Enjoying Telegram

 

Trauma Awareness

By Nurse Diane

A few days ago near Fort Worth, Texas in a small town called Granbury, an E4 tornado ripped through the community leaving six people dead, seven missing and injuring an undetermined number of people.  Trauma happens when you least expect it.  You could be in a vehicle accident, sporting accident, natural disaster, or even doing things around your home.

During these events, it is comforting to know there is a team of people who are knowledgeable to help you in any situation.  That is why May is National Trauma Awareness Month. Established by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, National Trauma Awareness Month is a time for all of us to appeal to our state and federal lawmakers to support funding for trauma research and provide resources to local trauma centers. It’s also a good time to provide injury prevention messages to the public and to publicize the locations of trauma centers.

National Trauma Institute.org lists several ways that you can help with trauma awareness.  Below are some of the suggestions they have:

• Write to Congressional Appropriations Committee members to ask for their support of federal spending for trauma research.
• Send thank you notes to legislators for their past support of funding for trauma research and ask for their continued support.
• Include recent trauma statistics in patient newsletters and flyers
• Publish safety reminders in local papers
• Publicize Trauma Center locations and facts

For more information and ideas on how to help, visit this site:  http://www.nationaltraumainstitute.org/home/national_trauma_awarness_month.html

Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration Week

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Nurse Diane

In July, my husband's cousin, a Navy Seal, was injured in an accident out of the country.  He had fallen into a ravine, and broke his leg which was bad enough, but then he became infected with the flesh eating bacteria.  Luckily for him, Aimee Copeland from Geogia had just acquired the disease, so a new drug had been designed to combat it.  Instead of losing his leg, they only had to remove parts of the flesh that was affected. Currently he is beginning the rehabilitation process. The surgeons had to install metal rods and screws to his bone for recovery.  Being a Navy SEAL he was in top physical condition, and has been working hard to return back to his career with the SEALS.  This will take a lot of professional rehabilitation, and a lot of hard work, however with his determination; I know he will be successful.  As for Aimee Copeland, she was recently invited to the Katie Couric show wearing prosthetics on her arms and her leg, and was able to get around painlessly, and has a great attitude on life.

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A few weeks ago a friend of my father's was on a ladder doing some work on his home.  Somehow, he fell off the ladder and landed on concrete.  He broke several bone and was flown to the state's capital for emergency surgery.  After the surgery, he had several close calls, mostly with his breathing and alot of confusion.  Luckily his medical conditions improved, and with his bones healing, he was just transferred to the Rehab hospital to begin working on his physical functions.

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This week is Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration.  The purpose of Rehab is to reeducate your body after a trauma.  After my husband's accident, he was sent to Rehab hospital, however, his spinal injury prevented any type of recovery, but he was able to assist with transferring himself from the bed to his wheelchair, or to the bathroom.  Results from Rehab do not happen quickly, it requires several repetitions of doing the same exercise.  Not only are you strengthening your body and muscles, but you are also retraining your brain to perform these functions.  Rehab doesn’t just happen after a physical injury, but takes place after medical traumas as well such as a stroke or surgery.  A very active friend of mine recently had a pacemaker installed.  After his surgery, he was unable to exercise for 4 weeks, including even lifting his arm over his head.  He will soon be able to return back to his routine of walking and bike riding with the assistance and observations of the Cardiac Rehab center.

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While we celebrate the work of the rehab therapists this week, be thankful for all the great work they do to help people return back to their normal, or close to normal way of life.  For more information visit this site:  http://www.rehabpub.com/