Got too hot today

[Mobuck]

I had a long day beginning early morning with some fence repairs. Then I mowed some hay until noonish-no cab/no AC. Short lunch break and did some repairs then back to mowing again-- cab with shall we say, conservative AC the air blowing out was slightly cooler that outside temp. Then up to the north farm to work on some corral fence-direct sun w/o a hint of breeze. Son finally showed up around 4PM and wanted to get a full afternoon's work. By 7 PM, I wasn't feeling so good and nauseous. Son put me in his pickup and turned the AC on which set off the muscle cramps. I finally told him I was heading home and could barely keep the pickup on the road due to muscle cramps. Did my evening chores and came in for a quick shower. Feeling better now but still having cramps. Tried some of Son's recommended dehydration therapy stuff and haven't puked it up yet. It's not like I wasn't drinking water-probably swilled down almost a gallon since lunch.

 

[hittman]

Epsom salt bath may be in order.

In these parts folks have hay mowed that won’t get dry enough to bale. Not sure what the answer is to that.

Heat index here 108 today I think. I got yard work started a little after 7 so was all done by 10:30 thank goodness. Wife constantly harping about staying hydrated and she ain’t wrong.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

That sun/heat will get sneak up on you. Watch your urine coloration.....if you are not urinating and feeling bad still that's not good. Dehydration can't be reversed easily. I've found Pedialyte works well.

 

[hittman]

Yep, if you’re not stopping to pee you ain’t taking in enough fluids!

 

[Mobuck]

Yeah, I don't have a good answer for either hay harvest or staying hydrated.
The weather guessers don't have a clue, either. If I don't get it done this week, I'm working alone until second week of August. I don't remember a more mucked up weather year. Last year, we couldn't buy a rain and this year totally opposite. We finally finished wheat harvest yesterday--a week later than anything resembling normal.

 

[protoolman]

Wish I was a neighbor, I'd come by and lend a hand. But the way you work would probably give me heat stroke! I used to bale hay at first.light to evening but that was way back in my youth. I said a prayer for you I'm hoping for lower temp and a cool breeze at least.

 

[jimbo1096]

Take care of yourself mobuck. No amount of extra work and meeting deadlines to get something done is worth your health.

 

[contender]

One thing I've found to add to water,, is a product called "Liquid IV." it's better than Gatoraid, Poweraid, or similar products. Only one in a 16 oz bottle,,, then at least 4 similar sized bottles of water prior to another one. I usually only have (1) in a day's working time.

 

[blume357]

Back when I was really working in this heat...I'd tell people that there is a point when you can't take in enough liquid or such.... it just pours out of you too fast.... I'm pretty much working here at home and the outside work starts at 7:30 and and by about 10:30 I'm pretty much done for the day....yesterday I paced myself a bit and was also under a pop up canopy with a fan blowing on me and I made it to noon and got my project done.... then I recouped for the rest of the day.

 

[Mobuck]

Younger Son works in a hot environment about 50% of the time. He's a fan of the 'Liquid IV'. I tried it but didn't set well. May be something the body needs to adapt to?
Agree with the 'can't drink enough to stay ahead' theory. I used to brag that 'if you haven't sweat through your shirt by 9AM, you're shirking' and yesterday, the only time my shirt wasn't wet was the hour on the tractor with AC. It wasn't much cooler but it was dry air circulating.
Between 4PM and 10PM, my water intake was 128-140 liquid ounces. I don't feel too bad this morning--at least not any worse than dozens of other long hard day morning afters.
Radar indicates the daily showers may miss so I'm expecting another blistering, humid day in the hay fields. I'm looking forward to baling as that tractor does have good AC.

 

[Watertender]

I don't miss handling bales by hand. Most of my working life has been spent in boiler rooms and powerhouses so I worked in a hot environment year round.
My dad worked on construction for over 50 years and I can remember him operating equipment with an umbrella to keep the sun off. Creature comfort wasn't a high priority back in the day.
I'm building the workshop that I never had the time to do before I retired and I am pacing myself in the hottest times of the day. I work a little and think a little and repeat the process. This morning at 1am I was working on the wiring for the air compressor and outlets above the workbenches.
The nice thing is that our refrigerator makes 3 kinds of ice and has water in the door. I make sure to drink and sweat and whiz plenty.

 

[gjgalligan]

I'm not telling you what to as I'm not a doctor but if it was me I would get some electrolyte to mix into my drinking water and probably consume a bit more salt then normal.
When I started working in the auto plants back in the 60s they had salt tablets available at every drinking fountain.

 

[Armybrat]

I don't miss the good ol' days of summertime roofing jobs here in Texas.
Y’all take care and hydrate according to your body’s needs.

 

[tazbigdog]

As I got older, the more the heat bothered me. I hydrate myself regularly, wear loose-fitting clothes, and use moist towels around my neck. Work in early morning and early evening hours seemed better.

 

[wheelgun1958]

Have you tried those cooling neck wraps?

 

[contender]

Ok, you've tried the Liquid IV. If it didn't set with you,, I understand. Where most folks get caught is not drinking enough water. they drink more of the Liquid IV or other electrolyte drinks.

Miss Penny is a safety coordinator for her company. They have employees who work in very hot places all the time. They have a mandate on how long they can be inside some of the stuff. Plus,, they also buy water by the pallets & such. But in just the last week or so,, 3 guys went to the hospital for heat related injuries. They were drinking these "Monster" caffeine types of drinks,, a lot. They are told to not use them to excess,, but they do.

Heat can be a KILLER!!!!!!

Be careful,, we all are not getting any younger & our bodies will let us know in a bad way if we don't pay attention to that little fact.

 

[roylt]

I would say you're old enough to know better but I too have worked too hard at times. Hopefully you learn from it or at least can use it as a reminder for a good long time.
I remember as a kid I was dunked in the water tank in the milk house. Got too hot tending the garden before getting to go play. Uncle's farm but we had a garden there. Each kid had a row of potatoes to weed out and then maybe another chore before dad said we could play.
Of course 40 some years later when it is your own work needing done it is hard to remember to take breaks.
Had part of a tree come partially down in a storm last month. I worked ten hours in the heat that day. I noticed my shirt was dry and knew something was terribly wrong. It was soaked earlier in the day. I drank a gallon of tea and another gallon of hose water before finishing up but I was determined to finish.
So take it easy and be careful. Maybe weld up a bracket on the tractor fender to hold a cooler so you can get a cool drink or rag for your neck.
Take care,

 

[Mobuck]

I tend to forget my age and resist the need to take a break. Son was the one under the welding helmet with the hot stuff right in front of him. If he wasn't bothered, I wasn't going to waffle. Not considering he's almost 30 years younger is the problem.
This getting old is difficult for me since I've been the primary worker bee for so long (most of 60 years) and I still consider myself the anchor of the operation. Dad had already stepped aside several years before where I am now and died at the age I am now.

 

[Yaworski]

When I started working in the auto plants back in the 60s they had salt tablets available at every drinking fountain.

When I worked in a steel mill, the foreman would distribute salt laden gumdrops. the workers would then start swapping flavors.

Heat and especially humidity is far harder on me than it was even five years ago.

 

[Fox Mike]

The Heat Index on my front porch today, at 12:28, was 121° with the actual temp at 96°. Needless to say I was not out very long at anytime today

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

I didn't read all the replies but have you ever tried Pedialyte ? we keep several bottles on hand and when I doing something outside when it's hot one goes in the frid , so I can drink on it as i come in for a rest

 

[thedogdidit]

One thing I've found to add to water,, is a product called "Liquid IV." it's better than Gatoraid, Poweraid, or similar products. Only one in a 16 oz bottle,,, then at least 4 similar sized bottles of water prior to another one. I usually only have (1) in a day's working time.

THAT stuff is liquid gold!!

 

[dadstillsurfs]

I was going to suggest an Artic Cool lng sleeve shirt. The technology is great, but I just looked at the website and all the light colors are out of stock.
Time to break out the giant brimmed straw hat & wear your own shade.
Drink lots of water and take care of yourself

 

[ArizonaTea123]

I don't know how old you are, but there are things I did ten years ago I can't possibly do now.
Age catches up to everyone. Such is the circle of life and it sucks.

 

[Mobuck]

In very general terms, I'm mid-70 ish. I've been burned, shot, stabbed, blown up, and run over but still moving along. Probably lots of things I shouldn't do but hey, someone's gotta do it????

 

[blume357]

Yesterday I spent close to 5 hours cutting and removing block from our retaining wall and then putting them back .... I drank some water while doing this..... I came in took a shower and then weighed myself... I was right at one gallon low... 8.5lbs lighter than when I started....

My wife was having a really hard time dealing with the heat last Summer and I bought her one of these.... I'm still trying to figure out how it works... not only does it blow air on your neck but it cools the air first and has a cool pack also on the back of your neck... does this electronically...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXS87GRG?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1

 

[Joey]

In very general terms, I'm mid-70 ish. I've been burned, shot, stabbed, blown up, and run over but still moving along. Probably lots of things I shouldn't do but hey, someone's gotta do it????

Too old to die young, too young to die now. Take care out there, man.

 

[vito]

When I retired from the Army in 1990 I was living in San Antonio. IT was the unbearable heat that made me seek a new career far from that great city. Friends could not believe that I was leaving Texas for "the land of ice and snow" when I accepted a job in Milwaukee, WI, especially since they knew that I was a motorcyclist. As it turned out, my bike spent less time in the garage due to cold and snow in Milwaukee than it had due to heat in San Antonio.

The older I get the less tolerant I am of heat. For the cold I can add layers of clothing, but for heat there is little that I can do and our society would not be too tolerant of me trying to stay cool by being naked but wearing a broad brimmed hat.

 

[blume357]

Tried to walk the dogs yesterday at 6:00... totally unbearable except along the road in the shade... after 10 minutes turned around and came home... took them out again at 9:00... still almost too hot but at least there was lots of shade...