - it was bass bait!

  The snake, weak from hunger, lost any semblance of speed and had no chance of escape.

  I grabbed the decimated reptile with my right hand, the frog's legs with my left and began to pull.

  Now that old snake had gone a long time between meals and wasn't about to give that frog up. He clamped down with such force and determination, that it was obvious the most I could hope for would be a disjointed leg. That would never do. I quickly realized a different tactic was called for.

  Right here I must explain one little thing. Because I am always on the lookout for a "sweet hole", I sometimes venture into areas that may be shunned by more reasonable folks. One of the dangers, perceived or otherwise is snake bite, so... I take the precaution to always have a little flask of "snake bite medicine" along.

  I pulled that flask from my rear pocket and poured a "speck" of Kentucky's finest 8 year-old snake bite medicine into that snake's mouth, hoping to lubricate the frog so's to pull it free. Let me tell you, that old speckled snake took to swallowing and squirming and flaying around like I've never seen! He immediately let go of the frog and struck off across the dried mud in a series of figure eights and nines, in Roman numerals.

  Taking up the frog, I ran on down to the river bank where I plopped the frog-baited hook out into the water. I hadn't been sitting there for more than five or six minutes when I felt something rubbing and pushing against my back pocket. I jumped up in surprise to discover that same old speckled snake coiled up there with a funny look in his eyes. And another frog in his mouth!