Practice practice practice

Blowing a seal last week had me thinking I may need to ‘update’ some of my skills again. I know watching Doc get the shakes while handling that suture, I should get some practice in myself. I recall seeing the Docs in training (University of Cincinnati where I worked as an IT tech) working at just that skill for hours sometimes. The wannabe surgeons wanted that skill commited to muscle memory. (and they had unlimted supplies to play with there,,, I don’t, Nor do I need that level of proficiency.)

Now, I ain’t shooting for any medical degree or something, not this late in the game of life, but there may be a day where, especially considering the division of society we are witnessing, that I may be “IT” in a situation. It may even be my own skin I need to put back together. (hopefully not another hand injury, fair certain I would struggle mightily, at single-handed stitching,,,)

For those of you with the means, or inclination, THIS is a good start to basic stuff. Then add these,,, AND you really want THIS BOOK in your head. Ditch Medicine is another fine example of something to add to your library. Sadly, things like local anesthetics are verboten to us dirt people, but a little clandestine conversation may locate a source near you. Not the unlicensed street pharmacists’ though. (Around here, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if there were one or two that COULD provide that particular item,,,)

And learn terms like “debriding”, “Wound cleaning”,”Irrigation” (not the farming type), “Sterile environment”, and start thinking of how you can provide those in primative conditions. Knowing how to sterilize water (distillation,,,) will do more than ‘nothing but a prayer and a good immune system’.

Putting people back together can be nerve wracking, especially if you haven’t the means to numb them up first,,, Some people don’t have high pain tolerances, others may seem bullet proof in what they can handle. (and there is a way of making ether that is simple, and the materials may be readily available when shit goes sideways, but you really want to use discretion with it since ether is highly flammible.)( I won’t list it here, for practical reasons,,,, but no, it does NOT utilize starting fluid in a can,,, Big no-no there, You might create a vegetable going down that path.)

My current inventory has several boxes of 4-0 suture (veternarian grade) and a couple of boxes of 3-0 and one of 2-0. The 2-0 is for practice more than anything since its monstrous in size: makes it easier to see it when you are ‘playing’. My favorite material for playing is wetsuit material. Its not quite skin or muscle tissue, but its close enough to get a feel for when you are getting the needle properly placed and pulls much the same. There is a kit available for practice that is much more lifelike, and its reasonable in price if you are serious enough.

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and WordPress does it again. several paragraphs lost into the void,,,,

Whats above saved, where the rest vaped away, and I will publish it as is, instead of try to re-write the rest. Biggest thing I can say, GET TRAINING, RedCross has classes all over the place,,, (and that is the synopsis of those lost paragraphs,,,)

early morning start today, long day suspected, so I will post later, Talk atcha’all laters,,,,