My Hypothermia Story

Okay, so I'm typing this groggy, with a pounding headache, cramps in my legs, and having had to sleep 2-3 hour post-hypothermia, apparently all aftereffects.

I guess that's one way of making a first impression with the DC Dragonboat club.

It actually was pretty nice day today. 60F, cherry blossom festival, paddling on the stretch of the Potomac southwest of the Washington Monument.

At 40 mph wind.

So we're paddling up the river against the current. And being the stroke for the day, all those waves coming over the boat caught me pretty good. I was basically drenched head to toe. I started to shake and shiver, but since I had a similar experience up in Seattle on my first practice with TeamSake, I figure I'd just grin and bear it.

Towards the end with about 300 yards to go, when the coach was going to call the last set, I realized that I was cramping up. So I said "Hey, I need to pull out for a bit, I have a cramp.".

I had no idea at the time that was a telltale sign that I going into hypothermia. Fortunately everyone else in the boat did. I vaguely remember that the boat came to a grinding halt. Toan, the coach, left the steering oar and came all the way up to the front, and started wrapping me in a blanket and a sweater. In about 5 minutes I was wrapped up with jackets and various articles of clothing that other members in the boat had taken off themselves so they can be wrapped around me. I also vaguely remember someone telling me that within 5 minutes I would lose control of my limbs because of this.

I lost control of my limbs within that time. My body started to shake to the point of convulsion, all the while wrapped up like a cocoon.

After they had docked the boat, I was carried out, still in this cocoon, onto the dock. Someone went to get his car, drove up to the dock, and turned on the heater full blast. I was then hauled into that car. One of the paddlers gave me her hot tea from her car so I can warm up my core. It took me 30-40 minutes to regain full control of my body.

Some lessons:

a) The importance of having people with first aid knowledge and experience around the water. Toan, the coach, checked up with me a few hours after and he noted that I was actually pretty close to losing consciousness. That they were able to get to me so early and quickly was probably the difference between going home and going to the hospital.

b) I realized just how dangerous hypothermia is. I went from being cold to having no idea where I was within a very short span of time.

c) I think I will not go on a treadmill tonight.