Frostbite

The only frost I had seen until a few days back, was one that used to gather inside the freezer of the refrigerator.  A reminder of childhood memory of scratching the sidewalls of the freezer and eating that frost despite parental advice against that, is still

very vivid in my mind.

Therefore when I first saw entire neighborhood and all roads leading to office, covered with such frost, it was overwhelming, of course. I wasn’t aware of the word frostbite – until a caring colleague cautioned me regarding it.

When checked on google frostbite is understood as “injury to body tissues caused by exposure to extreme cold, typically affecting the nose, fingers, or toes and sometimes resulting in gangrene. It involves freezing of tissues, has four stages which vary in intensity and risk – starting from damage only to the external skin to internal and permanent damages”

At first I was negligent of the caution and treated it much the same way as we do to things that we don’t fully understand but claim to have command over, however nature prevailed and I surrendered soon. (Read just in time). Two jackets one with hood bought from a market in Denver, a sweater, muffler and cap brought from India and a set of thermals were all put in place and I was ready to fight the winter! I started taking help of colleagues who had cars to commute – instead of walking my way to work. I avoided any chance of frostbite – as best as I could.  

However, while reading a bit more on frostbite- it occurred that frostbite – in wider sense – can also include any injury that cold can cause. A deadlier variety can be considered as frostbite on our minds caused due to emotional cold.

Like stages of frostbite on skin, frostbites on mind can also have different stages – first degree called frost-nip is only affecting the outer surface of skin and usually results in itching and pain on affected areas of skin. Usually most of us suffer from this stage – total lack of empathy towards strangers is a primary symptom of such illness. Itching on mind just like the one on skin can make us susceptible to irritation and shortens attention spans. Usually appeal to internal crevices of their minds, still get registered as they are still sensitive.

Second degree known as blister – can be more severe – it leaves the affected area completely hard and blackened. It leads to permanent insensitivity to any kind of sensation.

Third and fourth stages are the most severe it can make affected areas permanently amputated. Usually it is caused by prolonged unprotected exposure to extremely cold environment. Emotionally this level of frostbite can be extremely oppressive – not only to the one inflicted – but also to the ones surrounding the patient. Irrecoverable cynicism and lack of enthusiasm to any sort of warmth are considered to be the prominent symptoms.

Get yourself enough warm clothes, keep the bon fire of passion and empathy burning within and make sure you don’t suffer from any sort of frostbite.