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Update on wifes progress!

rancherman

By rancherman
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rancherman

rancherman

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Well, Tammy WAS discharged on Saturday from our small local hospital, (12 bed chicken house) and Sunday afternoon, I took her up to a larger hospital! didn't like the looks of her thigh. It was almost 3 times the size of what 'normal' is. When she moved, I could hear gurgling swishing.Turns out, her skin actually was torn away from the connective tissue and her thigh muscle. Imagine an area just above your knee, extending to just below your hip bone...... and as wide as your leg.... totally separated from you, but still attached. Only a little hole that was formed when the skin was pulled so violently during her fast exit.The fluid was a combination of blood and other liquid a body makes in the healing process. (I got about 2 quarts out of her before taking her back the hospital) It was quite a gusher~Surgeon packed that cavity with gauze the first day, and came up with a 'pump' that will constantly flush that cavity with saline solution 24/7. It's semi portable, and instead of the 2 week hospital stay to pack-clean-repack with gauze (and risk re infection), Tammy may be able to come home this weekend! (with pump attached)Doc said 6 months probable timeline for total healing....

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flagmanruss

flagmanruss

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Wife just wears ear buds... wouldn't talk to me anyway. I rely on the 'girl in the box' (also known as "The New Girl" as opposed to "Blondie" my original GPS)... wife is not a good navigator doesn't anticipate information the driver needs towing heavy.

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rancherman

rancherman

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:ahhh: Wow! Definitely let her know we are all rootin' for her! ...the seatbelt is such a controversial thing. IMO, wear the seatbelt. But then again, whose to say it would have killed her in this accident if she did? God only knows!

Thanks! I know what you mean about controversial! We've all probably heard of the person (fully belted) that walked away, the fully belted person who drowned,burned, etc... the fully belted who didn't have a bruise, but the head came off. Then of course, plenty that didn't have belts on that fared just as bad too... and of course, my two girls; Martha walked away, Tammy is doing well. I can't explain why... other than God didn't 'want' them quite yet! I think the insurance companies have crunched the numbers enough to see belts do help. I just wish SOMEONE could design a door latch that KEEPS THE DANG DOOR CLOSED~ but still would open after a roll over...
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Wild and Free

Wild and Free

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Glad she is coming home! I am a sceptic on seat belts myself, I am 50/50 on usage depending on the vehicle and circumstances more and more due to the features of newer vehicles having ding dongs and whistles if someone is in a seat without having it clicked in and airbags I helpedriend of mine in High school that rolled off a road into a pond with an 80's era chevy chevette, the seat belt was being worn and the person could not unbuckle it hanging upside down, had the water been just 2-4 inches deeper the person would have drown.Another thing with newer vehicles with airbags is that the air bags do more harm or death comes to people when not wearing a seat belt or improperly wearing them. The driver needs a minimum of 6 inches between them and the steering wheel for proper airbag / seatbelt function. I have yet to buy a car where a salesman told me that but it is in most owners manuals yet you see so many people sitting with the steering wheel up against their chest, most of these people either die or are seriously injured in accidents versus having the space between you and the wheel.I went to a rescue class a few years ago there was a couple hour class on airbag safety for rescuers and first responders and how to assess if a driver was lying about using a seatbelt to an officer by looking at evidence in the car and what they hit and how they hit, it was about the most interesting and eye opening class I had ever had in many years. Other than crash investigators most LEO's are not taught these things and so they try to teach first responders and rescue squads what to look for.One of the other topics they stressed on was for those of you who buy or are driving a repaired or salvaged vehicles, make sure you get any info and or actual receipts of the seat belt replacement. They talked about the staggering amount of deaths of people while driving a repaired car that had the wrong seat belt in it. Every car depending on trim package and what type of seat has a different length of seat belt or different rate of seat belt lockup to them, even 1 inch too much travel in the lockup mechanism can be deadly when it comes to crushed rib cages, Most salvage outfits will just pull a seat belt out of a "Like" model car if its the same color and install them not knowing about the differences in them.If a vehicle has been in a crash the seat belts do not retract and need to be replaced, this is where the issue comes in that most just are not educated in. There could be as many as 4-5 different seat belts for a single year and specific model vehicle all depending on the packages.After my long rambling my main point is that all the safety equipment in the world is of little use if nobody is taught how to properly use it.Think of this next time you see 5' granny driving along with her chin almost resting on top of the steering wheel "I know every one in the world has seen this" because she can't see over it, if in a crash she is most likely a dead person because if the air bag doesn't break her neck first the steering wheel will and it will crush her rib cage as well.There are the reasons for having an off switch for passengers airbag like infants in car seats which are mounted so they are rearward facing if in the front seat. Safety equipment will kill if using it wrong just as easily as not using it at all.

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Mopar1973Man

Mopar1973Man

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Out here locally I tend not to use seat belts because of the river. I've seen way too many die in the river because usually the impact with the water breaks at least one window and the in rushing of water and typically sand and dirt floating up off the floor board tends to jam the seat belt release. For what ever reason the ones that don't wear a seat belt that do go in the river live and the ones using a seat belt typically drown. Now for the excessive speed thing out here its typically the one that are doing speed limit and faster typically cause the accidents. Now as for seat belts out here in this case more survive head on impacts than without. So its a mixed bag to wear or not to wear.

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hex0rz

hex0rz

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This has re-kindled the fire in me to rethink my incident action planning on a personal level. I think a good seatbelt knife that is quickly and easily accessible is in order. Maybe get it mounted somewhere on the dash so you can reach it, or maybe stuffed in between the seat, etc... Yea, its not going to prevent what happens during, but after it just may come in handy.Around here, we have plenty of bodies of water and I was just minutes short of going on a call one time with a woman who went into a river. By the time rescue got there, she would have been dead. She apparently suffered from a heart attack and died before she even hit the water. It was a steep bank and it takes time to get a rescue op going. Goal here is to make contact with the patient in less than 15 min.I've talked it over with my wife a few times about what to do if she ever went into the lake or river. We have the US95 hwy that crosses the lake Pend O'Reille and there have been a few cases where vehicles have gone over the bridge. Biggest thing is to remember to the cab pressure equalize with the outside water and then you can escape. So many people try and escape before the vehicle fills with water and they drown. Stay calm, let the vehicle fill with water and get yourself hyperventilated. Take that last breath of air and hold it in. You should have either cut your seatbelt or undone it by now. When the water gets passed your door, it should open easy unless it was struck and/or damaged. Breaking windows is a little more difficult, but a window will still operate most of the time even under water! A good glass punch may be of consideration as well. I had a fellow FF who has a pen-like style glass punch that was AWESOME!

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hex0rz

hex0rz

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Oh sure, but I'm a person of redundancy. I like to have backups for my backups! :lol:I had a rescue tool once before I became a volly. It was crap. The cutter would not cut, nor would the punch break the windows. Stupid tip actually became blunt!

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rancherman

rancherman

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Any more news on the wifes progess...??? @Hex0rz Both are excellent idea. I've got to use both on the extrication class and the seat belt cutter is nice but even a sharp multi-tool works good too. Which is something I always have on my belt. Glass punch can be made from a spring and 2 harden bolts.

Yep! Tammy is home, and doing very well. Turns out, It was a crushing action that liquefied the fatty tissue between the skin and muscle. "Morel-La'veille (or something French) syndrome" That would explain why no skin was actually torn away during the accident. They did take a patch of skin off. It's a 6X8 inch oval shape. There is now a 'cut to fit' bandage/ patch in this space. It is a mesh material on the side that contacts the muscle, and a rubbery top coat that is taped and therefore sealed to the wound. There is a little valve stem coming out of the 'tire patch' which is hooked to a portable vacuum pump/disposable collection container. Doc says the 'patch' needs to be changed about once a week, and each time it should be somewhat smaller than the previous week. (the hole will grow shut) Hopefully, (but I've been warned) that it probably won't grow completely shut, so skin grafts will be needed to complete the process. We will know in a month or two. As long as the skin shows progression of healing the hole, they will allow it to. It may take up to 6 months before the hole is done growing shut. She is mobile, and able to walk to the bathroom and amble around the house on her own. I still need to hover around during shower times for safety/help I scored a '94 Toyota 4X4... 186k miles, and a pretty solid body yet. Should be a nice gofer truck. I gotta pick it up yet, hopefully next week. (it's in Montana....) Weather will dictate that road trip! Thanks guys for all the 'get-well-soons' and prayers!!
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flagmanruss

flagmanruss

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I've heard a lot of times... after the pressure equalizes... the power windows will still work for a few minutes. Door might open too, if not collision damaged (try least damaged side of vehicle first. As a former scuba instructor, I know a lot about pressure. Very good point about staying very calm... once the violent action stops, get seat belt off. I carry a of bunch of razor knives scattered about vehicles & home so I don't have to hunt for them. I wonder how to secure a razor knife or tool so it isn't lost in a violent collision like a roll over. You are almost weightless in water & the ability to swing a hammer is about nil... unless you brace against something. A lot of phones are lost in collisions too... end up on the floor & out of reach if pinned in a vehicle... we've all heard of people pinned for days until a passer by finds the vehicle & hope the trapped individual is still alive. By the way... it is Federal Law, that even retired & no longer activated phones can call 911. I keep an old spare phone in my console with the car charger. I do charge it while driving occasionally. This is a good one, keeps a charge pretty well. It might be better stored in a zip-lock.

This has re-kindled the fire in me to rethink my incident action planning on a personal level. I think a good seatbelt knife that is quickly and easily accessible is in order. Maybe get it mounted somewhere on the dash so you can reach it, or maybe stuffed in between the seat, etc... Yea, its not going to prevent what happens during, but after it just may come in handy. Around here, we have plenty of bodies of water and I was just minutes short of going on a call one time with a woman who went into a river. By the time rescue got there, she would have been dead. She apparently suffered from a heart attack and died before she even hit the water. It was a steep bank and it takes time to get a rescue op going. Goal here is to make contact with the patient in less than 15 min. I've talked it over with my wife a few times about what to do if she ever went into the lake or river. We have the US95 hwy that crosses the lake Pend O'Reille and there have been a few cases where vehicles have gone over the bridge. Biggest thing is to remember to the cab pressure equalize with the outside water and then you can escape. So many people try and escape before the vehicle fills with water and they drown. Stay calm, let the vehicle fill with water and get yourself hyperventilated. Take that last breath of air and hold it in. You should have either cut your seatbelt or undone it by now. When the water gets passed your door, it should open easy unless it was struck and/or damaged. Breaking windows is a little more difficult, but a window will still operate most of the time even under water! A good glass punch may be of consideration as well. I had a fellow FF who has a pen-like style glass punch that was AWESOME!

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