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TravelSolo · 06-17-2021, 12:44 PM

I've been dragging my TT around solo for about 9 months now. Not full time but I do have 15,000 miles on it already having driven through and/or stayed in 21 states so far.

Six weeks ago was my first emergency and it was a ways from help. In TN on the shoulder of an offramp three fingers on my dominant hand were smashed in the truck door breaking one and ripping its nail off from the cuticle side.

Luckily I knew where my first aid kit was and I could bandage myself fairly quickly to stop the bleeding and stabilize the fracture. I then looked for urgent cares and ERs and the closest was 25 miles away. Driving myself there was the longest 25 miles in a long time. Shock setting in and having to navigate a good size city under stress with a 2500 crew cab truck and even my small 21ft trailer was tougher than I expected. Red lights suck!

With my hand splinted at the ER my trip was cut short as I needed to head home back to CA to follow up with my doctors.

Moral of the story, know where your first aid kit is at and know how to do render aid on yourself if needed. Know how to search for care and think through various scenarios and how you can manage them.

HarryStone · 06-17-2021, 02:02 PM

That's terrible. Hope you are now doing much better. thanks for the heads up. better to be safe, and ready.

DebbieMH · 06-18-2021, 06:37 AM

Glad you are ok, I think I might have called 911 and got a paramedic instead of trying to drive one handed and about to pass out. But, glad it all worked out for you and hopefully you are planning your next adventure.

TravelSolo · 06-18-2021, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieMH

Glad you are ok, I think I might have called 911 and got a paramedic instead of trying to drive one handed and about to pass out. But, glad it all worked out for you and hopefully you are planning your next adventure.

There were no services anywhere near where I was, so it would have taken at least that long to get help. But I know enough to pay attention to how alert I was. I was willing to pull off and call if needed.

Capt Steve · 06-18-2021, 11:22 AM

Don't waste your money on the junk found in the RV stores that purport to be a proper first aid kit. For a lot of money you will get a few bandaids and a couple of aspirin. You can go on line and find far more complete kits.

I spent years working as a professional boat captain out of san Diego. As such I made a lot of trips down into Mexico where you can often be hundreds of miles from any sort of assistance {medical or mechanical}.

Before leaving on a 7 month cruise from San Diego along the western coast of Mexico I went to a local doctor who provided services to the marine community. For $200 {this was in 1994} he came out with a tray of medical hardware which ranged from a suture kit to splints, dressings, wraps etc. We discussed every item and added a few more. The second half of our session consisted of us reviewing all of the meds that might be needed and for which he wrote prescriptions. I went with injectable Toradol {sp?} for severe pain relief as it is a non opioid with no recreational benefits and passes muster by the authorities in the third world but properly administered is as effective as Morphine or Demoral.

All of this went into a Home Depot orange tool box along with a couple excellent texts on third world first aid, triage etc and yes, I read them both cover to cover. I also had a fair amount of medical training from the Boy Scouts, Army and a full weekend emergency first aid class as a requirement for obtaining my Coast Guard 100 Ton Masters License. When I retired from boating and moved to Arizona my medical kit got thoroughly updated and now lives in our house but goes into the rig for every trip.

As I sit here posting I have an aluminum splint {from my kit} on a broken toe that I fractured with 3 other toes showing a lot of collateral damage from kicking a bedpost {and the bed post won}.

The point being wherever we go I have the medical hardware, references and drugs to deal with most non life threatening issues. I have treated burns, broken bones, severe cuts as well as sinus infections, upper and lower respiratory issues and the occasional ear ache.

Much like boating when you RV off of the grid you can be a long way from help, assuming you even have cell coverage and that help may take quite a while to arrive. You need to be prepared for serious issues as well as the day to day injuries/illnesses and know what to do and when.

The point being consider taking a serious first aid course during which equipping a proper medical kit will undoubtedly be discussed... and then do so.

Just sayin.

TravelSolo · 06-18-2021, 11:28 AM

I don't disagree. I have a large "platoon" size kit I used for when offroading with bandages, splints, sutures, scalpels, nasal airways, medications, etc. I am also a competitive shooter so I have additional gear with chest seals, clotting agents, etc.

I do recommend Stop the Bleed courses, basic first aid, etc. If you can afford the time and cost of TCCC like courses, even better. And take refreshers!

Old-Biscuit · 06-18-2021, 12:38 PM

Every year the Company would 'give' us employees some kind of 'gift' for safety record with the Date/Manhours embossed ....Jackets, Coveralls, jack of all trades pocket knife, ball caps etc

Best one was a FULL Industrial First Aid Kit in metal box.
It was very comprehensive as it was identical to those in the power plant
**seems they had some overstocking and used them as the gift

20 yrs later still have/carry it....replenish it will fresh 'stock' every year
Some items are hard to come by in small containers.....sting kill, burn spray, skin cover etc
BUT that kit has been used on several occasions.....off roading, traveling, around the house (seems that is the biggest usage)

Thanks SCE and all those Safe Manhours!

puttin · 06-18-2021, 01:03 PM

Capt Steve,

You can camp next to me anytime...you too Old Buisquit! I have a very good kit but probably far short of what you guys carry. I bandaged-up a marina carpenter who's finger got too close to a saw blade but that's almost it. Like most people, the ba

nd aids always get replenished first.

sj · 07-30-2021, 08:47 AM

Several (40) years ago my son got a fish hook to the eye. It (hook, not eye) fell out as I looked at it. No first aid kit & unable to reach our doctor, we went off to the local ER. Boy was fine, eye drops given.
Thinking about it now, I fault myself for not patching his eye. Had he rubbed it, he could have made it much worse. Luckily, the toy room at the ER was very distracting.