ignorance of mito in emergency care

[Guest guest]

On this theme of ignorance, I am concerned about ignorance of mito IN

EMERGENCY CARE. There are issues (meds, anesthesia, and others) that I wish

to communicate, in case of sudden collapse.

I live on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, and I have always been extremely

active in small boating. I have had to give that up because there are just

too many times when I have to exert myself, like launching from a trailer or

dealing with something, such as getting stuck in shallows, or when the

weather worsens (or capsizing in my sunfish!). How I wish I could find the

right boating partner, but that's another story.

I've discovered that I'm more or less OK with very EVEN exertion, like

walking. I build up slowly, as I walk, knowing my body and how far and fast

I can go. Best is walking on level ground, which works for me on the beach.

The ONLY way I can get a considerable and generally safe exercise nowadays

is to walk a long way, which I do in almost all weather. I really enjoy the

wild outdoors, properly dressed, during storms and/or winter (I've seen many

seals, coyotes, etc.). Any anyway, it's only off-season that I can bring my

true friend, my black lab-pointer. I'm married, but my wife (my other true

friend) can rarely join me. On occasion I've tried to drum up a walking

partner, but who wants to go in crazy weather, at my slow pace, for

rendering help if I collapse? That's asking a lot.

However, I have had " attacks " where I suddenly get very dizzy and sometimes

even collapse. Usually I can watch for impending signs and head this off,

but not always. This might happen when I'm alone somewhere in public. I'm

especially concerned that this will happen when I've walked way out (on rare

occasions, even several miles) at my favorite beach. I'm still understanding

this, but I gather these attacks are lactic acidosis. I've so far recovered

on my own, requiring several hours at least. I've also had inconclusive

chest pains.

So in the meantime (until all mito disorders are really cured?) I'm very

loathe to give up my walks, but I also worry. I always carry a cell phone,

and hand-launched boating flares, when I walk. Any suggestions or feedback?

I've composed a one-page mito-specific " open letter to whoever finds me

unconscious or incoherent " . :-) or is that :-( ? I've thought of keeping it

on my person and also wearing a bracelet that suggests looking on me for

this note. I'm not sure if I'm covering the right points, or if it really

matters all that much. My wife thinks that EMTs, and even E-R docs, will

likely read such a note only if it's five words or less. Opinions? Shall I

post my note here, for peer review?

Steve D.