Choking ..... hot topic for the week.

Did you happen to watch the news item on the McDonalds' staff member that saved the little girls life? The 14 month old had choked on a chip and went unconscious and stopped breathing. So many things went through my mind as I watched the footage on-line. My heart went out to those poor parents and their little cherub. I thought wow what a hero the young man and bystanders were to step in and calmly help, and also how great were the emergency personnel who were on the phone. 

The scariest thing is that this can happen so fast and at any time. A happy ending is not always guaranteed. A little first aid training can go a long way, so here is some useful information and tips.

Choking is when a foreign object blocks the airway. We need oxygen to survive and a blockage can stop the movement of air and thus oxygen in and out of our lungs. This is therefore a life threatening situation.

There are 2 types of blockages, what we call a PARTIAL obstruction and a TOTAL obstruction. The key rule of thumb is to NOT intervene if it is a partial obstruction. If the patient displays an effective cough then it is known as a partial obstruction.

PARTIAL OBSTRUCTION:

Signs and Symptoms:

- coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, blue/mottled skin, noisy breathing

Management:

- encourage the patient to cough

- stay calm and reassure patient but do not slap their back

- if wheezing or breathing difficulty then call 000

TOTAL OBSTRUCTION:

Signs and Symptoms:

- no effective cough, unable to breath/speak or cry out, agitated and gripping throat, blue/mottled skin, altered conscious state and eventual loss of consciousness

Management:

- follow DRSABCD plan and call 000

- if possible place the patient in the recovery position and attempt to clear the airway

- if the airway can not be cleared then give up to 5 back slaps 

   (using palm of hand in the middle if the back in an upwards motion)

- if no improvement then give 5 chest thrusts (compressions) 

- check after each thrust to see if the obstruction has been cleared

- if no success and the patient becomes unconscious then commence CPR

- if at any point the airway is cleared and the patient is breathing normally then place them in the recovery position and observe them closely until help arrives

For the back slaps and chest thrusts an infant or child can be placed across your lap with head downwards, rather than in recovery position as mentioned above. If your baby or child becomes unconscious at any stage then commence CPR.

Choking is one of the top concerns for any new, or not so new, parent. It is most important to understand what action to take and when. With this knowledge you will feel more confident to be able to remain calm and help anyone in this life threatening situation.

~V~

 

K ... is for KITS

So it's school holidays and we're coming up to the Easter break so perfect time to talk about 'First Aid Kits'. Couple of questions to get you thinking:

1. Do you have a first aid kit? .....
2. Where is it? ................
3. How long since you've looked inside? .........

Are you like me and have first aid kit contents all over the house?! Bandaids in the kitchen, bathroom and in the medicine box on the top shelf of the wardrobe. Do you maybe check your medicine box once in a blue moon for use by dates on bottles and packets. I had one embarrassing moment where my little boy fell down in a car park and scrapped his knee badly. To my horror I had no first aid kit in the car! I felt like the plumber who always has leaking taps at home.


In no particular order ...... my top 10 tips involving 'First Aid Kits':

1. Own one ...  (or two)! (ideally have one at home and one in the car)
2. When you first buy a kit pull it apart and know what each item is used for.
3. Keep the kit in a protected but accessible (to adults) place.
4. Regularly check contents for use by dates (e.g saline will have a use by date)
5. Ideally gloves should be on the top of the kit.
6. Replace any items immediately after use.
7. Take your kit to the injured person rather than the other way around.
8. Regularly check items in the kit for deterioration.
9. Always take a kit away on holiday with you.
10. Add your own necessary items that you love (pain relief, asthma puffers etc) 



So do yourself a favour and go check out your supplies and add the 'First Aid Kit' to your list of things to take away on the family holiday this weekend. Of course I've heard that the 'Kiss It Better Bag' is a pretty good product that has special treats to help distract precious little minds! ;-)

Safe travels.
~V~

MARCHPHOTOADAY .... the second half.... enjoy!

Once again had a lot of fun with FatMumSlims #marchphotoaday on Instagram.
Thinking about doing April, still not sure yet. The question is do I need the distraction?
I do love the creativity and getting my brain going each day though.
Please enjoy the shots, taken each day with my phone.
~V~

Sunglasses  

Green

A corner of your home (or 3)

Funny (he makes me laugh daily)

Before / After (puzzle time)

Delicious (especially straight out of the tub)

Kitchen Sink (tough one to make interesting)

An Animal

Breakfast

Key (the few things left of our Kinglake home)

Your Name (great work Bambam)

Trash (rubbish and yes guilty as charged)

Feet (giants feet!!)

Toy (for young and old)

Where you relax ....

It's all about Attitude!

Hi everyone, sorry I have been a little slack on the blogging side of things. Life is just crazy isn't it!?! I have to tell you there are moments in life that make you stop, stand still and say .... 'Why am I complaining, life is actually pretty good.'

Yes the lack of privacy and constant whinging and competition between my boys drives me crazy. I would also love a bigger house where more than one person can fit in the kitchen, and I could have an office to run my business from rather than the kitchen table. But you know what life is all not that bad. The boys are healthy (touch wood), hubby is loving his new career, and we are planning a holiday full of sun, surf and sand. :-)

Sometimes I have conversations with people that just rock me. For instance the other day some friends came back from Fiji and were telling me about the local villages that don't even have access to hot showers. Then there is my dear friend who is doing the fight of her life and will probably have to learn to walk again after being in a coma. I mean really what AM I complaining about?! Mostly though what I love seeing is people giving when they have so little. I've been collecting books for a friend who is taking them back to primary and secondary schools in PNG. What has amazed me is that those that have donated are often people who have very little. I love this so much and it has re-vamped my faith in human nature. In the end it is all about attitude.

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest and I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes:

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes. "                                   

                             

~ Charles Swindoll

Happy Monday everyone!

~V~

MARCHPHOTOADAY ...... half way mark.....

Loving the challenge once again of FATMUMSLIM's March photo a day
...... here's the first half.



UP

FRUIT

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

BEDSIDE

A SMILE

5PM

SOMETHING YOU WORE

WINDOW

RED

LOUD

SOMEONE YOU TALKED TO TODAY

FORK

A SIGN

CLOUDS

CAR

~V~

FEBPHOTOADAY .....2012

Thank you for following my photos for the month of February and seeing a glimpse into my world. I've had so much fun being creative and sharing them. All photos were taken by me and apart from two photos they were all taken with my phone.

This was the challenge ....

In no particular order these were my photos ......

~V~

J is for ..... JELLYFISH

These magical creatures take my breath away! Having studied Zoology at Uni I was fortunate enough to be a part of some fantastic aquatic trips/camps that involved much water activity. We ran research on anything from seaweed and sea cucumbers to turtles and crabs. We snorkelled near some amazing blooms of jellyfish. Must say though, many of my memories do involve camp fires, crazy games and much student bonding. Not sure that any of those activities were on the initial information letters that went home to the parents.

A little back ground on these very cool animals:
- Jellyfish are a stage of the life cycle of Medusozoa
- They are found in every ocean, including down in the deep and up the top at the surface
- They have been around for at least 500 million years or more
- No brain, heart or bones
- Their body consists of over 95% water
- Box jellyfish have 24 eyes (360 degree view, how cool!)
- In Japan they are considered a delicacy
- They use their tentacles with stingers to capture their prey, usually plankton or small fish
- Jellyfish are not actually fish!
-   ....... the list is endless!!

Those of us that live in Victoria are very lucky as we have no dangerous jellyfish in our waters. Jellyfish in Victorian waters rarely cause serious illness but they can cause immense pain. Many of us Melbournites love to take trips up north, so it is important to be aware of what can be found in our northern waters and the necessary first aid. The Box jellyfish found up north has been known to kill more people than any other marine sea creature each year. Thanks to TV and movies we know the near fatal effects of swimming through a jellyfish bloom (Marlin and Dory on Nemo). My boys have even learnt from The Octonauts to put vinegar on a jellyfish wound.

Recognition of Blue Bottle and Non-box Jellyfish stings:
- pain to stung area
- sting marks that are often white and red around the edges
- pain in the groin or armpits
- headache
- nausea, vomiting
- breathing difficulty

Recognition of Box Jellyfish stings:
- immediate severe pain
- irrational behaviour
- ladder pattern in stung area
- loss of consciousness
- breathing stops and leads to cardiac arrest

First aid Management:
- when in doubt treat for worst case scenario!
- all victims of a jellyfish sting should be observed for at least 30 minutes
- assist patient from the water
- do not rub the stung area
- observe airway and breathing
- Box Jellyfish: flood the stung area with vinegar (this inactivates the stinging cells)
- Non-tropical jellyfish: apply hot compress or hot water immersion to help relieve the pain.
    (no hotter than 45C and review after 20 minutes) If not available then use cold pack.
- Tropical jellyfish: ice packs and topical anaesthetic agents may help reduce the pain
- pull off tentacles, this is not dangerous to rescuer, and rinse with sea-water
- In general keep the patient calm and still
- if unconscious follow DRSABCD
- seek urgent medical assistance

IN SUMMARY: Due to the large number of different types of jellyfish, and the limited ability to identify the culprit, there is no universal treatment for jellyfish sting. If you are in the tropics then think worst case scenario and treat with vinegar. In other cases outside the tropics with non life-threatening stings treat for the pain with either heat or cold.

Some facts about jellyfish in Port Philip Bay can be found here.
Australian Resuscitation Council also has some great information here.

~V~

Infant Convulsions

'Infant Convulsions', sounds frightening doesn't it? For those that have ever gone through it I can only imagine how terrifying it must be. Touch wood, neither of my boys have ever had one but I do have close friends that have gone through it. One friend in particular has given me permission to share her story with you today. 


Firstly a little background, what are infant convulsions, or as they are also known, febrile convulsions? These are epileptic type seizures in children usually between the age of 6 months and 6 years. They are caused by high temperatures usually due to viral illness. Often the illness may be something like a cold, throat or urinary tract infection. The good thing about these convulsions is that they are rarely dangerous if first aid management is quickly started. They are not harmful to the child and do not cause brain damage. The Royal Childrens' Hospital state that these type of convulsions occur in 3% of healthy children.


How to recognise an infant convulsion:
- hot and sweaty skin
- lips become blue as may skin
- stiffness to body
- head and back may become arched
- frothing of saliva from the mouth
- eyes may roll
- little one may hold breath
- development of projectile vomiting


What to do:
- protect from danger by removing objects and laying little one on the ground
- turn on side to keep their airway open
- try not to panic
- minimal clothing, only nappy or light layer
- lightly cover with sheet
- seek medical advice


The advice is that if convulsion lasts longer than 5 minutes or one quickly follows another then ring 000 as soon as possible. More information can be found at the Royal Children's Hospital website.

My lovely friend Manda had them as a child and she recalls stories of how scared her Mum had been going through them with her. Amanda now has her own little tribe and has gone through 4 convulsion episodes with her oldest and 2 with her middle little man. She says the first one with her oldest was probably the scariest. Manda is a fellow first aid educator and can recognise the signs and knows the management for infant convulsions. Even with this training and knowledge she still says as a parent convulsions are horrible to watch and very distressing. She says she was a mess after each and every episode. 


When Manda's first born was 10 months old he was suffering from a bad cold. Both her and hubby were up all night with a feverish bub that they had been treating with paracetamol.  Hubby was cuddling the little man on the couch when he screamed to Manda that bub was 'fitting'...the eyes rolled back, there were jerky movements in all of his limbs and he had gone quite grey in colour, and he was also boiling hot to touch. They immediately called 000 and Manda figured he was probably having a febrile convulsion given that he had a temperature. 


Manda says there wasn't really a warning to the convulsion and the doctors told her they are caused by the sudden spike in temperature and not just a high temperature. This little man had 3 other convulsions at 18 months, 20 months and 2 years. Manda didn't go to emergency with the middle two as they only lasted about 30 secs but took him to the doctor the next day (all happened at night). The last one lasted for almost 4 mins though and he was quite blue around the lips by the end of it so they called 000 again. He hasn't had one since, not even with the high temperatures he had when he had pneumonia, so she thinks he might have grown out of them.

Manda's second bub had convulsions but they did not last for as long and the signs were a little different. There wasn't as much jerking of the limbs, but he instead he would go very floppy and unresponsive with his eyes rolling back. Again though, it co-incided with high temperatures. Because of the unresponsiveness they took him to hospital both times.

Acting on instinct Manda placed her little man onto his side in the recovery position while he was convulsing, holding him gently until he stopped. Afterwards he was very agitated and stressed, crying and screaming for about 30 mins before he could be settled. Her second little man would seem to 'come out of it' after a convulsion but then wouldn't respond to his name or touch, which to Manda was a lot scarier.


These experiences have definitely given Manda a certain perspective on life and she feels so very lucky to have three gorgeous little munchkins to keep her entertained! 

What strength Manda and her hubby have shown to deal with these situations, and to positively move forward always thinking it could happen again. Once again makes me realise that everyone has their own stories and problems they are having to deal with in life. I can not thank Manda enough for sharing her experiences. Brings me to tears every time I read her story and amazes me how tough we become as parents. Sometimes we need to trust our instincts, and most importantly remain strong and calm for our little ones. Toughest job I've ever had that's for sure!

~V~

HANDY Emergency Numbers and calling for HELP!

Welcome to this weeks blog! Did you know that we are already in the 8th week of the year?!
Included this week are some tips on ringing for help and some emergency numbers that you MUST have on hand somewhere like the fridge, and definitely programmed into your phone.

Some tips about calling 000 or 112:
- Ask for the appropriate emergency service eg. fire, ambulance, police
- Give the location, street name and number, nearest main rd etc
- Pass on a brief summary of what has happened, number of injured, type of injures etc
- Talk slowly and clearly, stay calm and listen to what they are asking or telling you
- Never hang up until the operator does!

For those of us in Victoria here is a great list of numbers to have on your fridge. Very handy!

If you are the only first aider at an incident then briefly assess the situation and then send a bystander to call. Make sure this person reports back to you with any feedback or information from the emergency services. This ensures they have definitely made the call and gives the bystander a feeling of importance and responsibility. If you are by yourself then it is important to know where the speaker button is on your phone. You can be talking to emergency personnel and using both hands to help the injured.

Never heard of 112? That's ok, 112 is a great one to remember as it can be used with your mobile phone from anywhere in the world with GSM coverage, and is automatically translated to that countries emergency number. In Australia, ideally ring 000 first, and if this doesn't work then try 112. Often if your service provider is not available then 112 will take you through to one that is. Saying that, 000 is the best to ring as then the emergency personnel are more likely to be able to identify you and where you are.

Another good thing to know is about the ICE programme. This stands for 'In Case of Emergency'. It means that emergency personnel at the site of an incident can look in your phone and find next of kin or an emergency contact person. They can then contact these people and obtain important medical information and/or pass on information. All you need to do is enter the acronym ICE into your address book in your phone and list the name and number of your emergency contact person.

We have listed above the 'Nurse-On-Call'  number. I have to say that we have used this number numerous times and they have been absolutely fabulous! So calm and informative. They provide 24 hour a day, 7 days a week health and medical advice from a registered nurse. They had all our calls and incidents on record so knew our history, which is great as the last thing you want to do is to spend valuable time giving background info. How fantastic are our nurses!!

Thanks for reading and hope you're having a great week everyone! 

~V~

A Graze, a Gash and a bit of Gore

I've had my fair share of cuts and bruises. Growing up I was determined to do everything that my brother did, whether it was climbing trees or riding motorbikes. Not only was I determined to be a part of the action, but I often wanted to be better than him. (It's no wonder my boys are so competitive with each other!) On special occasions when Mum and Dad took us out for dinner we would often have post meal sprint races. Out the front of the restaurant on the footpaths we'd keep ourselves entertained. I remember the infamous night I was nearly beaten, that was the night that I decided I was too mature for these types of silly childish antics. He never did beat me and surprisingly over the years I have never broken a bone (touch wood!).

My body, however, does have a few scars with some very interesting tales to go with them. When we are injured our first instinct in seeing blood is to put pressure on the wound. You don't need to do a first aid course to know to do that. I often say in my courses that a lot of first aid is just that ...  common sense. Three things you do need to know when dealing with wounds are:

Pressure + Elevation + Immobilisation

A graze in general is a scrape of the skin that causes little or no bleeding. These can be cleaned up with some saline solution or just some clean running water. No blood a 'kiss it better' approach often does wonders. A little blood and a bandaid may be required. My little ones love the coloured variety and super heroes at the moment.

A gash is usually a bit bigger and can be along the lines of a long, deep slash or cut. In this case you need to put pressure on the wound asap. If possible clean the wound. If not then ideally put a sterile dressing or pad on the site and then bandage securely with a crepe or some type of wound dressing. Elevate the body part and try to not move it unecessary. Seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

Couple of extra tips:
- Consider the use of disposable gloves, they should be on the top of your first aid kit
- A little TLC goes a long way, slowing the heart rate and therefore reducing the blood loss
- If bleeding continues through the dressing then apply another on top of the one already there

Some people are not so great with the sight of blood. My Dad for instance will faint with the first sign of his own blood. Although, he is the first to help and get in there to put pressure on someone elses' wound. In an emergency situation he is the man you want to have nearby and ready to deal with any situation.

As a Mum I've had a few of the 'you're the parent now' moments. A couple of years ago I was riding my bike with number one son sitting in a seat on the back. We went over some pretty hairy terrain and well, we ended up toppling over. I had a split second where I lay on the ground waiting for my Dad, or anyone, to help me up and deal with my wounds. Realisation hit and I had to quickly suck it up, laugh it off and say wow that was fun before my son lost it. Of course there are no secrets in our house and the little man (who was not injured by the way) couldn't wait to tell his Dad how we had a spill. I dealt with my own wounds as soon as I could and then my bruised ego sometime later. In hindsight I'm quite happy no one was there to see it.

~ V ~

Fires and Fate

3 years ago today our lives were pointed in a new direction.
Today 3 years ago we lost our house and home in the Kinglake fires.
Three years ago today fate delivered my husband to the side of the road where I was parked surrounded by smoke and fire, in tears and in a panic, to lead me in the right direction.
3 years ago today someone was looking out for me and my family.

Today 3 years ago was the start of a new life.

I wrote a long blog of this day and in the end I realised I wrote it for me. I talked of walking away with nothing, I talked of walking away with everything: my life, my sons life, my husbands life and my dogs life. In the end what more do we need except each other.

Ask me at any time and I will be happy to tell you my story. The more I tell it the more it becomes just that ...  a story. In some ways for me this makes it easier to deal with, to move on, to look forward to the future. It has not been easy but I believe sometimes life throws challenges at people that can either cope or have the strength or characteristics to keep going.

I have learnt a lot from this experience, including:
- material things mean nothing, family means everything
- the power of human generosity in times of need still takes my breath away
- relationships are not easy, what is easy is to walk away
- friendships change and you know what, that is ok
- it's times like this that you have to swallow your pride and except help
- you're crazy if you have no insurance, nature is so unpredictable
- know what your fire plan is and stick to it, be prepared
- the media can be ruthless, take what you read and see with a grain of salt
- I felt honoured to be a part of such a strong and giving school community
- it's also ok to ask for help, and I mean it any type of help

We found out we were pregnant with our 2nd baby a couple of days after the fires. For us this was the light we needed to move forward. We needed to make a new home for our family and we needed to do it quickly. Sure there are things that I miss like photos of overseas travels, my sons first 12 months of maternal health records and sentimental old letters. The way I look at it though life threw us a curve ball and here we are still in the game.

I wouldn't be where I am today without this life changing event. I have taken a huge risk and started my own business, hubby has completely changed careers and you know what we regret nothing. We feel so thankful for everything we have and for everyone who comes into our lives. Sure some days life sucks, but all it takes it to look at our two gorgeous laughing munchkins to make us appreciate what we have.

This week I would like to take the opportunity to thank my amazing family and friends for their continual support and love. You know who you are and you rock! Also a huge thank you to all those who are involved in any of our community and/or emergency services, you do a phenomenal job! 

Hope you all don't mind but this week I have given you more of me and less of first aid education. Thanks for reading.

~V~

xo

EMERGENCY .... Woman on the EDGE!

I like to think that I'm a fairly calm, patient and level headed Mum.... well most of the time anyway! Some people close to me may beg to differ and I admit there have been moments where the volcano inside me has erupted and I have had what we call an adult tantrum.

Picture this .... it's not even 9.30 in the morning and I have found myself slamming doors and sending myself to the bedroom. The wardrobe closet is where I head and I shut the door behind me. I sit on the floor where it is deliciously dark and silent, and count to ten very very slowly. It's at this point that I give myself a good talking to.

I say: "Come on woman, pull yourself together!" A bit of positive re-inforcement: "I can do this, I really can, I'm an adult" Knowing that I've handled 28 Year 9 students in period 6 on a Friday for Maths, I can handle two little boys. I've climbed mountains, jumped off cliffs, even spent a year attempting to teach a young man called Sadam (no joke that was his name) whose main mission at 13 years was to make each girl in the class cry, and one day escape from jail. Then I say: "Whose idea was it to have our kids less than 2yrs apart?" Ours! So suck it up princess! ..... anyway you get the gist.

There was no major reason behind the tantrum. Maybe it was the continual whining, maybe it was the wrestling that always ended in tears, maybe it was the fact that I hadn't had my morning coffee yet, maybe it was that I never had any privacy, maybe it was the spilt milk, juice, water, food .....  etc etc

This little escape into the closet was my own personal emergency. In first aid we have an action plan that we follow in all emergency situations, its' called DRSABCD!

D .... DANGER: Assess the situation and always put yourself first, you are no good to anyone if you become injured.

R ... RESPONSE: Is the patient asleep or unconscious? An asleep patient can be roused. "Talk and Touch" is the best way to find out.

S ... SEND for HELP: If your patient is unresponsive then at this point ring 000 for help.

A ... AIRWAYS: Check that nothing is blocking the airways, if so then roll into recovery position and scoop out the object.

B ... BREATHING: Get down and put your ear next to their mouth, tilt your head and watch your hand on their chest. "Look, Listen and Feel" Look for the chest to rise, listen for breathing and feel the breath and chest rise.

C ... COMPRESSIONS: If there is abnormal or no breathing then start compressions immediately. Nipple, nipple in the middle, push down 1/3 of the chest. 30 compressions, 2 breaths at a rate of 100/minute.

D ... DEFIBRILLATION: A life saving machine that anyone can use. They're now found in many places like train stations, shopping centres and the airport. They are simple to use and really are what saves lives.

So the above is the action plan for any emergency situation. Memorise it: DRSABCD. Repeat after me: DRSABCD. I'm serious, do it!

In my own way I followed the emergency action plan I teach in first aid. The danger was removed from the situation, that being me. I was responsive so no need to call in the help yet. The airways were clear, I took nice big deep breaths and returned myself to the situation at hand. I was the calm, patient, level-headed Mum that I aspired to be. There was no need for any further action. Except maybe a strong coffee and some semi-silence with the watching of play school.

When I think about it there were some major events that may have lead to my mountain erupting. But you know what, everyone has problems and it's called life. In general my kids are happy, loving and well-rounded boys. We laugh and hug daily, and this is what keeps me going. I don't believe that I am any better or worse Mum than the next woman. I do my best in each situation with the skills I have already acquired and the new ones that I am learning on a daily basis. I still have the occasional tantrum and really in the end all I need is an action plan just like DRSABCD to help me deal with life. No one ever said it was going to be easy!