Kenneth R. Nelson, Sr.
Ladies and gentlemen:
I am getting the total picture! This getting older deal is no joke, and we have to take precautions to avoid jeopardizing what little health we have left.
Some of you have seen me around the tennis courts. Everyone knows I love the game—win, lose, or draw. Well, this is a short story to help doctors, family members, and those who love us get their message to us.
Father’s Day invite to El Dorado Country Club to play a round with my two sons who live in that area. I go Saturday night, play with the grands, and hoist a couple of beers. Up early Father’s Day morning for a 9 a.m. tee time. I go over to the range an hour and a half early. I get the angelic call from the grandson who passed away in February, and I go to the memorial site, walk around the lake talking to him and being uplifted. Well, without the attempt to prepare for heat, I did not hydrate the day before, and when we get through the front nine, I tell the boys I’ll just drive the cart. They go to tee off at 11, and I do not remember anything further. I woke up in an ambulance enroute to Chandler Regional Hospital. They keep me for five hours—EEG, EKG, CT scan, and three bags of saline later, I am released and admonished to be mindful of the heat. The doctor to whom I believe I am indebted said to me, “Mr. Nelson, you are in fine shape physically, but if you do not tend to your body before all of your sports activities, I will see you again!”
Ladies and gentlemen, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and cut back on the alcohol and drink lots of water if you have one or two outings in the heat.
It is hotter than fish grease out there!
Since there are only a few men and women players here all summer, we have decided that all mixed games will hopefully enable us to fill two full courts during the summer season.
The new schedule for Mixed Doubles is as follows:
* Mondays from 7 to 9 a.m.
* Wednesdays from 7 to 9 a.m.
* Fridays from 7 to 9 a.m.
Please email our President John Schlenker at [email protected] if you are interested in summer play.
Mask up a while longer, wash your hands often, and keep your distance. Stay safe and please hydrate. Drink plenty of cold water!