I am pretty sure the most likely culprit for Brad's "illness" was heat exhaustion (not as severe as heat stroke, but will get there fast in the sun). IV drip usually implies a blood problem (dehydration, electrolytes, etc) and by the brew of the IV I could tell you what was suspected to be the problem (not a doctor but have been to many hospitals myself and visiting others with heat exhaustion, cancer, operations and many other problems). Am I expert enough to continue the rumor? No. But I can guess, and this isn't necessarily the same as a rumor.
Now I heard another rumor that Nathan was arrested...is this a rumor or fact? Even if Nathan himself says he was arrested, without actually seeing the mug shot or the arrest warrent, technically it still could be considered a rumor (for similar reasons, I suspect that Nathan would not be so devious as to spread a false rumor about himself..I know him to be very honest as I know are the sources for other rumors).
Other thing is the dusty conditions make it easy to get a cold (virus, split hairs and call it something else)...not drinking fluids, getting rest, food, etc can make you more susceptible to all sorts of things (including heat exhaustion, but various other things which can cause "vertigo" [fancy word for dizzyness]).
So let's say the big trip you only get 3 hours of rest instead of 4 to 8. The sun is 90 degrees but you're not wearing a hat. That missing 5 hours of sleep can mean another quart or two of water you're short, and it doesn't take much to drop from the heat (dizzy first, then you go down...I've seen this happen and it's not pretty). Good thing he got prompt medical attention...but heat exhaustion can take many hours to recover from (sometimes days).
The operative terms are "stroke" versus "exhaustion" and whether heat was a factor (I can nearly guarantee it, but maybe it was just something they ate...food poisoning also causes dehydration). IV drip is almost always some kind of blood imbalance...and this points to heat being a factor (even if it's not the only one)...other being nutrition...then there's worse things we all pray Brad doesn't have (I won't even mention these because further conjecture at this point is "disasterbation" ;-}).
I hope with everyone that Brad and Andrew are OK. I'm also curious if Marc's hairdo is why he might have superior cooling capacity.
As for Nathan's plight, let's hope he has good legal counsel. From the details of the story, it sounds like a total setup. Cops can't just go up to you and suspect you're high and ask you to submit to searches. However, we have to know when to say "no" and this is hard if you're not used to telling a cop to fuck off (I'm very used to it, and have many relatives who will back me up in court...I also know my rights and have excercised them at appropriate times based on training, experience and a bit of luck, but I've been on the bad side of luck and can relate to the jail cell personally). Now having relatives in the law enforcement as well as attorneys helps see the balance between the law, citizen's rights, the community and all that jazz...but being "heads up" and having "spidey sense" (awareness) is better than everything because you can "head them off at the pass" (so to speak). People who suspect they are being followed by cops can confront them in a funny way and that humor can diffuse the situation. This is nearly impossible when you're already being pulled over...at some point you have to be firm and say, "I'm not an attorney, but my attorney told me to tell you to get a warrant. You can call him and ask him if you like."
Now when your relatives are the local sherriff or judge, senator, etc...this gives another layer of protection, but on a bad day, a bad cop will do bad things no matter what. Sometimes we're lucky to just not be shot for sticking up for what is right. Sometimes we get shot or thrown in jail for the wrong reasons...hopefully good judges and lawyers can set things straight.
But in a small town if the judge is the cop's relative, you're screwed.
-More on this later,
Phrazz
P.S.: Buy Nathan's CDs to help his legal cause (I'm getting all of them and will also donate directly).
