08/13/14
Prepping
I'll start this post off by saying that information is everywhere and in the dreaded digital age, there is no promise of truth or validity in many articles, videos and blogs. The wrong knowledge will get you killed. Thankfully, if you do some research, you will find out very quickly what is true and what is false; unless you're not sane.
It is one thing to be a bull shitter when making opinion videos but when you are doing an instructional or tips and tricks video, putting out misleading and false info can get someone killed.
If you have any first aid or medical knowledge, you will know that right off the bat if someone is putting out false information and it is your duty to make sure that viewers/readers aren't screwed over by the nonsense.
Many preppers that I have come across are not ones who favor actual medicine. Meaning they prefer the advice of a hippie who studied natural medicine at a 3rd rate liberal arts college over the advice of a surgeon who attended Yale. NEVER point out the FDA or Mayo Clinic to those preppers, it only makes them reach for the tin foil hats and screech at you about Monsanto and shit.
If you drive a car that runs on gasoline, would you put diesel fuel in it after watching a video where someone made diesel fuel sound better than gasoline? Hey well I don't wanna put shitty fuel in my tank!...Call me when your engine seizes and you need some $$ for a new car.
When dealing with your health, the truth will heal you. Well, knowing the difference between what treatments work and what treatments don't work will heal you. You will get a cut, blister, bruise, splinter, scrape or burn. It could be today or the day after tomorrow (EOTW reference, not literally two days from now) but if you want to treat your own wounds (which isn't a bad idea in some cases), you better damn make sure that you have the proper knowledge about the course of treatment that you will take. Personally, I don't care what medicinal qualities the root of a turnip has. My father is a pharmacist, many family members are doctors and so far the mercury in the flu vaccine hasn't killed me. I trust "that little pill" over that boiled root. Always have and always will.
Here are some facts on wound care for when the SHTF:
-There is no guarantee that a wound will not get infected. Wound cleaning is not a "one and done" thing. You must clean the wound and the area around the wound every time that you change the bandage or dressing.
-Time heals all wounds. I have my share of scars and I have had my share of infected cuts. I clot very quickly which is great and most superficial wounds heal in 4-10 days depending on if the scab rips off or anything. When the SHTF and you can't go to a hospital, rest will be the best medicine (other than antibiotics, pain killers and other RXs).
-All abrasions and minor incisions (like paper cuts) can be cleaned/flushed with antimicrobial soap and warm water. You don't even need hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide should never be used to clean a wound multiple times due to the fact that it kills off good bacteria and delays the healing process.
-Lacerations and wounds that require suturing should never be self treated unless there is no way to get medical help or hospital care. It's one thing to be the father who puts a band aid on his kids boo boo, it's another thing to essentially operate on a gunshot wound that your neighbor sustained during rioting and civil unrest.
Basic wound care is...Basic. No matter where you look or what courses you take, the steps are really all the same. During normal times, you should call 911 if your wound is bleeding severely. If blood is gushing or squirting from the wound and/or if the bleeding cannot be stopped in 10 minutes, call 911 immediately. When the times are not so normal, emergency responders may not be there to answer your 911 call. It might be safe to say that if you juggle sharp objects for a living, you would want to find a new profession when the SHTF. Other than that, I hope Obamacare(tax) covers amputations due to chainsaw tossing.
What to do with a wound:
-Stop the bleeding. No matter what type of wound it is, you NEED to stop the bleeding. You can do this by applying direct pressure on the wound. Obviously a paper cut will bleed less than a stab wound so call me crazy when I say that duct tape don't fix everything Jack. (I'll elaborate below)
-Clean the wound and the area around the wound. Do this after the bleeding has stopped (duh). Not all wounds can be cleaned with soap and water which is why I always have Sterile Saline for irrigation in my trauma kit, IFAK and home surgical kit. I never use tap water to clean minor wounds, I always use bottled water. Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) should be used instead of Hydrogen Peroxide in my opinion.
-Apply antibiotic ointment like Neosporin to minimize the chance of infection. I honestly don't know if it is safe to apply antibiotic ointment in a wound, I don't think it is but because I don't know, please consult your doctor or someone who would know more about treating lacerations and punctures.
-Bandage the wound with a sterile bandage. If the wound is severe (laceration, puncture) a band aid wont do the trick obviously. Because I plan on doing a video on dressing lacerations and punctures some time in the future, I wont say anymore here because it is easier for me to show it to you than explain it.
-Change the bandage regularly. This promotes healing. Always ALWAYS use a STERILE bandage!
Signs of infection include:
redness, swelling, pus, or excessive pain. From my experience, when a wound is infected, you'll know it.
I'm not trying to be incomplete with my info but if I don't know something, I don't post it. Always talk to your health care provider (doctor) or if you have a family member who is a medical professional like a CNA, RN or physician, ask them for more specific advice and info. I will be 100% honest, if you get stabbed or shot and can't get to a hospital, you are probably going to die depending on where on your body the injury is and the extent of the injury. There are some things (like suturing a torn lung) that should only ONLY be done in a hospital Operating Room. Any wound that hits vital organs, will likely result in death if you can't get to a hospital.
If you are a prepper, I am begging you to contact your local American Red Cross office and take their Adult First Aid/CPR/AED course. It is usually $110.00 and worth having. If you can find a more "warrior friendly" course that gets into military field medicine, take it. I am sure that there are courses out there that police officers, private contractors and other professionals can take. Because we live in a capitalist country, I am sure that there are many tactical medicine (TacMed) courses that are open to the public.
What are my medical qualifications? Trained EMT-B with 5 years as a good Samaritan and 1 year working for an ambulance company. I have also taken private training in Solo Response to MVAs and active shooter situations. (solo response meaning I am the only person on scene with the ability to help others while emergency services are en route). I also worked for my father for 2 years as a Pharmacy Technician in Training.
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