"I was like, what is that feeling? Why am I feeling like that?" asks Mary McDowell.
McDowell says it was a day just like today, with temperatures teetering between the upper 90s and low hundreds.
McDowell continues, "I remember I felt really faint and it doesn't hit you all of a sudden, it just kind of slowly starts."
Triple digit heat is nothing new for the Big Country, and the harm it can cause is too often overlooked.
The official start of summer is still weeks away, but already, Abilene doctors are preparing for cases of heat exhaustion.
"Once the temperatures go over 100 degrees we start seeing it fairly routinely," says Dr. Jeff Jackson.
Some of the symptoms patients present are: feeling light headed, dizzy, or faint, vomiting, sweating, and have a rapid pulse and low blood pressure.
Doctors urge anyone who has to be outside in the heat to take precaution rather than waiting until they experience these symptoms advice the Abilene Ruff Riders take to heart.
Coach Joe Brannen, "Days like today when it's extremely hot we go ahead and taper down. We don't wear all of our shoulder pads. We just wear helmets for the day. We have frequent water breaks for them. We've got 5 coaches and an athletic trainer out here all the time so we're always keeping an eye on guys."
Even the simplest things can protect you from the harsh elements.
"Where a large brim hat to shade their face and the most important thing is aggressive hydration," says Dr. Jackson.
McDowell says it was a day just like today, with temperatures teetering between the upper 90s and low hundreds.
McDowell continues, "I remember I felt really faint and it doesn't hit you all of a sudden, it just kind of slowly starts."
Triple digit heat is nothing new for the Big Country, and the harm it can cause is too often overlooked.
The official start of summer is still weeks away, but already, Abilene doctors are preparing for cases of heat exhaustion.
"Once the temperatures go over 100 degrees we start seeing it fairly routinely," says Dr. Jeff Jackson.
Some of the symptoms patients present are: feeling light headed, dizzy, or faint, vomiting, sweating, and have a rapid pulse and low blood pressure.
Doctors urge anyone who has to be outside in the heat to take precaution rather than waiting until they experience these symptoms advice the Abilene Ruff Riders take to heart.
Coach Joe Brannen, "Days like today when it's extremely hot we go ahead and taper down. We don't wear all of our shoulder pads. We just wear helmets for the day. We have frequent water breaks for them. We've got 5 coaches and an athletic trainer out here all the time so we're always keeping an eye on guys."
Even the simplest things can protect you from the harsh elements.
"Where a large brim hat to shade their face and the most important thing is aggressive hydration," says Dr. Jackson.
