908
Quick rule of thumb (lemmy.dbzer0.com)
submitted 10 months ago by to c/whitepeopletwitter@sh.itjust.works
86 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

top 85 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 123 points 10 months ago* (26 children)

I remember my mom washing her immersion blender. She always left it plugged in and turned it on in the dish water, so the blades get clean. One day, she was trying to wash the cap at the same time and caught her index in the immersion blender. She turned down my advice to go to the ER, she rather had me tape the finger. It was of no use, gauze would just instantly get soaked and started dripping blood. But she still didn't feel the need to go to the ER because "that will heal, I had worse".

Spoiler alert, when she couldn't sleep that night because of throbbing pain, she asked me to take her to the ER. They were pretty mad at her and asked her why she didn't come instantly. 6 stitches and a load of antibiotics.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 26 child comments
    •
  • [–] 51 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    I read those kind of injuries with stick blenders are pretty common. I always unplug since I learned that.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 31 points 10 months ago (18 children)

    In her defence, I have no idea when I should go to the ER. I am pretty clumsy and do a lot of cooking, so am forever stabbing myself.

    I often wonder to myself at what point I would need assistance.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 18 child comments
    •
  • [–] 31 points 10 months ago (10 children)

    Ah, the US. Can't teach wound care, csnt afford stitches.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 10 child comments
    •
  • [–] 21 points 10 months ago (9 children)

    I'm not in the US, but I'm also not sure when in my life I should have been taught when to seek help.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
    •
  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago (6 children)

    I'm in Europe, I once was in a pretty bad state and with a high fever, so I called 112 or something like that, because in other country they decide if you should go to hospital immediately and deliver you. Here they questioned me and told me ‘yeah, you should go to ER’, and the conversation was over. I took a taxi there, not sure what would I do if I passed out before getting to the taxi, as I already passed out that evening and it was why I called and didn't just go in the first place.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [+] 2 points 10 months ago (5 children)
    [deleted]
  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

    In Celsius? You’re cooked!

    Edit: 112 is a common emergency services # in the EU, akin to 911, for any Americans wondering

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [+] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)
    [deleted]
  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 13 points 10 months ago* (2 children)

    The best thing you can do for yourself and those around you is take a first aid course. They are usually cheap or free through your local community college or community education programs, you can get a certification, and it will teach you when you need to seek assistance, and when you can handle it yourself. It’ll also teach you what’s worth keeping in a first aid kit, like butterfly sutures, and what isn’t (those pre-made kits are junk).

    Everyone should take a first aid course. It should be done every 5 years ideally, if only because you’ll hardly ever use it, and recommendations do change.

    So, if you can find somewhere, give everyone you know the gift of lifesaving knowledge! (As in arrange for them all to take the course with you, you all get the info and a nice bonding exercise. Make all the jokes about when it’ll be needed on you because you are a klutz)

    Who knows, you or one of your friends/family may save a life someday!

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    I've done multiple first aid courses over my life. I've learnt CPR, abdominal thrusts, and even did an outdoor first aid course where they taught us how to keep people alive when help was 24 hours away. I've been taught how to dress wounds, but the assumption for all of these was that someone is in imminent need of help. There was nothing (that I remember) about how deep of a cut requires a visit to the emergency room.

    Though you raise a good point, the last course I did was 15 years ago, I should probably do a refresher.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago

    I think for cuts there's general rules for location, depth, and length to qualify as an emergency. Deep punctures/stab wounds should always be treated as emergencies, do not remove the object, but stabilize it so it doesn't cause more damage. An amount of blood equivalent to a can of soda is life threatening.

    I've stayed current on first aid certifications for about a decade and grew up with a parent in the medical field. I still suck at knowing when something requires an er visit, quite possibly because family, friends, and neighbors would come over and get stitches on our kitchen counter rather than go to the hospital. The best I can say is, if you are questioning whether something requires a hospital visit, then it probably does. Better to be safe than sorry.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 12 points 10 months ago

    I recently had what might have been a heart attack and laid down in bed instead of going to the ER. (I'm pretty sure it wasn't, but maybe.) Everyone to whom I've mentioned it has gotten upset with me. My doctor was especially expressive about it.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    If you apply what is close to a tourniquet and it still bleeds through, that's a pretty strong indicator that you might want to get someone to look at it.

    But I shouldn't complain, I'm the same in that sense. I had a scratch wound from a fall (tripped drunk on the stairs when a friend was over) and constantly itched my leg and scratched off the scab. Got a nasty infection. At first it started to hurt in the evening, I went to bed and it was okay the morning. Then it wasn't okay next morning, but manageable. I finally went to the ER when it got so bad that I had to lie on the couch the whole day and would almost black out from pain when getting up to go to the toilet. I've never gotten an official diagnosis, but from the pictures, I strongly lean towards strep infection. 3 weeks of penicillin and a stern lecture from the doc and I was right as rain, albeit the skin on my leg looks a bit different now lol

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    Oh I've never got close to needing a tourniquet, but it seems like there is a line somewhere in the middle that looks like it's probably ok but should actually be seen by a professional.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago*

    If it bleeds longer than 10 minutes, if it hurts periodically or constantly or if something persists without getting better for more than 3 days, go to a doctor. If it's really bad, go earlier (tooth pain for example can get debilitating quickly).

    If you are at cancer risk (40+), get periodic check ups.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 17 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    It took me three reads to realize it says “dish water” and not misspelled dish washer.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
    • [–] 56 points 10 months ago (9 children)

    I was in this exact situation two days ago.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 9 child comments
    •
  • [–] 53 points 10 months ago (6 children)

    Did you survive?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [–] 43 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    Geez, I hope so. I want to know how it goes on.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [+] 34 points 10 months ago (2 children)
    [deleted]
  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 37 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 child)

    Me too. I didn't want to go in, but it was my sister who said "you're injured. Sit the queue like a big boy."

    And so I did. And the first antibiotic and anti-protozoa mix left me vomiting aggressively. So I sat the queue again. The second mix, doxy+metro, is much gentler and I'm able to keep food down.

    Only 4, then 6 hours in A+E. Drugs on extended health coverage, $0 ultimately. 🇨🇦

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
    • [–] 49 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    That's also the life hack to getting treatment though, be it male or female. Always say your partner made you go in.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 32 points 10 months ago

    I found another hack.

    Bleed from the nose for over an hour, then go into the ER with a mixing bowl full of your blood under your face. Scare the security guard and get instant admittence. It worked for me! I didn't even get to the reception desk before I was admitted. Seriously.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
    • [+] 74 points 10 months ago (3 children)
    [removed by mod]
  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 31 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    A horse rider I know once had to get an x-ray. They asked him when he broke his neck, since they couldn't find any notes about it. He didn't know he had broken it.

    Best he can tell, it was from a fall a few years earlier. He spent 6 months grumbling about how slow it was to heal at his age. All the while, 1 wrong twist and his spinal cord could have been cut.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 16 points 10 months ago

    I had a very similar experience except I knew about the fall in question that caused it. Got bucked off into a water trough, back-down, and hit my neck on the side of it.

    I have a vertebrae that is split vertically through the dorsal. It healed split open, such that the dorsal now forms a fork. The x-ray folks who found it were like uhmmmmmmmm so when did you break your neck?

    Happened when I was like 13, didn’t know it broke, but apparently very lucky I didn’t die. But it’s the only bone I’ve ever broken so that’s fun and interesting!

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
    • [–] 23 points 10 months ago*

    In my area, when they ask what you do and you say "I'm a farmer" things get really serious really fast.

    Usually the blood is enough of an indication.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 23 points 10 months ago*

    Did you bring your arm with you?

    Wife is bringing it in. I told her not to bother but you know how they are... worry worry worry.

    What about your other arm? Where is it?

    Oh I forgot to tell her about that one...shhh it's ok I'm fine. I don't think I even need to be here.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 22 points 10 months ago

    As a former husband who got talked into going - more than once, can confirm.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 32 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    Synchronicity. I was have a conversation today with someone who’d been a nurse in rural NSW. Who was saying that they knew shit was about to hit the fan when a farmer rocked up on his own in AED.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
    • [–] 15 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    hacks off limb

    Wife: You should go to the ER.

    Me: Nah, it'll grow back.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
    • [–] 12 points 10 months ago* (2 children)

    It was appendicitis. 24h of pain. Had started rupturing.
    I thought it was constipation.

    (in my defense, neither my obgyn wife nor the emergency doctor on the phone were sure because I had precisely zero of the usual symptoms)

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    My wife went to bed early one night, not feeling good. Next day sang as a choral section leader, made a quick appearance at a kid's birthday party to drop off our gift, then spent the rest of the day in bed. Very weird for her. Kept telling me she was ok and just needed to rest. The next morning I woke up, took one look at her and told her we were going to the emergency room. Pale and just... I could tell something was wrong.

    By the end of the day she had her appendix out.

    I was worried because surgery took almost three times as long as anticipated. The surgeon that talked to me post-op was super excited about how her body prevented it from rupturing by everything around the appendix swelling up and effectively giving it no room to do so. The surgery had taken so long because they carefully had to move everything out of the way before removing the appendix, then when they saw the state of it they decided to do their full "clean sweep" they would do for a ruptured one just to be safe (and confirmed no leakage/rupture), then move things back. I told him that she had started feeling bad nearly a day and a half before she felt bad enough to come in, and we joked about her pain tolerance. I could tell that surgeon just did what would probably be his favorite surgery that year, he was so excited about it.

    I had known my wife had a high pain tolerance, but that hammered home just how seriously I need to take when she doesn't feel good, lol.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago

    Haha, yeah, the surgeon was all excited to tell me how mine was abnormally long, and that's what saved me from worse consequences despite the rupture; she had never seen the appendix sorta wrap in on itself to contain things.

    pain tolerance is a funny thing. I've gained mine from years of dental operations, and unfortunately in this case it led me to vastly misjudge the situation. Thankfully my wife gave me a stronger pair killer and at 11pm told me to get my ass to ER pronto. Which saved me.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
    • [–] 35 points 10 months ago (13 children)

    I was heavy drinking whiskey with my friend and a couple girls at my apartment when I was 20. I told my friend to cut me with a steak knife - we were punk rock kids and I thought I was a badass, it was very stupid. So he's giving me these light cuts that are barely bleeding on my upper arm. One of the girls says can I cut you? I said sure, and put the knife in her hand. She grabbed my wrist and went full bore at my forearm, cut me to the bone. It took some doing but I got the bleeding stopped, did a pretty bad one-handed job with a rag for a bandage.

    Some other folks came over and one of them decided to fix me a better bandage. When he saw the wound he's like you need to go to the hospital, but I was intent on partying. Being the good friend that he was, he came pounding on my door the next morning at 7AM and insisted that he was taking me to the hospital.

    When I got there, they found out that I didn't have health insurance and refused to treat me at all. They said it had been too long since it happened. It got severely infected and took about three months to heal and now I've got a wicked scar. American healthcare was and is a disaster.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 13 child comments
    •
  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago

    I also have a stupid punk kid whiskey scar, also from arbitrary party knifeplay! For a moment I wondered if you were at the same one I was at. I woke up the next morning in a pile of what had been clean laundry, wearing stolen sunglasses and curled up with a handle of whiskey with a crazy straw in it, aaaaabsolutely needing stitches.

    The scar always gets attention, if nothing else!

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    I need to see how cool the scar is before I can properly judge if it was stupid or cool.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago

    As someone who has had stitches a few times: always go in ASAP! Apparently there's a time limit on how many hours after an injury they they'll give you stitches.

    Learning that the hard way wasn't fun.

    Glad you (eventually) healed up and fuck this healthcare system.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    Had you gone to the hospital when you first got stabbed, the hospital is legally required to fix you up. But instead you decided to party and went to the hospital too late, and now blame the healthcare system instead of yourself. You are the one that asked to be stabbed, then complain about healthcare later. Did you drink leaded gas as a kid ?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
    • [–] 6 points 10 months ago

    I get this. Work is a bit competitive at times, taking time off is difficult enough. Many doctors also do not take you seriously unless you've had an issue for a significant amount of time or unless it's serious enough.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 4 points 10 months ago

    Psssst...check inside his ass, there's probably at least one object wedged way up there.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 1 point 10 months ago (5 children)

    This guy's a fraud. It's the fucking ED.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 5 child comments
    •
  • [–] 10 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    ER where i live.

    Are you one of those posts I see were anything outside America doesn't exist?

    And yeh last live i said my wife made me come in i ended in a ward for a month with an iv hooked to me. Time before that I landed in surgery.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 11 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    tbh IDK anywhere in the US that calls it ED, that's always meant 'erectile dysfunction' around here

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
    • [+] -16 points 10 months ago (7 children)

    Hey Sam, you fucking asshole, how about listening to the patient independent of their marital status?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 7 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    You can also listen to people independently and also recognize the pattern of, "Spouse made me come in" generally ended in higher acuity.

    Quit looking for reasons to be angry man. It's a joke and it wasn't even insinuating what you're trying to accuse it of.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] -3 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    It seems to be insinuating exactly what I'm saying, that doctors are dismissive ignorant assholes.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago (1 child)

    Odd that only you seem to think so.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •