What is the difference between heat exhaustion and a hangover?

maliselo (32)in #life • 7 years ago

Yesterday my family and I drove back from our week long vacation on a lake in Wisconsin. (This is also why I was a little less active on steemit the last week. So if I missed your post or comment, I wasn't ignoring you... I just had sporadic internet access).

Typically, my wife and I share the travel related duties. I pack the car and do the driving while she makes sure the kids remember all of their personal belongings, eat and are ready for the trip (by the way "kids" also includes me). Well yesterday approximately two hours into the four and a half hour journey, I had to tag her in. I couldn't drive any more. In fact, if I kept my eyes open for one second longer, I'm pretty sure I would be adding a new task to my vacation duties: upchuck clean up.

I mustered up my last ounce of energy to pull into a Culver's parking lot. I crawled into the back of the van as my wife and kids went in to eat. I promptly fell asleep. That is where I remained for the rest of our journey.

My wife is awesome!

As soon as the van stopped in our driveway, I immediately said good night to my family and headed to bed. As I slept, my wife unloaded the car.
My wife is awesome!

When I finally did wake up, I immediately and profusely apologized to my wife.

Then I began my investigation to see what had caused this complete breakdown of our flawless job sharing system.

Here are the facts:

The previous day, I rented a jet ski. It was sunny and 90 degrees. I spent approximately 3 hours taking my kids on rides around the lake. I spent at least another 90 minutes throwing my kids and their cousins around in the water and another hour hanging out on the beach. I drank iced tea and water. I felt fine all day.

That night, my wife and I played cards with my adult cousins. I had several glasses of wine but switched to water when I began to feel "buzzed". I probably stopped one glass too late.

I swear I only had three glasses!

Because I needed this not to be caused by a hangover, I jumped on the internet to look for evidence that it was my selfless acts of fatherly love (clearly riding the jet ski and playing on the beach was torture for me... it was all about the kids) that was to blame for my inability to carry out my duties rather than the wine.

Which sounds better coming from my children?

"Remember that time dad passed out in the car because he spent all day playing with us on the beach? What a great guy."

"Remember that time dad made mom do everything all by herself because he was too hung over to help her? What a 'great' guy."

I immediately googled "heat stroke". I also checked "heat exhaustion" while I was at it.

Oh. Heat stroke is really serious. I don't think I was actually close to death. I didn't require a trip to the emergency room. So that is good... but still doesn't allow me to keep my title as "Super Dad".

Hmmm and it looks like "Heat exhaustion" is probably what I had the day before.

Maybe I am just a jerk who was hungover from too much wine.

Wait!

A glimmer of hope.

Look at this article...

http://www.thermalhyperformance.com.au/heat-hangover/

Thermal physiologist, Dr Matt Brearley "has introduced the term 'heat hangover' to describe the similar symptoms suffered by those who had not drunk any alcohol but had pushed themselves too hard working in the heat." (I'm sure this was edited from "working too hard in the heat or playing too much with their kids at the beach).

So there you have it: Scientific proof that I am a great dad and not a complete jackass!*
So what is the difference between heat exhaustion and a hangover?
Heat exhaustion elicits pity in your wife's beautiful eyes.
A hangover elicits RAGE in your wife's beautiful eyes.

*I know damn well that my physical condition was caused by a combination of factors with a main one being my stupid decision to drink alcohol after being out in the sun all day. I am a huge jackass. I owe my wife (and her big, beautiful, nonjudgemental eyes) big time! But first I better drink some more water and take another nap.