I Don't Think I'm In Arizona Anymore... Or Am I?
I grew up in Arizona. So I am used to the triple-digit temperatures. They don't scare me. (In fact, little does, except some bugs and clowns.) But even though I am used to the heat, the AZ heat is nothing compared to the sweltering temps we've had here in Boston yesterday and today.
After working in the air conditioning all day yesterday, I left to head to the gym in my neighborhood. It has a lap pool, and that was the perfect way to end my long day. So I sawm for a good 30 minutes. A I was leaving the gym to head home, the sun was still out; therefore it wsa still very hot outside. And as I was walking out of the parking lof area of the gym, I saw an elderly Asian woman fall to the ground REALLY hard. A guy standing in the parking lot also saw her fall, as did the parking attendant. We all ran up to her. She was shaking, but her eyes were open. She had numerous electrodes (from a hospital machine) still stuck to her arms. She also had a bandage on her arm and her finger, indicating she had recently given blood. I kept trying to get a verbal response out of her, but was unsuccessful. She wasn't talking. One of the guys ran and got her some water while the parking attendent called 9-1-1. The lady started to stand-up and take off her socks and shoes. She stuck on of her feet into her purse and kept refusing the water we were holding out infront of her. The police showed up a few minutes later and the lady was trying to walk away from us. They determined that she likely spoke little or no English. They asked me to hold her purse while they held her down in a chair to keep her from bolting. They radioed her description and ID information we found on a medication bottle in her purse to the local hospital.
Turns out she had been picked up about two hours earlier for falling in the streets. She passed out from the heat. An ambulance had taken her to the hospital... But she just walked out of the hospital when no one was looking. She was confused and suffering from heat-related problems. The cops decided to just take her back to the hospital, rather than wait for the ambulance to come and get her. She put up a good struggle as they were trying to get her into the back of the cruiser. I wondered if she had anyone at home that could be called. Anyone that was wondering where she had gone.
Today is even hotter than yesterday. I keep hearing sirens down below from the 23rd floor of my office building. I'm wondering how many other people are out there falling victims to the heat-dimentia.
Today is definitely a day to stay inside.
After working in the air conditioning all day yesterday, I left to head to the gym in my neighborhood. It has a lap pool, and that was the perfect way to end my long day. So I sawm for a good 30 minutes. A I was leaving the gym to head home, the sun was still out; therefore it wsa still very hot outside. And as I was walking out of the parking lof area of the gym, I saw an elderly Asian woman fall to the ground REALLY hard. A guy standing in the parking lot also saw her fall, as did the parking attendant. We all ran up to her. She was shaking, but her eyes were open. She had numerous electrodes (from a hospital machine) still stuck to her arms. She also had a bandage on her arm and her finger, indicating she had recently given blood. I kept trying to get a verbal response out of her, but was unsuccessful. She wasn't talking. One of the guys ran and got her some water while the parking attendent called 9-1-1. The lady started to stand-up and take off her socks and shoes. She stuck on of her feet into her purse and kept refusing the water we were holding out infront of her. The police showed up a few minutes later and the lady was trying to walk away from us. They determined that she likely spoke little or no English. They asked me to hold her purse while they held her down in a chair to keep her from bolting. They radioed her description and ID information we found on a medication bottle in her purse to the local hospital.
Turns out she had been picked up about two hours earlier for falling in the streets. She passed out from the heat. An ambulance had taken her to the hospital... But she just walked out of the hospital when no one was looking. She was confused and suffering from heat-related problems. The cops decided to just take her back to the hospital, rather than wait for the ambulance to come and get her. She put up a good struggle as they were trying to get her into the back of the cruiser. I wondered if she had anyone at home that could be called. Anyone that was wondering where she had gone.
Today is even hotter than yesterday. I keep hearing sirens down below from the 23rd floor of my office building. I'm wondering how many other people are out there falling victims to the heat-dimentia.
Today is definitely a day to stay inside.
Comments