Photo courtesy of Denese Freeman
                                Seminar attendees listen attentively as speakers share their knowledge.

I always enjoy the seminars at the WBT events and the Lake Norman seminars in Huntersville, NC were no exception. My sister Denese Freeman and I arrived late at the Lowrance Electronics seminar on Monday evening, July 24^th and I didn’t take notes. I did however ask Cheryl Spencer, a Lowrance representative, a few questions after the seminar. I will be the first to admit that I am electronically challenged and didn't want to sound dumb in front of everyone. Cheryl was very helpful and  Lowrance took care of my unit problems the very next day. From my observations, Lowrance is always ready and willing to help any of the anglers at the WBT events with their electronics. I appreciate the time they took to help me understand my Lowrance unit.                                                               

The anglers who conducted the seminars on Wednesday, July 26^th were equally knowledgeable and had the credentials to prove it. I took lots of notes from all three seminars, but had to condense them for the website. The seminars were very informative  and I actually put some of the suggestions about Hyperthermia to use during the Lake Norman tournament.   Read more

Sharon McEwen              Cheryl Crafton       Beverly Dickson

Sharon McEwen, a Trauma/ICU RN with a surgical background is from East McKeesport, PA was the first speaker. Sharon’s  topic was Hyperthermia and Heat Distress.

My Notes:

Individuals with too much salt in their body will show signs of weakness and muddled thinking.

Individuals who do not have enough salt in their body will have a headache , weakness and show signs of irritability.

2 hours before any physical activity a person should have constant water intake to prevent heat cramps in the legs and abdomen.

Heat exhaustion is caused by an excessive loss of fluids. A person’s urine will be dark orange in color and their blood pressure will be low.

To prevent heat exhaustion you should drink 4 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes.

If a person is suffering from heart exhaustion, they should replenish the fluids in their body and cool themselves down. The best place to cool down is on top of the head, the back of the neck, under the arms or the groin area. They should also elevate their feet.

Heat Stroke is when the body temperature is 104 to 106 and is life threatening. The first thing you should do is call 911. The signs of heat stroke are no sweating, flushed hot dry skin, confusion, combative behavior, nausea, vomiting, dry heaves, tender muscles and kidney failure.

Always drink plenty of fluids the night before a tournament or any physical activity.
 

Cheryl Crafton is an emergency room RN from Richmond, Indiana. Cheryl’s  topic was Hypothermia.

My Notes:

Hypothermia is when the body temperature falls below the normal of 98 degrees. It can easily happen to anglers and hunters who fall into the water during the winter. The survival time in water 32 degrees or below is 15 minutes.

The first thing to do is remove the wet clothes, wrap up to keep warm. Body to body contact is the fastest way to get warm. Hypothermia affects the old and the young the fastest.

Shivering is the first symptom, followed by mental confusion, numbness, clumsiness and pain.

Seek medical attention. Sudden movements can cause irritability.

If the person is a bluish gray color they can go into cardiac arrest. Check their pulse for 2 minutes for signs of irregular heartbeat.

If you fall in the water, don’t try to swim. Remain still to conserve heat.

Prevention is the best. Always dress warmly and keep a heat blanket in your boat or vehicle.

If there are signs of frostbite, do not massage the area. Gradual re-warming is the key.

Beverly Dickson of Little Rock, Arkansas is an operating room RN with 20 years experience. She also worked 7 years as a missionary and has a background in tropical diseases. Beverly’s topic was Animal and Insect Bites and Stings.

My Notes:

Chiggers are too small to be seen, but can cause major itching. Suggestions included bleach in bathwater, dog flea shampoo, clear fingernail polish on the affected area. Do not scratch as that can cause infection.

Ticks can be removed by pulling on them with tweezers and applying steady pressure until they let go.                                                                                                                         

There are three diseases associated with tick bites. They are Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Colorado Tick Fever. Symptoms include rash around the bite or on the extremities, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain. Save the tick you remove for 2 weeks in case you need it tested.

Stinging Insects: Always find out if your fishing or hunting partner is allergic to insect bites. Most allergy patients will carry a prescription Epi-Pen and should tell you where they keep it. To use the pen, take the cap off, hold it in a stab position. It is ok to go through clothing to administer the drug. Stab the patient with the pen and hold it in place so that it can release the medication.  The shot needs to be administered immediately.                                                                                          

Most insects leave their stinger except for bumble bees and fire ants. Remove the stinger by wiping it out. B

Bees like droning noises such as lawnmowers and weedeaters.

Fire Ants bite with their mouth and hold on.

Spiders: The two most common poisonous spiders are the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse. The Black Widow spider lives outdoors. Their pin-prick bite will leave a burning sensation that will move up the extremities. The pain ends up in the stomach and back and you will get muscle cramps.

The Brown Recluse likes dark places indoors. It has a solid brown body that is dark violin-shaped. Most people don’t feel the bite. There will be a small blister with fang bites 1/16 inch apart. An ulcer will form in 1 to 2 days. It takes months to heal. Some people have the symptoms return. The bite of a Brown Recluse spider can cause death, but that is very uncommon. Wash the area of the bite and apply a cold compress. If you could catch the spider, that would be great in case a doctor needs to see what type it is.

Tarantulas and scorpions in the South are not deadly.

Snakes: North Carolina has the highest rate of snakebites in the U. S.

There are 30 species of venomous snakes, but 6 are the most common. They include the Western Diamond Back, Diamond Back and Pygmy Rattlesnake, the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth, and the Coral snake.

Coral snakes bite repeatedly and leave lots of puncture holes. Venomous snakes will leave one or two puncture marks. Non-poisonous snakes leave horseshoe-shaped bites.

The first thing to do is call 911. Wash the bite, immobilize the patient and keep the bite area lower than the heart. Place a turnacut above the bite wound and tighten just enough to slow down the blood flow. Do not cut off the blood flow.