Date: 2009-06-30
From: Kirkridge Shelter, PA

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: broken clouds

Cell goodOG notesWe mentioned that C6 took a fall yesterday and hit her head. We were uncertain how severe it was and took the posture of optimistically cautious. All of that changed in the middle of the night when she woke up and felt dizzy. We were watching for headaches and vomiting not necessarily dizzy. Jump straight down to C6s entry:C6 notesWhat a scary night last night. Shortly after we got to the shelter last evening and I was taking things out of my pack I began to feel very dizzy. I was afraid to stand up for fear of falling over, so I took it easy and sat on my sleeping bag in the shelter for most of the evening. The dizziness seemed to ease up some as the evening went on so we went to bed as normal.Around 2:30am I woke up needing to pee and noticed that if I turned my head fast, or in a certain way, I would have a severe wave of dizziness...such that I felt like I was falling (but I was lying on my sleeping pad!). It stopped fairly quickly so I was able to get up and pee without asking OG for help. I was unsteady on my feet however, so I got scared. Over the next hour the waves of severe dizziness increased such that I woke OG and said I thought we might have to call 911 if it kept up. I needed to use the privy to poop, so OG helped me get to it and back, and then we talked about our options. The reason we hiked to that shelter after I fell is because there is a retreat center close behind the shelter where an ambulance could come if I needed one. We couldn't hike any farther yesterday (we had hiked almost 20 miles).Around 4:00am I decided we needed to prepare to call 911. We decided to pack up our stuff before we made the call. As we packed (mostly OG packed), I found I felt better. Something about the light from our headlamps and taking my mind off the dizziness made the dizziness ease. So we decided to wait a while...hoping to at least wait until sunrise.Sitting still, just waiting, caused the symptoms to increase again, so we finished packing. We decided to see if I could hike with the pack up to the retreat center behind the shelter (so we would call 911 from there and not wake anyone else). I found I felt a million times better hiking...maybe because I had something else to occupy my mind. Since I felt so much better, we decided to make a complete about face and try hiking down into the Deleware Water Gap. It was only about 7 miles and a few of those miles OG knew (from his 2006 hike) would be very easy hiking.So we ended up hiking into Delaware Water Gap early this morning (without a problem, thank heavens). When we got here I was feeling much better, so we got some breakfast and picked up our resupply box from the Post Office before the church pastor showed up. (There's a hostel in the church basement.)When the pastor (Karen) arrived, we asked if she could help us get to a medical facility so I could get checked. She offered to let me take a shower, and then she took us to a local emergency room. Three hours later I was relieved to learn the CT scan showed no injuries we need to worry about, and the hand x-ray showed no broken bones. The relief has me feeling much better. OG again As she said we now know she is not in danger. We have since learned that athletes who play contact sports can take a hit to the head and feel the way she did. These athletes wait out a recovery period and then go on to play again. I've banned her from playing soccer, rugby, and football for fear of further injury. We've decided to hike a little slower and be more cautious as we go. Incidentally, we will be out of the rock hazard state of Rocksylvania tomorrow. We have about a half mile of street hiking to reach New Joisey.This has nothing to do with the injury, but I just learned that the plant Jewell, also know to some as "Touch me not," is an antidote for the poison ivy oil. It grows near poison ivy and can be used right away. The process is that if you realize you've brushed against poison ivy and have the oil on your skin you should find a Jewell plant and break open the stem. Then take the sap inside the stem and rub it on the poison ivy oil on your skin. I guess at that point you've been exposed and need something. C6 againIt's now 7:10pm and I've been feeling quite good all afternoon. I even laid down and took a nap without any dizziness when I laid down. That was such a relief. Knowing I'm okay has calmed me down. I wonder if that has helped calm the dizziness as well.Old Goat & Check Six