Showing posts with label health care provider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health care provider. Show all posts

Friday, 17 August 2018

First Aid for Burns

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Working with melted sugar you need to be extremely careful. I highly recommend using a silicon or an oven glove to prevent the melted sugar from getting on your hands.
Always stir and pour heated syrups very carefully to prevent splashing and spills. 

​First Aid in case of burn:
Is it a major or minor burn?Call 911 or seek immediate care for major burns, which:

  • Are deep
  • Cause the skin to be dry and leathery
  • May appear charred or have patches of white, brown or black
  • Are larger than 3 inches (about 8 centimeters) in diameter or cover the hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks or a major joint
A minor burn that doesn't require emergency care may involve:
  • Superficial redness similar to a sunburn
  • Pain
  • Blisters
  • An area no larger than 3 inches (about 8 centimeters) in diameter
Treating major burnsUntil emergency help arrives:
  • Protect the burned person from further harm. If you can do so safely, make sure the person you're helping is not in contact with the source of the burn. For electrical burns, make sure the power source is off before you approach the burned person.
  • Make certain that the person burned is breathing. If needed, begin rescue breathing if you know how.
  • Remove jewelry, belts and other restrictive items,especially from around burned areas and the neck. Burned areas swell rapidly.
  • Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist bandage or a clean cloth.
  • Don't immerse large severe burns in water. Doing so could cause a serious loss of body heat (hypothermia).
  • Elevate the burned area. Raise the wound above heart level, if possible.
  • Watch for signs of shock. Signs and symptoms include fainting, pale complexion or breathing in a notably shallow fashion.
Treating minor burnsFor minor burns:
  • Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water or apply a cool, wet compress until the pain eases.
  • Remove rings or other tight items from the burned area.Try to do this quickly and gently, before the area swells.
  • Don't break blisters. Fluid-filled blisters protect against infection. If a blister breaks, clean the area with water (mild soap is optional). Apply an antibiotic ointment. But if a rash appears, stop using the ointment.
  • Apply lotion. Once a burn is completely cooled, apply a lotion, such as one that contains aloe vera or a moisturizer. This helps prevent drying and provides relief.
  • Bandage the burn. Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage (not fluffy cotton). Wrap it loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the area, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.
  • If needed, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
By:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-burns/basics/art-20056649






Wednesday, 15 August 2018

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - Are you Frustrated with Getting Diagnosed?

Is anyone else frustrated with their health care provider and getting properly diagnosed and treated for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? I am and my frustration has hit a whole new level.

Today, I had an appointment with my nurse practitioner to get an updated note for my sick leave benefits and to get any test results or referral updates. First off, my nurse practitioner has absolutely no idea what Ehlers-Danlos is other than the definition she read on Google on my last visit and all she understands is it's a connective tissue disorder. She can't even spell it, today she had to ask me several times how to spell it while she was filling out requisitions. 

I asked her if she received the assessment from the Physiotherapist. She was looking in her email and my file and could not find any report. I let her know it's possible it came under by married name and not my maiden name. She says if it came with a different last name she would not get it. My NP had to step out of the office for a minute. I was looking on her desk and saw a fax with my name on it from the Physiotherapist's office. I picked it up to look at it and it was the report from the Physiotherapist. 

How much confidence can I have with my NP when she is not smart enough to think the report was for the same Elizabeth just because the last name was different? How many patients can she have with the Name Elizabeth going to Concept Movements with the same home address and phone #? My guess is none.

Next my NP, does not believe I have EDS, because my Rheumatoid Factor is high, she thinks I have Rheumatoid arthritis. I told her that the RF would be effected by EDS. I've shown her my floating knew caps, loose skin, scares, and she looks at me like a deer in the headlights. 

In the last few months I have been losing a lot of weight. I have gone from 125-112 lbs in 3 months. I expressed my concern about the weight loss and she told me to eat. Once again her knowing 0 about EDS and that it can effect the bodies ability to absorb the calories and vitamins needed. Even though I eat, it goes right through me.   

After 3 months of seeing her to try and get properly diagnosed and treated, I'm pretty much no further ahead. She has not prescribed anything for the inflammation or chronic pain, nothing to help with sleeping  as I only get about 2-4 hours of sleep a night. She has not referred me to a Dr's who knows something about EDS.

I've done a lot of my own research to better understand the EDS and how I can better cope living with chronic pain and how to take care of my body to avoid injuries. I have never been one to take pills, especially pain killers like Percocet or Tylenol 3's. I never take anything stronger then extra strength Tylenol. The Tylenol only helped with headaches but does not for the wide spread body paid. 

Recently I tried "edibles", I wasn't sure if I was high but the one thing I did notice was my shoulders were very relaxed and the pain had subsided quiet a bit. A friend of mine gave me some cannabis butter and I made some baked goods and candy and found they work better then any pain medication I've tried before.  I'v posted a couple of my recipes and will continue to post edible recipes you can make at home. One nice thing about making your own edibles is you can adjust the dosage that works best for your pain or ailment. So far I've made banana bread, peanut butter cups, lollipops, caramels and gummy bears.

I would love to hear from you about the frustrations you face having EDS, or have tips or suggestions living with EDS and chronic pain.


Some images of my EDS.