When All Hell Breaks Loose (84 page)
Read When All Hell Breaks Loose Online
Authors: Cody Lundin
Constipation Cure
Most constipation can be remedied with an adequate fluid intake coupled with consuming high-moisture (fruits) and high-fiber foods such as bran cereals. Simply calming down and relaxing can do wonders for your colon as well as your psyche. Although in most circumstances laxatives will be unnecessary, the most effective and safest is Milk of Magnesia.
Mr. Jelly Finger: Fun with Fecal Compaction
Ignore the signs and symptoms of constipation and you'll be forced to get to know one of your family members better than should be humanly allowed. When one ignores the need to defecate for whatever reason—having to poop in a weird potty, in a weird place, with a bunch of other weirdos, such as in a public shelter after a disaster—normal bowel reflexes might cease to function and allow fecal matter to pile up and get hard in the rectum. Add the previous pitfalls of dehydration, strange food, and stress to the problem, and fecal compaction can quickly become a reality.
According to medical books, the best way to determine if someone has fecal compaction is to insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum. If the finger runs into a brick wall, so to speak, the hardened fecal matter must be removed. This is best done by breaking up the fecal matter and removing the pieces as carefully as possible to avoid damaging the rectal and anal tissues. If the tissue is torn during the extraction, and subsequent bowel movements are painful, the person should eat a lower-fiber diet of soups and such, temporarily, while consuming one tablespoon of mineral oil two times per day to lubricate the stool and reduce pain. (Note: Prolonged diets of low-fiber foods will create constipation and you'll start the fun all over again. Mineral oil is a lubricant, not a laxative.) See how much easier and pleasant it is to drink your water and go to the bathroom when you have to?
Upset Stomach, Nausea, and Vomiting
"D
UDE, IF YOU'RE GONNA HURL, HURL IN THIS
."—G
ARTH OFFERING NAUSEOUS FRIEND A SMALL PAPER CUP IN
Wayne's World,
THE MOVIE
Vomiting can be a sign of many issues ranging from motion sickness and head injuries to pregnancy, hyperthermia, or stumbling across a decomposing corpse. When you puke, you lose water, not to mention breakfast. If you keep puking, you'll continue to lose water (until the alcoholic dry heaves) long after breakfast has hit the pavement. Nausea and vomiting will be one of the side effects of drinking water that wasn't completely disinfected. Many waterborne pathogens that enter your system require treatment with drugs; others, although the effects are hell, will seem to go away on their own, albeit with part of your intestines, or so it would seem.
An unconscious person vomiting is at risk of asphyxiation; just ask John Bonham and many other rockers. Even at the expense of a possible spinal injury, the patient must be carefully rolled on their side with their head lowered to allow the vomit to clear the airway.
Prolonged vomiting is serious and the person should immediately be taken to a hospital. Similar to diarrhea, the replacement of lost water and electrolytes are all-important to the healing process. When the patient is finally able to keep stuff down, feed them bland foods, preferably liquids such as soups for the next day.
Most people are able to keep down about a teaspoon of water every twenty minutes, so keep a medicine cup and timer or watch handy.
Bogus Blisters
Blisters, although seemingly innocent, can stop the foot-bound traveler in his or her bloody tracks. After a major disaster, many forms of transportation will be unable to operate due to clogged roads, debris, or a lack of fuel. You will be "hoofing it" to get from place to place, and you may very well be doing so in fashionable shoes created by people who wouldn't walk more than fifty feet wearing their own creation.
Advanced blisters are painfully crippling and can take days to properly heal. Ruptured blisters are an invitation for infection, especially during the gnarly conditions present after a catastrophe. Imagine being a Hurricane Katrina survivor with open blisters walking knee-deep in the toxic goo that was once called water. Bad idea and a set-up for an infection that left unattended could easily mature into a life-threatening condition.
Before the Blister
Blisters are caused by excessive friction and result in a buildup of fluid beneath the skin. They most commonly manifest themselves on the heels or toes, but I've seen them happen all over the feet, even on top. New boots or shoes are notorious for causing blisters. All survival footwear should be thoroughly broken in, yet still be in great shape, not worn out. The infant blister will first appear as a hot spot on the foot, and this is the easiest time to deal with it. Stop, take off your shoes, dry out your socks if possible, and apply a piece of first-aid tape, duct tape, "second skin," or adhesive felt (moleskin) over the hot spot. Make sure to cover a larger area than necessary so the dressing doesn't peel off. Don't use a regular bandage over a hot spot as the nonadherent pad will continue to rub.
I often use duct tape for this purpose but it should be used with caution as it doesn't breathe. If left on for several hours and hurriedly pulled off, the weakened, moist skin underneath can easily tear. The need is to dry the foot out (and change your socks if you have a clean dry pair) and stop the rubbing of the affected area. In the outdoors, I've even applied pieces of bark or leaves over hot spots with positive results.
Since I go barefoot most of the time, when I do wear sandals, I pretape my heels with duct tape
before
donning my sandals. I know that the sides and tops of my feet are particularly sensitive to friction as they rarely have anything in contact with them.
Many people use two pairs of socks within their boots to avoid blisters. The thinner liner sock next to the foot will take much of the friction when walking. As in all things, an ounce of prevention will save you a lot of future pain and misery.
After the Blister
Once a blister manifests, you can create a pad from moleskin or some other material that is built-up with a cutout for the blister in the middle, like a donut. This keeps the pressure away from the blister itself.
Unbroken Blisters
If you're certain you can eliminate all pressure from the affected area, such as being able to lounge around your home barefoot for several days, don't pop the blister; let it heal naturally. If this isn't an option, and the blisters are painful, wash the area with soap and water, sterilize a needle with a lighter or match flame, and pop the blister around its edge in several places and gently push out the fluid. Leave the top flap of skin over the blister intact and place a nonstick bandage over the area.
Broken Blisters
Wash the area with soap and water. Broken blisters can have debris such as dirt or sand under the affected area that needs to be cleaned out. If necessary, gently cut off the flap of skin over the top of the blister to clean it out. Cover the blister with a sterile nonstick pad and then cover this with tape or moleskin. Watch for signs of infection (redness and tenderness extending beyond the blister, discolored blister fluid, or pus) each day.
The Basic First-Aid Kit
There is no one portable first-aid kit that will cover all of your needs, and there is perhaps no better way to start an argument between otherwise good-natured and intelligent people than trading opinions about what to carry in a first-aid kit. Yet compiling a good first-aid kit is basic and relevant for every household on earth. Your kit should reflect the amount of first-aid training your family has. A family comprised of a physician and nurse might have a very elaborate first-aid kit, as they have the training and the know-how to use it. We greenhorns will have far fewer bells and whistles, yet there's no reason we have to sit on the bench and watch the action happen. Like the contents of a survival kit, the contents of your family's first-aid kit will reflect many variables and should be custom-made to conform to your family's situation. Variables such as bulk, weight, cost, the number of people, and the proposed duration of your emergency will all factor in. Some items are staples, such as bandages and triple antibiotic ointment. If you live with a diabetic or someone on treatment for another medical condition, tailor your kit to reflect such a reality. One-size-fits-all first-aid kits are just as mythological as one-size-fits-all survival kits. Even if you live down the street from a hospital, don't assume it will be your saving grace after a catastrophe.
The following list, while solid for many first-aid needs, simply reflects a foundation upon which to build your custom kit. Be self-reliant and dare to think for yourself. The below supplies may be all you need, maybe even less. Although it seems like a lot of stuff to carry, most of it is very small in volume and weight. Be sure to pack the items separately in a well-marked pouch stating "First Aid." Don't throw the items into a huge jumble along with shampoo, deodorant, and breath mints. I have the majority of my first-aid items double-sealed in two zipper-lock freezer bags to keep the contents dry. The clear plastic makes it easy to locate certain items before opening the seal. Your first-aid container should be waterproof, highly visible, simple to open and use, and yet be rugged enough to protect its precious contents.
Foundational, Portable First-aid Kit Contents
(Important Note: The amount of medications and bandages will need to be increased for families. Stay-at-home kits can be larger but make sure to have a portable version for hitting the road.)
Latex gloves—5 pair