Was sneaking a break from work reading Kirk Olsen's excellent report on how to roll a sailboat when a work colleague came in, announcing his departure for Houston, Texas, to visit his father who had picked up a flesh-eating bacteria -- necrotizing fasciitis -- see http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/necrotizing-fasciitis-flesh-eating-bacteria-topic-overview for more information than you ever wanted to know. (Actually a case where the proper name sounds better than the common title.) Seems he had been kayaking with his grandkids somewhere in the Houston area, and rubbed his heel raw while paddling without footwear. Didn't think much about it until his foot, calf and now knee are distended and in bad shape. (My other work colleague countered that his grandfather recently died of the same disease -- but no kayaking connection.) One in four cases of this disease results in death, according to medical websites. Apparently any injury -- doesn't even have to break the skin -- in combination with seawater can be a cause, especially if left untreated. Immune system disorders can add to the problem, but a person in good health can also contract the disease. Just kinda hit home -- and supported my intention to carry a good, waterproof first aid kit whenever on the water. Doesn't take much to pick this up, apparently, and while it's not a regularly encountered disease, the consequences of not treating even a mild injury are nasty at best and deadly at worst. Have a nice summer. Joq *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Jun 09 2010 - 12:17:01 PDT
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