The heating is on

It was incredibly hot here within the suburbs of Philadelphia, in addition to the remaining of the northeastern United States. Last night, as my family and I were leaving an air-conditioned sporting event, I used to be amazed by the wall of warmth and hot “wind” that greeted us. It was already after 10 p.m., shouldn’t it have cooled down by now?

I used to be reminded of how dangerous extreme heat may be. I coughed, taking a deep breath of hot air. How will an individual affected by lung disease deal with this? I checked out my children, now school age, but remembered the twins who, after being born prematurely, spent most of their first 12 months on oxygen. I thought of my parents, not elderly, but battling multiple chronic diseases.

For those of you who’re currently battling extreme heat, I urge you to remain protected and check on those around you, especially the elderly and the very young. Remind your patients to watch out with heat. Take care of yourself – stay hydrated and funky. Here is the link to the CDC Tips for stopping heat-related illnesses. Additionally, Nursing2011 published an incredible article last 12 months titled “Summer Emergencies, Can You Stand the Heat?” Provides information on stopping and treating heat-related illnesses, in addition to drowning, insect stings, snake bites, and lightning injuries.

Keep calm and stay protected!