Common Sense First Aid

...and I quote:

1.  "Tale signs of a heart attack include drooling, paralysis, and heavy sweating, even if the room is cold, the individual suffering such symptoms are lightly dressed, and it is NOT hot outside."

2.  "Only use a tourniquet in a life or death situation, because ANY appendage you apply it to will fall off, no matter how long it is used for.  If you have to choose between life or limb, lose the limb and use a tourniquet.  But only in a life or death situation. "

3.  "If you should get a bloody nose, there are many remedies, including putting your head between your knees, putting something in your nose (never specified what KIND of things...so go for something that will stop the blood flow, like a big rock or something!), or leaning your head way back.  If you should choose the last option, don't lean it TOO far back, because the blood will go to your brain you you'll get brain poisoning."

4.  "When bitten by a rattle snake or any other poisonous snake, make sure to mark a large "X" over the bite with a pocket knife, and then proceed to suck out the venom."  

5.  "Should you come across someone who is having a seizure, and they are unresponsive, be sure to put a tongue depressor in their mouth so they don't accidentally bite off, swallow, or choke on their tongue."


6. "If you experience frost-bite and the body part affected has turned black, scrape off the frozen flesh with a pocket knife, then smash the bone in with a rock to prevent further damage to your body."

Dead Serious.  If you don't believe me, find someone else who attended THAT class (yes, it was all thrown at us at the same first aid class!  ROFL!)

Today I attended some very informative classes (as you can see above) at a Webelos Day Camp at Little Lemhi, just below the Palisade's Dam.  I learned so much!!! 

For example:  

-Never clean your car the day before taking a couple of ten year old's into the muddy mess of a scout camp. 

-Don't stay up till midnight the night before worrying about the weather...there's nothing you can do about it.

-Make sure you take a barrel of hot chocolate, because come rain or shine, you're going to need it.

-Despite a dozen hand warmers (really, I took 6 pair!) always take that many PER PERSON so your entire body can remain warm and comfortable.  Including those with you.  It's important to keep the boys happy and to BE PREPARED!

-Bringing a baby to keep you warm is a wonderful idea.  Especially if he is the most perfect and quiet and lovable and charming baby on the planet.  (Kortlen really was a trooper...and a GREAT heater!!!)

-Take dry shoes. 

-Better yet, wear fly fishing waders, because you'll be neck deep in cold mud when you slide down the mountain getting to the flag ceremony.

-and last but not least, don't believe everything a staff member tells you.  Despite their title, and extensive training till 3 am, the teens/tweens may or may not have been misinformed about some pretty crucial first aid procedures and may or may not know that what they are telling you is a complete myth and caused me to RE-TEACH what I paid $30 for THEM to teach right the first time.  LOL! (That 'useful information' above really had us rolling!!!)

Some things I did right:

-Left the camera in the car.  It was all I could do to keep my balance with a baby in a front-pack, a loaded diaper bag and a cooler all under a tiny umbrella.

-Made a delicious lunch that was so cold in my cooler, I almost couldn't stomach it...it really was good, just really, really cold next to that ice in the cooler!

-Remembered to bring lots of coats and blankets so I'd have fun doing muddy laundry when I returned home.

-Took a bunch of frozen Otter-Pop's to put on my aching back for the way home, despite them melting in my cooler. (How they melted, I don't know, because it couldn't have been more than 40* F in all that rain and snow...yes, it snowed for a bit there!!!)

-Left plenty early, so we'd be the first ones there to get the 'coveted' parking spots CLEAR UP ON THE HILL...but hey...it was fun 'muddin'!  

-Stopped afterward at the Rainy Creek Store and splurged on some Square Ice Cream from Farr's.

-Didn't worry about Kortlen's diaper all day long, not because there was nowhere to change him, but because I knew he'd be fine till we got home and he'd have a massive blowout just as I got out of a steaming hot shower to warm my bones.

We seriously had a blast, but will seriously have to re-teach some of those classes....The rain was a bit much, but if my ancestors had to endure months of cold, wet, freezing conditions, I can at least endure nine hours of pouring rain with a baby under an umbrella.  In a scout uniform, with wet hair, and a dripping nose. 

Yup.  I can do THAT for the rising generation!

Thanks Dawnyel, for being my sidekick today.  You totally rocked that mud and I love you for it!!! And THANK YOU for the fun pictures!!!

two inches of mud quickly turned into
three, then four!

Me and my babe...he's sound asleep.  LOVE HIM!

Dawnyel, the trooper.  THANK YOU
for coming with me!!!

Cam and Connor, during THE moment
of sunshine during lunch.

Playing Peekaboo

Hoolagan, the Raccoon, whose family abandoned him
during a kitchen raid at the camp earlier in the week.