I got a case of the old frostbite several years ago on my hands. Mostly....all my fingers. It was never a huge deal, but being diabetic now, and of advancing years, :mj07: I can't be outside in the cold for very long without my hands going completely numb on me. This year, it has gotten very bad.
I remember the Packer championship game. I stood outside my car in the sub-zero weather pulling on my snow pants and putting my boots back on. This took no more than 3-5 clumsy minutes, but before I was done, I could not even feel my hands anymore. Literally......I could not feel anything I was touching. I tried to zip my coat back up, and could not. It is actually quite scary.
I fumbled to get my gloves back on, and after quite a while, enough feeling came back that I could zip up my coat.
Today, I noticed a gal outside my place had her car stuck on the ice. (We had a bit of an ice storm last night) She was revving the engine for about 10 minutes before I got my duds on and went out to help. My gloves were in my car, but I figured to just push her out. Well, I was out there for about 7-10 minutes before the hands where completely "shot". We finally got her unstuck, and I went back inside.
Again.....I could not feel anything! I reached into my coat pocket for my house keys, and could not feel them. It took me several tries to fish them out. Again.....very sobering feeling to have. I got inside, and the worst is yet to happen.
The "thaw".
You would think that warming would bring you an instant relief, but it doesn't. It is a long, and painful proccess. Almost immediately, the warming starts, but it is an aching and buring sensation that you can't make stop. All I did was pace around the living room, shaking out my hands and squeezing them as best I could.
Eventually, more sensation returns, but it took about 20 minutes before I was comfortable. Even now, it is about an hour later, and the tips of my fingers still are numb.
I guess the lesson learned for me is that I have to wear gloves all the time in the winter, now. (Shit, it was 18 degrees today....not like it was below zero!)
It sucks to grow old, and break down, boys.
I remember the Packer championship game. I stood outside my car in the sub-zero weather pulling on my snow pants and putting my boots back on. This took no more than 3-5 clumsy minutes, but before I was done, I could not even feel my hands anymore. Literally......I could not feel anything I was touching. I tried to zip my coat back up, and could not. It is actually quite scary.
I fumbled to get my gloves back on, and after quite a while, enough feeling came back that I could zip up my coat.
Today, I noticed a gal outside my place had her car stuck on the ice. (We had a bit of an ice storm last night) She was revving the engine for about 10 minutes before I got my duds on and went out to help. My gloves were in my car, but I figured to just push her out. Well, I was out there for about 7-10 minutes before the hands where completely "shot". We finally got her unstuck, and I went back inside.
Again.....I could not feel anything! I reached into my coat pocket for my house keys, and could not feel them. It took me several tries to fish them out. Again.....very sobering feeling to have. I got inside, and the worst is yet to happen.
The "thaw".
You would think that warming would bring you an instant relief, but it doesn't. It is a long, and painful proccess. Almost immediately, the warming starts, but it is an aching and buring sensation that you can't make stop. All I did was pace around the living room, shaking out my hands and squeezing them as best I could.
Eventually, more sensation returns, but it took about 20 minutes before I was comfortable. Even now, it is about an hour later, and the tips of my fingers still are numb.
I guess the lesson learned for me is that I have to wear gloves all the time in the winter, now. (Shit, it was 18 degrees today....not like it was below zero!)
It sucks to grow old, and break down, boys.
