[TheForge] fingers -- re-attachment best practices??

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Good advice Bruce...thanks.
I'll remember the bleeding on the reception desk part next time.
That's excellent and darkly funny.
Being polite and understated has resulted in some very long waits
with no apparent assessment of severity.

On Jan 12, 2013, at 5:39 PM, Bruce . wrote:

Well, I hope you don't have an IMMEDIATE need for this info.

Put loose body parts in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and ice the outside of
the bag.  You don't want water or ice directly on the body parts as that
will damage the flesh.  You also want the ice to be damp -- which means
it's at 32*F on the surface -- because colder temperatures can damage the
flesh.

As for the rest of you, you should apply pressure between any wound and the
heart, preferably as close to the wound as feasible.  In life-or-death
situations -- like a spurting artery -- use a tourniquet, but otherwise
don't as a tourniquet, improperly used, condemns you to losing the
"downstream" body parts.

In an accident, you should remember that you can lose a whole pint of blood
with little consequence, and that a pint of blood smeared around the place
will look like you've bled to death.  In other words, losing some blood is
not the end of the world.  OTOH, you cannot TELL how much blood you're
losing, so staunch the flow.

It is remarkably difficult to bandage yourself one-handed (which is usually
the default situation in cases like this).  Voice of experience talking,
but fortunately involving no amputations.  In such cases, get help.  Don't
try to "man it out" by doing it yourself.  Women generally "handle" blood
better than men.  Comes from monthly bleeding and being inured to bodily
fluids (which applies to mothers, mostly).

Always get medical treatment ASAP, or first aid if real medical treatment
is not available.  A swordsmith I know, who cut his thumb almost off one
time, recommends bleeding on the reception desk as a means of getting their
attention when they tell you to wait your turn....

On Sat, Jan 12, 2013 at 5:21 PM, Allen Dyer <aldyer at lawlab.com> wrote:

> does anyone have hints on what would be the best response to having one or
> two of your fingers being severed/ripped off?
> 
> do you ice them?  is there much danger from bleeding?  how soon do you
> need to get your wandering fingers to the surgeon?  if it's your ring
> finger, do you still need a divorce attorney?  etc.
> 
> allen dyer
> 
-- 
Bruce
NJ
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