I’ve had my own experiences with dehydration, both of the body and of the soul. Both types require attention to the symptoms and proper treatment.
True Story Ahead
When I was in my early twenties, I participated in the MS 150 Bike Ride. If you’re not familiar with this event, it’s a fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Participants bike 150 miles in two days. Since my dad had MS, I desire to support research to help those who suffer from this debilitating disease.
Even though I was pretty fit in my early twenties, I knew I needed to train. So I spent three or four months training. I believed I was ready for the 150 mile trek when I could regularly ride my bike outside for 30 miles every other day and on the opposite days bike 15 miles outside.
On a beautiful sunny Saturday morning, I set out to conquer 30 miles. I got to about mile 15 and realized it was hotter outside than I’d anticipated for that morning. Unfortunately, I’d already drunk all of my water too.
As the sun pressed down on my skin, I felt it shrivel from the heat. My mouth was dry. My head began to hurt. My legs were heavy. I couldn’t peddle any more. So I got off my bike and walked beside it. I realized I needed more water and shade.
Feeling quite fatigued and dizzy, I was thankful when I saw a restaurant. It wasn’t open for business yet, but the front door was unlocked. So I walked inside and asked for water. It felt delightful to be out of the sun and in air conditioning.
The restaurant staff were gracious to me. They provided a full glass of water, which I downed. Water never tasted so good. They refilled my glass and my water bottle. They even asked if they could call someone for me, but I knew my husband wasn’t home, so it wouldn’t matter if they called. (This was before cell phones existed.)
I drank the other glass of water, thanked them for their help, and set out for home. I suppose I had another seven miles or so to go.
By now the sun was high and really hot. There were more trees on the path now, so I wasn’t in constant sun, but my body had already absorbed those two glasses of water I drank at the restaurant.
My thirst intensified.
Sweltering, I dumped the water from my water bottle on top of my head and splashed my clothes to try to keep myself cooler.
By the time I arrived home, I was utterly exhausted. I’m surprised I didn’t just collapse from the heat stroke. Even though I could barely move, I was wise enough to drink lots of water and shower to cool my body. Then I wrapped myself in a wet towel, laid down, and rested with a fan blowing on me.
Clearly, I survived that experience. However, I made multiple mistakes to get myself to that point of dehydration.
The risks I put myself through were high. I could have prevented this from happening. I should have stopped when I noticed the first symptom of dehydration. I should have, but I didn’t.
In Part 3, we’ll see how the causes of dehydration can be simple, but they can also be complex. The risks are high when we ignore the symptoms of dehydration. The good news is dehydration treatable. Dehydration is preventable.
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