I’m writing this post
at 6:00 PM and its 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside with a heat index of 102
degrees. A couple of hours ago I dumped
two bags of ice into my dog’s wading pool in order to help keep them cool. My blue heelers were bred to work in the heat
of the Australian sun and I care greatly for my dogs. By the way, thank you Australia for
developing such a fine breed! But this
summer is going to be very hot and it brings back memories of episodes with
severe dehydration. On one occasion I
was hospitalized. And last September I
stopped a young fellow from venturing on in what would have been certain death.
It was the middle of
the day and my cousin called me over to her house because someone had shown up
at her porch lost and thirsty. The boy
was from El Salvador. He had entered the US illegally with a group at the Río
Grande the night before. Their
guide (they are called a “coyote” in these parts) told them to rest a few hours
after they were dropped off on a lonely ranch road about five miles south of
where we live. When the people in the
group fell asleep the coyote absconded with their money and disappeared into the
woods.
The group panicked upon
awakening and apparently everyone fled in different directions. This is common in the region. Within five miles east and west of where we
live there have been over 100 bodies found in the past couple of years. They were people who thought they could trek
across this arid land with little water and who died either from sun stroke or
severe dehydration.
The young man was
shaking and crying and looked in bad shape.
I gave him water and when he calmed down I offered him a sandwich. He was too nervous to eat. He said he was 19 years old and he wanted to
go to New York City to see his father and brother. I’ll not forget his intense blue eyes and
sandy brown hair and the El Salvadorian accent in his Spanish. He had been told that somehow he could find a
way to New York City from Houston and he planned to walk to Houston because the
coyote told him Houston was only a few miles away.
We were not
particularly shocked to hear how the coyote had misled him. They are ruthless and this is common. We produced a map and showed him that Houston
was, in fact, almost 350 miles away.
Then we showed him that New York City is almost 2,000 miles from where
we live.
That young fellow was the
same age as my youngest son. All I could
think about when talking to him was what if this was my boy lost and afraid in
a foreign land? Would anybody give him a
helping hand? I found the thought
terrifying and I said to the young man, “I will not tell you what to do. But I can assure you that you will not make
it. It’s over fifty miles to the next
watering hole and you will be walking across a desert. How will I be able to live knowing that I let
you go and that you will surely die.”
The boy was so nervous
and scared that he barely talked. He was
completely out of his element. Heck, I
doubt that any of us grizzled woods roamers around here could make that trek. I probably wouldn’t make it but a few miles
before I succumbed to the heat and lack of water. In these parts water is vital. In fact, water is more important than any
knife or long machete or fire-starter or anything else. The second most important thing is a
wide-brimmed hat. From then on the list
is as follows: 1) salt & potassium tablets 2) bandana 3) signaling device
like a mirror 4) some beef jerky or granola bars 5) leather gloves 6)
sunglasses 7) a lightweight tarp 8) some cordage. A knife doesn’t even enter the top ten list. A light machete might come in handy but if I
could carry only a couple of things they would be a water-filled canteen and a
water-purifier. All else is luxury
beyond that point.
I knew there was
nothing else to do but call the Border Patrol.
Thankfully, the young fellow said, “Call them.” When the BP showed up I told the agents, “Be
nice to this kid.” When he was about to
get into their vehicle he wanted to give me a hug. I let him put his arm around my shoulder and
I told him that all was going to be okay.
I hope wherever he is that he is doing well. I was angry that his father would be so far
away from his son. My children are the
most important people in my life. I
could not imagine not knowing my son.
But I should not be so judgmental.
Perhaps the father was doing his best for his family. Such a cruel world indeed.
Many of you live in
similar climates where heat rules and we are but minutes from death when we
cross that threshold into dehydration.
The signs of dehydration are sometimes difficult to perceive until it is
too late. Don’t make the mistake of
thinking you are bullet proof. Always
take precautions. Never ever venture out
without carrying water. I am amazed at the
people who I have roamed the woods with who never think to carry water. I judge a person’s woods knowledge by what
they carry. People who hike in these
parts without water get an immediate ranking of Zero!
Here are tips to avoid
dehydration besides the need to carry water.
First, move slowly. Do not
generate too much heat. Moving slowly is
what the best woods roamers do.
Neophytes want to move fast. Keep
to the shade as much as possible and if you find yourself in a bad situation
then stay in the shade until help arrives.
Drink water frequently. You might
have heard the adage: It’s better to have water in you than on you. But that means that you must learn to gauge
how much water you will need. Figure that
out and then add more! It’s better to
carry too much water than end up without enough.
Going from mild dehydration
to severe dehydration is an insidious event.
It begins in several ways. One is
slight dizziness. Another is a dry
mouth. You will also stop urinating. Your heart beat will increase. Your blood pressure will begin to fall. You might have a sudden headache and develop
a fever. Dizziness soon increases to
intense confusion. In short order the confusion
becomes delirium. Your skin is hot to
the touch and no longer supple. At this
point you are in the process of dying.
You will be unable to perform the simplest tasks. You might start to vomit and this will
dehydrate you more. Your delirium can
proceed to coma. If you do not receive
immediate fluids mixed with electrolytes you will not survive. I was given fluids intravenously and within a
few hours I was okay. But I have no
recollection of being admitted to the hospital and I was later told they
thought I wasn’t going to make it
Dehydration is
preventable but I can assure you that this summer more bodies will be found in
the surrounding brushlands. I would hope
not but I am not optimistic on that score.
