Think it was the summer of '97, so it was already hot enough...was working as a millwright with a local maintenance/construction company at the Scott/Sappi/KC paper mill here in Mobile. We got a call to one of the paper machines that morning for a bearing that was going out on one of the paper machine rolls. The bearing was on the backside of the machine, with another paper machine behind us. It was at least 140° between the 2 machines, along with all of the associated steam causing nearly 100% humidity. The bearing had to be changed ASAP. We worked 2 crews of 4 or 5 guys each to get it changed...one crew would work for a while and the other crew took a break, taking in water and gatorade type drinks. We worked on the bearing for nearly 14 hours. I got home and took a cool shower and sat down on the couch...as soon as I'd get comfortable, my arms and legs would start cramping up. Get the cramps worked out and sit back down, and start cramping up again. We got to work the next morning and most of us were still cramping up


August of 98, we were playing in a softball tournament and it was nearly 100° that day. We came off the field between innings, and I was feeling bad. I got off the field and ran a rag under the water spicket by the fence to drip it ove my neck and head. We had a bucket with ice water and spirit of ammonia and rags that we'd use to cool off between innings/games. One of the guys on the team saw me and grabbed one of the rags and I heard the paramedics/firemen team that were also in the tournament holler NO as he threw the rag over the back of my neck and head. I don't remember anything after that but everybody said that I stood up, my eyes rolled back, my arms and legs went stiff, and I hit the ground and started convulsing. I don't know how long I was out, but I woke up with ice packs under my arms and between my legs. Paramedics/firemen said that had they not been there (or someone else familiar with heat related illness) it could have gotten bad for me. Ever since then, i have had all kinds of issues in the heat.