Cats Win AAA Championship

Woohoo! In a single game, winner-take-all match, the Sacramento Rivercats won the AAA Championship!


Way to go guys!!!

Cats Win!

Yes, the Sacramento Rivercats have clinched their THIRD Pacific Coast League title! The won against the New Orleans Zephyrs 3 games to zippo! Last night's score was 4-3, with a fantastic finish!

This is the expression from relieving pitcher Jerry Blevins right after the pop fly was caught that ended the game. This expression was on everyone's face. It was so loud from the cheering and "Thunder Sticks" (a promo given out), it was almost deafening. Glad we didn't have a call at the time!

GO CATS!!!!

2974 and still counting - 6 years later

The official death toll from 9/11/01 now stands at 2974 after a woman who worked a block from the World Trade Center became ill and died 5 months after the towers came down. She died from lung disease not present before 9/11.

Why do I say "and still counting"? Because there are first responders (firefighters, police, EMT's, and paramedics) who are becoming ill at alarming rates, due to their response to the World Trade Center. "WTC Cough" was the start of it. Now, cancers, asthma, and other problems are surfacing.

I am not attempting to detract from this ominous anniversary. What happened still shocks me to this day. It still seems like it happened yesterday.

Please remember those who died. But also remember and pray for those who responded, risking their lives, and who may ultimately give their lives for doing what they do.

Cough, Cough, Choke, Choke

(cough) If you aren't in Northern CA, then you probably may not be aware that we have not just one, but two big fires going on. (cough) The first in Plumas County (the Moonlight Fire) has burned over 15,000 acres, and another in Santa Clara County (the Lick Fire) has burned over 14,000 acres. Both started during Labor Day weekend.

Here is what the (cough) skyline looked like yesterday.

Needless to say, the air is full of particulates, and ash. Makes dealing with lung problems (such as asthma) real fun (cough). Ironically, it is a little fun to be able to look at the sun without protection, but the tradeoff (cough) is not worth it. The winds should push some of this smoke from the Moonlight fire out of here tonight. Sure (cough) hope so (cough) (cough). Only one problem... those winds will push the smoke from the Lick fire into the valley.

Wanna know what major CalFire incidents are going on? Its quite educational. Go to http://fire.ca.gov

Addendum: The Moonlight Fire grew by 14,000 acres yesterday. Explains a lot why there was so much smoke.

A little bit of history

A long-time friend of mine (and Rory's), Craig Miller, discovered recently he may be sitting on money. He bought a Mark-8 computer in 1976. This is one of the original microcomputers, folks. Turns out it may be worth as much as $5,000 - $12,000 (Not bad for not being used since 1980). He has had it stored in his attic and garage.

Wanna see history? Go here: http://mysite.verizon.net/genoahous/Mark8/
(Remember while looking at this, it was before CRT's became popular).

Oldest system I have my hands on is my Atari Portfolio. This little bugger ran DOS, and still works! Wonder how much it is worth...

Heat

OK. I am getting up on my soapbox now.

Heat Hurts and Heat Kills... Heat Hurts and Heat Kills... And I am going to say it again. Heat Hurts and Heat Kills.

Why do I mention this? Because every day I work outside in the heat working EMS, I see people who:

1. Don't drink enough fluids
2. Don't drink enough fluids
3. Don't drink enough fluids

And I see them with heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. I treat them at baseball games, football games, races, triathlons, walking on the street (twice, as a bystander).

Dehydration can affect ANYONE. Once you become dehydrated, you become very vulnerable to the effects of heat. Heat cramps first. This is where you feel cramping in your muscles, and you may become nauseous due to stomach cramping. This is INTENSE, and painful. Treatment: more fluids, cooling, and working out the cramps. You'd think that would convince people to drink more fluids. Nope.

Once you pass through heat cramps, next is heat exhaustion. It feels like exhaustion. And more nausea, vomiting, fainting, and maybe a low grade fever (a degree or two high). The cause is the same. Dehydration. Treatment is fluids (sometimes intravenous, due to nausea and vomiting), quick cooling, and maybe a trip to the E.R.

Don't treat that, and you can move on to heat stroke. Red skin, hot skin, not sweating. Temperatures can go to 106 degrees or higher. Highest I have seen was 107 in someone. We checked his temp twice, and on ourselves, because we didn't believe it when we saw his temp was that high at first.

He didn't make it. Temps over 105 can cause significant brain damage, as your brain literally begins to cook and cells die. Oh, and other cells in your body, like heart muscle, liver, and kidneys. Treatment is rapid cooling, including ice packs EVERYWHERE (even the groin and around the neck), intravenous fluid therapy, supportive care such as ventilation (breathing for someone who isn't breathing on their own - or not enough). Guaranteed trip to the hospital for heat stroke. And a stay there for a while, too. If you survive. Heat stroke is LIFE THREATENING, folks. People die from heat stroke every time there is a heat wave. And maybe without the heat wave.

Some medications and conditions increase your risk of heat injury. Know what you take, and how it makes you react to heat. Keep a list of your meds on you. I've even treated someone for heat stroke in 67 degree temps. Really. She was vulnerable to heat due to a medication she took, and she ran in a triathlon. Oh. She was also dehyrated.

Why do I say this? Because it is preventable. Absolutely preventable. And yet, I see people with heat injuries just about every day I work in extreme heat.

• If you aren't acclimated to heat, start to become acclimated. It doesn't happen instantly.
• Drink plenty of fluids, well ahead of the heat. Like days ahead of time.
• Drink plenty of fluids while in the heat.
• Drink plenty of fluids after heat exposure.
• Gatorade/Powerade/Deluge by itself is not good. Alternate with water, folks. Really.
• Keep drinking fluids. Hey, don't get dehydrated in the first place.

OK, now that I have said this, how much should you drink? 8-10 8oz glasses per day is what you should drink daily (unless your doctor tells you otherwise). On hot days? Try 15-20 8oz glasses. Thats about a gallon of fluid. Yesterday, I drank approximately 2.5 GALLONS of fluid. But I know my body, and what it requires when I am working in 105 degree temps. I am moving around, sometimes bolting around on runs instantly (Yeah, even at my weight... I can run pretty fast!). I don't drink that instantly. It is in small amounts all day long.

Off the soapbox now.

BTW, yes, I have been a victim of heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Last year, even taking care of myself, I sweated more than I could take in. Why did I develop symptoms? Simple. I didn't start out well-hydrated. I felt like crap. My head hurt, I was nauseous, my muscles ached (even days later, they hurt), my pulse raced, and my temp was 102. I was tempted to ask a medic friend of mine to come over and start an I.V. on me. I hate needles. So I kept sipping fluids all night long.

And as I said, I have seen people die from heat stroke. Which is why I take heat seriously. I hope you do, too.