Author: emergencyprep

Survival Guilde for Outpatient Surgery

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Of the approximately 35 million annual surgeries in the US, outpatient procedures account for at least 60% of them. Advances in pain management and surgical techniques (such as laparoscopic procedures, which require only a small incision) mean that patients who once would have spent several days in the hospital now can be discharged the same day from an outpatient facility.
Complication rates typically are very low for these procedures, but patients can further reduce their risks — and recover faster after the surgery — by taking an active role… in advance. Before scheduling your procedure, be sure to… Continue reading →

Tooth Knocked Out?

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kunisawa (sxc.hu)

What to Do

 

An occupational hazard in my line of work is that I’m always primed for terrible health news, so when a friend started to tell me that her mother had fallen in the driveway the day before, I expected to hear that she’d broken her hip. I was happy to learn that she’d merely knocked out her tooth! But “merely” wasn’t how it felt to her… fortunately, my friend knew what to do and where to go, so the tooth is now back in place and looks like it might heal just fine.

The incident motivated me to check in with Michael Apa, DDS, restorative and aesthetic dentist and instructor at NYU College of Dentistry, to learn about the right things to do in such a situation. His advice was surprising and practical. (Who knew dental first aid involved tea bags and cottage cheese?) Continue reading →

Surviving any Disaster

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On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley Sullenberger landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a collision with a flock of Canadian geese knocked out his aircraft’s engines. In what would become celebrated as the “Miracle on the Hudson,” all 150 passengers and every crew member survived.

Sullenberger’s water landing was only the beginning of this incredible story of survival. The less publicized rest of the story is how the passengers of Flight 1549 reacted to the disaster…  Continue reading →

What to do if you are in a Runaway Vehicle

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nickobec (sxc.hu)

 Stop That Car!

Tragically, runaway vehicles have been in the news in recent months, as a series of crashes caused by stuck accelerator pedals has led to several deaths in the US and to the recall of millions of vehicles.

Runaway vehicles are relatively rare, but they are possible with any vehicle make and model. They may occur because Continue reading →

Should Your Ambulance Slow Down?

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Kriss Szkurlatowski (sxc.hu)

Your husband is cleaning gutters and falls off the ladder, losing consciousness briefly, and it looks like he broke his leg. Or you awaken one morning and you can’t speak clearly or move the right side of your face — you suspect stroke and know you need medical attention fast. The right response in both these situations, and countless other medical emergencies, is to call 9-1-1 so that you can be raced to the hospital by ambulance — lights flashing, sirens blaring, no time to stop for traffic signals. Right?

Actually — Continue reading →