Garden first-aid readiness for summer?

I probably should get a tetanus booster, but I dread having a sore arm for a couple of days.

I rely on our nation's universal health care. Oh, wait...

edit: I'm not serious and, probably have an esoteric sense of humor?

This message was edited Jun 1, 2013 7:09 PM

I live 1/2 a block from a major hospital. They could roll me down to the ER. Most of the staff regularly walk past my garden. Nurse Ratched, my nemesis, glares as she walks past with her storm-trooper gait and stiff hair-sprayed hair with 2 points like the devil. Patients with blue gowns and bags on a stick often enjoy the garden as they take a break from reality. I'm more worried about the skunks and racoons biting.

LOL!!!

I chose none of the above. Wash well with water. Bandaid if there's blood. Otherwise fresh air. I'd like to use my herbs more proactively, but so far I'm still in the learning phase.

Alcohol if I feel I need it otherwise neosporin. If it's a burn I use my aloe plant that is big and scary looking according to my nephew. lol.

Funny, growin. You should give her a fower every time she walks by. See how long it takes to soften her up. lol

Nurse Rachet...heh heh heh. I was in the medical profession for a couple of years and I think I know her. ^_^

We have several first aid bags ready for stings, bites, scratches, jabs, scrapes, breaks and tears anywhere we might be.

I go through a box of bandaids every 20-30 days, and probably should get a monthly blood transfusion, too, considering how much blood I lose weekly in the garden. Ouch. I live on Advil

I just realized I can't spell worth a darn. I forgot the "L" on flower. Ooops!! LOL!!

I don't get cut up that bad. More than anything I can't get the dirt off from around my fingernails. I have gardner's hands I guess. lol

For me, it's usually sore aching muscles and ibuprofen; though a minor scratch on the arm from a rosebush happens occasionally. Mostly, I'm big on prevention. My best preventives are hat, gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent, and "leaves of 3 -- let them be." My biggest problem is allergies. I take Singular and use Flonase. When the pollen count is really high, I take Benadryl at bedtime too. I always shower and wash my hair right after gardening and put on clean clothes. This has proven to be the best preventive to ward off a sinus infection that hasn't been a problem for a while now.

I just did a lesson on garden safety and I stressed Tetanus shot as well as good PPE (personal protective Equipment) with the foremost thing wearing gloves ..This class lecture was prompted by me picking up a snake wlhile weeding and only minutes before I had reminded myself to put on gloves ..The snake was a small copperhead hiding amoung the weeds,actually it was asleep and it was a chilly morning but it was a lesson learned..Here in Oklahoma you can get a PTD shot just by walking into any of the county health clinics for FREE

I had to laugh at myself last night, as I was tugging out and re-doing some of my garden tags. Imagine the rusty stakes and me with no gloves...and my tetanus is at least 5 years old. Thankfully no puncture wounds resulted from my actions, but this post kept rolling around the back of my head. It's a good reminder to go get my booster ASAP - ours are free from the Health Dept., too :-).

At this point, after numerous tetanus shots in my life and still more numerous injuries, my immune levels should be pretty high. I do keep a number of sundries on hand : 40 volume clear peroxide, when mixed one part to three of Listerine, provides a pretty good foaming antiseptic; horse bandage; styptic powder;veterinary antibiotics; linseed oil; aloe; flour sulfur; Benedryl; ibuprofen;a kit of meds for anaphylactic shock; antiseptic cream; and-believe it or not- Preparation H for swabbing up one's nostrils, a very good remedy when the mucous membranes are swollen from irritation or allergy. I'm out of Feels Naptha, though.

This message was edited May 22, 2013 8:29 PM

At this point, after numerous tetanus shots in my life and still more numerous injuries, my immune levels should be pretty high. I do keep a number of sundries on hand : 40 volume clear peroxide, when mixed one part to three of Listerine, provides a pretty good foaming antiseptic; horse bandage; styptic powder;veterinary antibiotics; linseed oil; aloe; flour sulfur; Benedryl; ibuprofen;a kit of meds for anaphylactic shock; antiseptic cream; and-believe it or not- Preparation H for swabbing up one's nostrils, a very good remedy when the mucus membranes are swollen from irritation or allergy. I'm out of Feels Naptha, though.

The usual creams, antiseptics. and repellents ..

Having taken care of a case of tetinus once. I get a tetinus shot every 4 years. Beleive me you want no part of it.
Vickie

My tetanus shot is up to date. I am always getting cuts, scrapes, and sticks from thorns or briars. Luciee {;^)

Since my tetanus is up-do date, the only things I have to worry about are scraps and bruises. For those - the hot tub and band aids!
Barb

My Tetanus shot is up-to-date as well, so as long as I've got band aids on hand when necessary, I just find the soap, hot water, and a scrub brush (yeah, a scrub brush, to thoroughly clean the boo-boo) and clean up what's ailing me before I wrap it up. Oh yes, and LOTS of Advils for those aching body parts. :)

The main things I encounter in my garden are poison ivy and tree branches falling in my direction when I cut them with the chain saw.

Preventive measures: 1. scrub with lye soap after being near poison ivy, Use gloves when cutting poison ivy and wear a long sleeved shirt tucked into the gloves. 2. Wear my hard hat when I use the chain saw--also safety glasses and ear plugs.

Tetanus shots are good for 10 yrs. My main line of defense is bleach for stings or bites. The bleach breaks up the amino acid chain (protein) in the poison so it does minimal damage. I've been bit by Fire Ants stuck my foot in the sink, poured bleach on it, rinsed it off and never even got the blisters that go with Fire Ants.

Horse wrap and betadine for everything else.

1Lisac, 'horse wrap'? What's that, please?

And what do you mean by bleach--chlorine bleach?

Horse wrap is a gauze wrap that sticks to itself so it holds in place really well. It moves and stays where you put it so if I get a cut I put betadine on it a gauze pad then wrap the area. It stays in place but is movable.

Yes, chlorine bleach. When my kids were little they would get in an ant pile I would stick them in the sink and pour bleach on their feet and rinse it right off. Many times it worked so well that they never mentioned it again. Don't leave it on rinse it right off but it works.

Thanks, 1lisac. At one time I was curator of a historic house here. A German visitor stepped in a fire ant bed and immediately started to go into convulsions. And, I have seen those welts on my own arms and legs. Owww. Those fire ants can be mean.

This message was edited May 28, 2013 8:44 AM

I don't know if it would help for an allergic reaction.but it really does work. The sooner it gets put on the better. I hope your visitor was ok.

She was in the hospital for a few days. Not a good experience for someone in a foreign country.

I have a friend who is allergic to fire ants. That would be a terrible experience to have in a foreign country, but I can think of worse countries to be stuck in the hospital, tho. When I was in Germany I kept getting stuck in Beer Gardens and Pastery Shops. Lol

At the rate I have been going this season I kinda think a home blood transfusion kit might be good my hands and arms look like I fought a porcupine

Why are you getting scratched up?

Just careless and rose bushes have no mercy on fools

Dont say it like that, I know you are not a fool. : ). It does sound like me tho. I never think about it until it's too late.

Keep on hand a kit with Excedrin Extra Strength, Alka Seltzer Plus,and Sudafed (for which you have to sign, these days), and if exposed to anything which may cause anaphylaxis, take equal parts each .

Hmm...I've never really thought about the first aid. When I originally read the subject line, I thought you all were talking about first aid for the plants :) Usually if I get cut, I just keep working, the dirt stops the bleeding :)

My wife read of a good first aid tip recently for sore aching muscles she rubs me with Sesame oil yeah the same us used for cooking It works ..Someone posted about growing the sesame plants on the Texas Gardening forum last year wish I could remember who did it ..Any help ?????

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/28/castor-oil-to-treat-health-conditions.aspx

You can also use castor oil.

I'm up to date on my tetanus booster, which I got after reading that gardeners should keep abreast of this. I keep the basic 1st aid stuff year round, although I rarely use anything more than a bandaid.

Yesterday I stood, unknowingly, in a fire ant nest. They wait until a bunch are on you and then all sting at the same time. I got a dozen or more stings on each foot, since I was wearing open crocks. Although I've never been allergic to them, I know that a large number of stings in a small area can provoke problems even if one is not allergic. Just to be on the safe side, I took diphenhydramine (Benadryl) orally and sprayed both feet with Benadryl spray. That seemed to work, as today I have no sign of swelling, itching, or irritation on either foot.