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VACATION
INJURIES
cause I could not have done that to my daughter. Could I have SCENARIO FIVE: After meticulously packing for a trip including
“treated” my son from the first two scenarios, no problem. Would it the vacation medical and injury pack an adult male packs his routine
have helped the jellyfish stings? Not one bit. Can medications from medications in his suitcase and flies to one location as his suitcase
lessons one and two be helpful? Absolutely. chooses another location. The suitcase is found and reunited with the
adult male 2 days later. Fortunately, none of the medications were
SCENARIO FOUR: Adult male sailing across the Gulf of Mexico critical on a daily basis.
with other medical students and sustains a laceration to the calf after
a slip and fall on the wet deck. Fight off, repel, refuse all interventions LESSON FIVE: Your routine medications and your emergency
ranging from applying a tourniquet, to amputation, to pouring alco- pack should always be carry-ons.
hol on the wound to clean it — to just manning up and trying not to
bleed everywhere. Ultimately the wound was cleaned with soap and SCENARIO LAST: Four year old falls down and skins her knee
water, antibiotic ointment was applied and a clean compressive dress- on the streets of New Orleans. Father and child are clearly upset, she
ing applied. does not want to move or walk or do anything except cry. Quick ex-
amination by helpful bystander with “magic bandaid” cures the child
LESSON FOUR: Stay away from first, second and third year med- and results in a free dinner at the Father’s new cajun restaurant.
ical students if you are ever injured or sick. Carry some antibiotic oint-
ment, a small tube or a few individual packets to apply to burns and LESSON LAST: Always carry a bandaid or two. They are small,
wounds. A 2-3 inch ace wrap is an incredibly versatile tool. It can be flat and easily stow in your wallet or purse for long periods of time.
used to a form a snug dressing. It can also be handy to hold ice onto They are much more useful than other things that can spend prolonged
an extremity, or support an injured limb, or attach something rigid times in a young man’s wallet (see scenario one and two). I promise
to form a splint. Most lacerations can be closed with a dressing that you will be surprised how often you can save the moment with a
holds the two skin edges in close approximation. It may not heal as bandaid and how it will enhance your reputation as a physician.
quickly or with as little scarring as stitches but it usually does the job.
So go make some memories.
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