Cape Cod Senior Softball League

A player felt dizzy during the game, and removed himself from playing and went to the bench.  He had been pitching earlier and complained that he could not focus on the ball.  While on bench, he sat upright and was observed to ‘have fallen asleep’.  Teammates were concerned about him and told his wife that he was resting. After a few minutes, someone else asked if he was okay, and the player did not respond.  Sheila Boyle went to speak with him.  As she passed the screening of the dugout, she heard agonal breathing (a snoring, grunting sound which indicates an issue with oxygen to brain). She found him upright with his chin down on his chest, most likely occluding his airway, lips purple, and unconscious.

911 was called.

Sheila assisted by Brian Lenahan placed him on the floor of the dugout.  A quick assessment found him with no palpable pulse and with minimal respirations.  CPR compressions x3 were performed and he opened his eyes.  The player was pale, pouring sweat out in copious amounts, skin cool - he was doused continuously with cold water, keeping legs elevated. 

Paramedics arrived. The player was awake, with faint pulse, BP 80/40, extremities cool secondary to what is called ‘shunting’ (blood circulates to brain, heart, and lungs in a circular system as the most important organs).

Dehydration, fatigue, and the properties of some cardiac meds to keep excess fluid out of the body were factors in this case. He was taken to CCH and admitted from ER. 

On the other side of the parking lot, another player was confused, slurring speech, unable to remember where he parked his car or to cite his phone number or address. He  had complained of feeling dizzy while pitching on the other field. Sheila told the paramedics of this instance.  Paramedics evaluated him, then sent him to ER for observation.  He returned home later that day. 

Thank you to Sheila and Brian for their quick thinking and textbook delivery of care to these players.  Without their efforts, the outcomes might have been quite different.

High heat and dehydration were absolutely factors in both events.  Heat is particularly risky for seniors.  Per the CDC:

Stay cool and hydrated during hot weather. Older adults do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature. They are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat. They are more likely to take prescription medicines that affect the body's ability to control its temperature or sweat.

Heat and Older Adults (Aged 65+) | Extreme Heat | CDC