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Monday, June 2, 2014

CML Summertime Blues

I love summer, I love our garden, I love floating the river, I love having our grandkids in our home and so many other things that summer brings; what I don't love about summer however, is the heat. I have never liked the heat of summer and have always been a bit intolerant of the direct sun and being hot.

Hot for me is anything over 80 degrees in a dry climate, and 75 in a humid one; my intolerance doesn't bode well for the season. Having CML has made me even more intolerant of the heat. During the summer I must keep all of my outdoor activities to either early or late in the day, and remain indoors during the hottest time of the day.

I have found that I sunburn more easily, and quickly become nauseous and get headaches if I am not careful; my eyes also ache while in the sun. In order to make the summer more tolerable, I always wear sunglasses, light clothing, a hat and sunscreen. I also remember to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water (sports drinks are probably a great idea, too) and I have found that bringing a small cooler bag, filled with frozen ice packs, is a lifesaver. I bring them everywhere I go; they are especially helpful when getting into a really hot car. I place them on my chest and the back of my neck until the air-conditioned cools the car. I have also strapped them around my torso with a back brace when I am visiting the Palm Springs or Phoenix areas.

Running cold water over my wrists, when I am extremely hot, also helps; as does a cool shower or bath.
Remember that heat stroke is an extremely real complication, especially for those of us with CML.

The major signs and symptoms of heat stroke include:

               1. Nausea
               2. Vomiting
                3. Fatigue
                4. Weakness
                5. Headache
                6.  Muscle Cramps
                7. Dizziness


Let’s have a great summer while trying to remain as comfortable as possible!

4 comments:

  1. Great post. I found it very helpful. It's always nice to find ways to make life with cml a little better.
    Thank you
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are welcome, Karen!
    Hope it helps.

    ReplyDelete
  3. thanks for your blog. it helps to read and get ideas from others to help with the side effects of our chemo drug.

    ReplyDelete

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