Yesterday my hubby was doing his annual garage clean-up. Our garage (in case you've never actually seen it) is a scary place. A dead body could easily be buried in there and no one would ever be the wiser. It is quite plainly - - a huge mess. Hubby seems to get around to cleaning it round about when I flatly refuse to enter it any longer and he needs to still eat (our deep freeze is located in the back of the garage).
I love my husband dearly. We have been married for over 20 years. So I can say with all confidence that he will not divorce me for telling you.........he is quite disorganized and has a habit of NEVER PUTTING ANYTHING BACK WHERE IT GOES.
This leads to constant chaos and disorganization.
Back to yesterday. I took a quick trip sans kids to pick up a new bedroom comforter set (which I could quite possibly be falling love with). Well, since I had no kids I had to pick up a few other things as well. So, when I rolled in the driveway a few hours later (with a very snazzy new outfit) I could not really pull-in because everything that had previously been in the garage, was haphazardly thrown in the driveway. All the kids were covered in a grimy film, the two-year old was sitting in the filthy (yet empty) garage and had what appeared to be motor oil on her church dress, the six year old was sweeping, the other boy and girl child were wandering aimlessly looking like children of war, and hubby was barking orders.
Four hours later everything was being moved back into the clean garage, the kids were starving and exhausted, hubby was HOT (and sweaty), miraculously the automatic garage door opener (which has been broken since the last Garage Clean Out) was working, and, most importantly - I was the proud finder of a little gem that I am going to share with you now (because I like you). This Little Gem was my dad's (according to hubby) and I just cannot believe I found it yesterday in the filthy garage.
Do you remember when I shared the following post with you and near the end quoted from a Little Gem of a recipe book? http://monica-adayinthelife.blogspot.com/2010/10/ill-take-slab-of-meat-with-that-salad.html Well, this Little Gem is on par with that one. It is called, Johnson & Johnson FIRST AID GUIDE. It, unfortunately, does not have a copyright date or a copyright, but I am thinking that since my dad is 94 this nifty guide must have been published somewhere around the 1950's.
So, here are the "emergencies" that peeps were concerned with in the 50's (non-comprehensively): Resuscitation, Life-threatening bleeding, Broken Bones, Burns, Shock, and Electric Shock (complete contents inside cover). And here is the helpful saying that is printed at the bottom of the front cover "The important thing about First Aid is to....Learn IT NOW!" Right? Who can argue that? Which could be why this great little guide is still super appropriate and not only did I move it to the house, I read it to my hubby immediately upon finding it. (And, yes, he so appreciated that.)
Upon reading the major emergencies I was hooked. I had to know what ELSE peeps were concerned with back then. I skipped to the index. I wasn't surprised to read (and this is NOT comprehensive - just what caught my attention): Black widow (spider bite), mouth to mouth breathing (snicker), suffocation (plastic bag) (what do I always tell the kids???), childbirth (emergency) - well, phew, they knew all about that even back then, frostbite, head injury, mental disturbances (so, that intrigued me).......
Page 21(and I am quoting directly)
HAD to read the whole page to hubby (which, again, I cannot tell you how appreciative he was)....
DO
- Call a physician or relative of the disturbed person immediately (it goes on to say that you should call the police if these other people cannot be reached).
- Treat the person with respect, however he reacts to you.
- Divert the person's attention away from anything that might be harmful to him or others (e.g., try to shift his thinking from destructive to protective acts, from antagonism to cooperation).
- Be patient, kind, and reassuring.
- Be firm in your attitude toward the person.
- Do not argue with the disturbed person.
- Do not assume a harsh, authoritative role with the person.
- Do not physically hold unless the person seems likely to injure himself or others.
An epileptic seizure is not a medical emergency (It's not? Well, then why is it in the book???) The seizure usually ends of itself after a few minutes. If the seizure should last longer than 15 minutes, call a physician (seems in 1950 you could actually "call a physician" and talk to a real, live physician).
DON'T
- Do not restrain.
- Do not slap (I am speechless.)
- Do not douse with water (Seriously?)
- Do not place a finger or hard object between the teeth. (Say what??? Okay, is this before the current medical belief about a wallet? Is a wallet a "hard object?"
- Remove objects that might injure patient.
3 comments:
The last time I remember E cleaning the garage was the year the rats ate the camping gear. That was fun. Even at it very worst your gagare is so much better than mine was. I am dreading when we retire and all the stuff that used to be in our garage comes back to us. ACK!
And yes dealing with mentally disturbed people in the 50's is a lot like dealing with a teenage boy at the best of times.
I am so going to print out those instructions and post them on the fridge. I am on my second slog through toddlerhood with one more slog to go. Very helpful! ;)
@shannon - that probably WAS the last time the garage was clean. for heaven's sake that man is hopeless when it comes to cleaning. i am totally showing you the two books when you are here. i have NOT stopped laughing. @josie - toddlers are also amazingly like drunk frat boys...you never know if they are hungry, sleepy, going to barf on your shoes, they can't quite articulate what exactly they want, etc., etc. ;o)
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