Knuckle sandwich, anyone? (warning: gory)

[Rock Lobster]

Styptic pencil from the pharmacy

[morgana]

Seraph, seriously, have you thought about super glue?

Handyman friend of mine, years back, sliced himself up at least weekly. Always used superglue on anything that a butterfly bandage wouldn't close, only got stitches if the slice was longer than his hand and deeper than his thumbnail.

Had like two scars on his whole upper body. (His quite . . . comely . . . upper body. )

[bhskittykatt]

I'm not sure if they stop bleeding but i read a techno-thriller that made mention of soldiers using tampons and pads for emergency battle dressing. although i guess that's better if they don't have immediate access to real trauma supplies and can only go to the local mart etc.

The cellucotton used in sanitary napkins was invented in WWII for bandages.

Also, BFF was a manager for our high-school wrestling team and was often sent into the women's bathroom to procure tampons to be shoved up bloody noses. So yes, either one still works.

Seraph, seriously, have you thought about super glue?

Handyman friend of mine, years back, sliced himself up at least weekly. Always used superglue on anything that a butterfly bandage wouldn't close, only got stitches if the slice was longer than his hand and deeper than his thumbnail.

Had like two scars on his whole upper body. (His quite . . . comely . . . upper body. )

My first aid instructor would be shouting "NOOOOO!" at you right now. Regular superglue can have some nasty side effects. Some glues are okay, though: http://www.realfirstaid.co.uk/superglue/


It sounds like you're taking sound action with your hand. Ideally you'd get to a clinic, and I'm gonna still encourage you to do that. But if you really can't, it sounds like you're on track for the next best thing.

[csquared]

OH COME ON SO NOT FAIR.

Try Walmart

[Seshat]

Okay. Since your mother is a medical professional qualified to determine whether or not it needs a doctor's attention, I'll quiet down on that point.

[Halo_miles]

I'm not sure if they stop bleeding but i read a techno-thriller that made mention of soldiers using tampons and pads for emergency battle dressing. although i guess that's better if they don't have immediate access to real trauma supplies and can only go to the local mart etc.

That is actually partially based in fact. Before Kotex became a pad supplier, they manufactured dressings for soldiers during wartime. If anything, try and find clot spray. It's not too expensive, and it'll work to stem blood flow. I'd say if you can, gauze the hell out of it, change dressings often, and hope for the best. With something of that cut though, a hospital trip may be your best bet.

Then again, I happened to read an article about a woman from a tribe in southern Africa, who managed to save her fingers after she cut them off in a freak accident. She held them in place, wrapped cloth around them, and surprisingly enough, after awhile, fingers were actually healed together. It was a bit of a surprise, but stranger things have happened.

[Seraph]

So awesome update. It's reattached.

There's some odd shaped bruising from the blade, and the edges are that whole weird red of "didn't quite make a scab but not infected"....but dang. It sealed.

It's still insanely sore, which isn't surprising at all, and it'll probably be that way for a week or two, I figure. But, I'm just thrilled to see that the big thing I was worried about is fine. Also, this is good timing, because I was totally about to run out of knuckle bandaids. Now I'm letting it air out as much as possible.

Try Walmart

You know, I went there yesterday, and they literally were stocking My Little Pony bandaids. Finally.

Okay. Since your mother is a medical professional qualified to determine whether or not it needs a doctor's attention, I'll quiet down on that point.

I still really, really appreciate your concern, Sesh. /big hugs.

also I keep forgetting that my mom's a nurse, I'm a derp.

[dalesys]

also I keep forgetting that my mom's a nurse, I'm a derp.

Yeah, the "Kiss and make it better" is a little outside the usual nursing practica.

[Seshat]

My father was a former ambulance officer. (Part of the reason he went into driver training: prevention being better than cure.)

My brownies/girl guides (girl scouts equivalent) leader was a hospital matron. Between the two of them, I learned a lot about how to tell when to run, not walk, to a medical professional.

But while I still lived with Dad, I trusted him to treat anything minor. Partly cause hey, he was my DAD and I was a kid. But even when I was older, I knew he had the know-how.


Regarding kotex, tampax, and other 'feminine hygeine products': YES. By all means use any of them as wound covers if you don't actually carry a formal first aid kit.

The IDEAL first-aid wound cover is a sterile-packaged wound cover kit as found in pharmacies and first aid kits. Apply as instructed, put pressure on the wound now it's covered with something sterile that wound stick to the wound, and call emergency.
(If you have time, call emergency first, tell them you have that kit, and ask if they think you should use it or wait for the ambulance.)

Second best is a sterile-wrapped tampon or pad. Most brands of tampon are sterile-wrapped because of toxic shock syndrome, so they're actually likely to be preferable: pads, even individually wrapped ones, aren't sterile. But I carry both tampons and individually wrapped pads in my handbag as emergency wound covers.

I also have minitampons on my desk, because I get a bloody nose sometimes. Stuff a tampon up there, wait till the bleeding stops. All done.

At any rate: whether you should cover the wound and put pressure on it does depend on how far away the ambulance is, and how severely the wound is bleeding. If you have a recent first aid course under your belt, go ahead and do what you were taught.
If not, and you judge that the patient's bleeding isn't too severe to wait for emergency to instruct you, let them tell you whether or not to cover the wound.

And if you don't have a wound kit, do tell emergency you have tampons/wrapped pads you can use. They may well tell you to go ahead and use it. It's unlikely to stick to the wound, it will absorb blood, and it's a hell of a lot safer than some random object - or a hand. (no direct blood-to-first-aider's-skin contact)

[Seraph]

Hm, sounds like I need to start restocking feminine products again...because lord knows I get bloody noses a lot, and I tend to get "bleedy" cuts. ><

[Aethian]

I think the mini tampons are found in the first aid section of the pharmacy. I use them myself.

[Sparky]

I once snipped a flap of skin off my knuckle with scissors. Yeah, felt pretty darn stupid. It healed up fine, but I did get stitches. The doctor had me wear a splint for a week or so because otherwise he said the stitches wouldn't hold. He also gave me a tetnus shot. You must be current, or your nurse-mother would probably be nagging you to do so.

I was pregnant at the time, which has nothing to do with anything.

[kpzra]

I think the mini tampons are found in the first aid section of the pharmacy. I use them myself.

OB non applicator ones work too, they are pretty small when first unwrapped. You get creative on a mass causality shooting and need something to help with the bleeding.

[SteeleDragon78]

just slightly off topic, seraph since i love reading your posts, please invest in a cut proof pair of gloves, theyre not that expensive and will prevent future bleedy cuts.

OT, glad your healing well.

[Seraph]

just slightly off topic, seraph since i love reading your posts, please invest in a cut proof pair of gloves, theyre not that expensive and will prevent future bleedy cuts.

OT, glad your healing well.

Question is, will I remember to wear them when reaching into places that have potential bladey bits.