Gosh Wednesdays come round quick,
This week I wanted to throw some thoughts about, preparing for any life change starts with small steps, fail to plan and you plan to fail.
First Aid, having some knowledge of first aid is important, not just in rural living but in everyday life, If you are planning rural living then it has to be top of your list, were I live is about half an hour away by car to the doctor's, the hospital is about 45 minuets, if I had to phone 999 as well as the distance they have to travel there is also the difficulty they would have in finding the place, if the weather is bad it could take even longer.
Basic first aid saves lives, if you get the opportunity to go on a course take it, many employers will put staff through a course ask.
A decent well stocked first aid kit is something you can gradually build up, there s nothing worse than bleeding all over the place and you cant find the plasters
This happened to me just after moving in I nearly took my knuckle off on a bit of metal
Yesterday it was a scalded hand
Last week I sliced my other finger open on a knife
I have had bee stings
 | |
| Taken from the web |
Insect Bites
 |
| Taken from the web |
Thorns Splinters
 |
| taken from the web |
Banged my head and could see stars
I am not really accident prone but accidents happen usually when there is no-one else about.
I have a big tub of Aloe Vera Gel to hand that gets used on a regular basis, hand sanitiser is something else I use a lot, dealing with livestock and having cuts and scratches its never easy to keep washing your hands, I have even had a go at making my own.
As well as little accidents you want to give some thought to illness, if you are on your own how are you going to cope with livestock if you have a bout of food poisoning or flu.
You just have to, you don't have a choice,
I am often reading up about herbal treatments, its something I want to get more into, but only for minor illnesses, I am building up my garden with plants that can be used in herbal treatments.
If its something you are interested in look out for books on the subject and grow plants in relation to what you need.
Some good books I have found are
James Wong (grow your own drugs)
Bartram Encyclopedia Of Herbal Medicine
Have a practise at making them, things like tinctures have to sit for some time before the are ready to use. Just knowing what can help sooth a sore throat or help you get through a bad cold when you still have the basic chores to do whatever you feel like can make a difference.
Take Care out there :-)
ouch that looks sore :( i've done a first aid course, which has been a lifesaver on a few occasions, and i am constantly reminded how useful the info is as i am very accident prone haha, and i always carry a mini kit in my bag and i have a "Herbs and Health" book for remedies xx
ReplyDeleteDefinitely an essential skill, healing yourself where possible. Elderberries are brilliant for treating colds and flu; elderflower too (with peppermint) for the same ailments; elderflowers make a healing hand cream (it's a great plant). I have quite a few books on herbalism and they make fascinating reading.
ReplyDeleteAs for flu, hope you aren't on your own when you get it! I can remember when Keith and I had it when our girls were small, and we had to take it in turns to go to bed, whilst the remaining one was laid on the sofa, barely in the land of the living, "overseeing" the girls . . . sort of!
As always Dawn you think outside the box...I have done adult and paediatric first aid, I make a note on mt calendar once a year to check our first aid box at home and ib both cars including a first aid box for DExter.....I have used all of them and helped people with stings, cuts etc on the beach and out and about, humans and dogs !! First class post , well done you! Rural living is great until you are poorly..I know that only too well. Xx
ReplyDeleteI like to keep a first aid calamine lotion spray handy for the bug bites. Then I scratch em till they bleed and spray the stuff on. Burns like nothing else could but seems to stop the itching... eventually :)
ReplyDeleteGood post Dawn - not necessarily what people consider when they move to a rural place. We're fortunate in having a good doctor's surgery just 10 mins away by car (as both of us have health needs we wouldn't have moved somewhere without a nearby surgery) but the hospital is about half an hour's journey. Both of us did first aid courses with work some years ago. It's a good idea to research natural remedies....I made elderflower cordial for winter colds a couple of years ago - no elderberries round here so have made blackcurrant/blueberry cordials instead (we have both fruits in the garden).
ReplyDeleteA good post...... it is one of my background 'worries' about how we would manage the farm if one of us became ill, but I would think that that would be a concern for anyone who is living this type of lifestyle. I have had an interest in herbal medicines for ages, and hope to start growing herbs in the front garden next year, and am looking forward to doing so. Will have a look at those books you recommended, and look forward to how you get on with this project. I am sure that I shall learn a lot from you. Vx
ReplyDeleteSo true. Very educational. I am a first aider at work and its a very useful tool. You at least have an idea when something is serious.
ReplyDeleteA thought provoking post Dawn.
ReplyDeleteMay I suggest The Home Herbal by Barbara Griggs. I have had this book since it was first published in 1982, a very useful and easy get on with book.
Look also to your bee's, Honey really is a wonderful substance and is well known for it's antiseptic qualities, both in you and on you.
Please remember to keep up to date with your Tetanus jabs.
All very sensible advice for everyone really, but especially so when you're out in the sticks. I think having to drag yourself out to deal with everything when you're really ill would separate those who are serious about this sort of lifestyle from those going through a fad.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post Dawn, thank you. I'd not thought about a first aid course, though we do have first aid training of sorts at work once a year, so this would be mighty handy. When I was around horses I always came home with cuts and grazes caused by horses, rusty nails in fences and such like! I suffer with a lot of throat infections (seems to be my weak point) and this worries me if I had a smallholding one day, I nearly always power through but have recently been looking more into herbal remedies, fingers crossed they help prevent in the first place! :-)
ReplyDeleteAn informative post with some timely advice x
ReplyDeleteOne of my worst times was dragging myself out to milk goats twice a day for several days when I had real flu. Col couldn't do it and our neighbour was away. They had to be done. I wrote a piece like this for Suffolk Smallholders Newsletter several years ago but luckily nowhere in Suffolk is quite so far from a doctor although many places are an hour+ from a hospital.
ReplyDeleteFirst Aid kits and supplies are essential. we have two first aid kits here, one int he house and one in the workshop, I'll add another one when the porch is finished so it's always near. The van has some supplies but I could do with upgrading those and making sure they're all still there. Both my wife and I have had first aid training in the past but could probably do with some refresher course, I've been looing at an outdoor first aid and paediatric one which looks interesting and would certainly suit my lifestyle!
ReplyDelete