Lately, I’ve been reading so much about the behavior of folks using our new bike trails, and much of it not so good, so I thought I would share my experience of yesterday.
The longer I live, the more I am convinced that angels live among us.
Case in point: two compassionate individuals who went out of their way to help my husband rescue me from the Georgetown-Lewes rail trail July 10. We were on our return round-trip from the library to Log Cabin Hill Road and about a mile plus from the library when I suddenly fell ill as a result of what can only be described as “heatstroke.”
Try as I might, I could not get up off the ground once I got off the bike and sat down on the berm where no shade was to be found. I was nauseous, dizzy, clammy, sweaty all over, stumbling, weak as a kitten and nearly blacked out. Yes, we had plenty of water and had been drinking it for most of the ride and still this happened; scared the stuffing out of both my husband and myself.
My husband was just about to call 911 when along came a walker from the opposite direction, walking his two beautiful dogs. He stopped, asked if we needed help and I said, “Thank you, I think I’ll be all right once I rest.” Well, I rested but was not all right; the symptoms got worse. My hubby was able to get me off the trail and under a shade tree a few yards ahead of us where I laid down and attempted to drink more water.
A few minutes later, our “earth angel” Mike returned on his walk. He told us to stay put, rest, and he would be back in about 25 minutes with his car to help us out. He did exactly that, and brought along “earth angel No. 2,” his lovely wife Katey who came with an ice-cold bottle of water that I immediately placed on various pulse points on my body to cool me down. I thought then I could stand and walk, but was so dizzy and weak I could barely put one foot in front of the other.
Mike and my husband were able to carry me out to Mike’s car. Katey then took my bike and rode back to the library with my husband while Mike put me in the car and drove me there as well. Still very ill but feeling safe, and after many, many “thank yous,” we headed for home. Mike and Katey Stazzone, you will be forever my “earth angels.” Thank you a million for all that you did for us.
Jan and John Perlman
Millsboro
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