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View Full Version : My day hike = Reminder to carry first aid!!



creekfisher
04-02-2006, 23:10
Hello,

I went out for a short day hike on Saturday. I fell while crossing a creek and busted my knee. I got 4 internal stitches and 15 external stitches.

Luckily, I had my first aid kit with me. I was able to wrap my knee and hike out in about two hours. This accident had the potential to be quite messy.

I am posting this as a reminder that bad accidents can happen on short trips. Take first aid with you. BTW, I'm not a clutz and I'm not accident prone at all. This is my first set of stitches.

Now for the pics. . . don't look if you are squeemish: http://users.mikrotec.com/craig23/Knee/

P.S. There is a very sharp rock in the Red River Gorge. Watch out :eek:

Tudor
04-02-2006, 23:23
That looks pretty deep! Glad you had it fixed up!

Just Jeff
04-02-2006, 23:38
Man, that's aheckuva fall...glad you made it out ok.

What do you carry in your kit that you wrapped your knee in? Just a normal bandage roll? I've been debating adding one to my kit for just such an occasion...I usually just have an assortment of bandaids, neosporin, motrin, etc.

SGTdirtman
04-03-2006, 02:37
OUCH! been there man... on the good side, chicks dig scars :banana

Cuts like that in my experiance duck tape cut into strips makes very good butterfly stitches, then just wrap the whole wound with your bandana

Jaybird
04-03-2006, 05:16
Hello,I went out for a short day hike on Saturday. I fell while crossing a creek and busted my knee. I got 4 internal stitches and 15 external stitches...............etc,etc,etc,............... .............................................
P.S. There is a very sharp rock in the Red River Gorge. Watch out :eek:




OUCH!

brings back memories of my "slippage" & the hand that hit first caught the jagged edge of a sharp jagged boulder....5 internal, 10 external...pretty scar....but has faded over the years....hehehehehehehe:D

creekfisher
04-03-2006, 11:17
What do you carry in your kit that you wrapped your knee in? Just a normal bandage roll?

I had a small bandage roll that my lady folded into a pad. The pad was held in place with tape. I wrapped my knee with the tape. It worked very well for me. I am happy that I did not have to hold that flap of skin in place with a ripped-up shirt.

nattyd123
04-03-2006, 12:57
And I was hoping for pre-stiches pictures...

RockyTrail
04-03-2006, 14:25
Ooh! You have my sympathy creekfisher.
Hope it heals soon.
Just wondering, did you have a staff or trek poles?
I've become more aware of my mortality over the years and I won't cross a creek without a third (or fourth) leg anymore, call me stubborn...

Just Jeff
04-03-2006, 14:26
Yep - I was just thinking about all the things I use my bandana for...and I wouldn't want that on an open wound unless I really had to.

Heh - I was hoping for the pre-stitches pics, too...

creekfisher
04-03-2006, 17:38
And I was hoping for pre-stiches pictures...

I'm sorry to dissapoint ;) I wanted those pictures too but when I got home and took off the field dressing there was quite a bit of blood. Plus, I was eager to get to the hospital so I could get sewn-up and call it a day.

Here is a pic I took about 5 minutes ago (sorry it's the best I can do): http://users.mikrotec.com/craig23/Knee/knee%20014.jpg

creekfisher
04-03-2006, 17:50
Ooh! You have my sympathy creekfisher.
Hope it heals soon.
Just wondering, did you have a staff or trek poles?
I've become more aware of my mortality over the years and I won't cross a creek without a third (or fourth) leg anymore, call me stubborn...

As you might guess by my handle I spend a lot of time in and around creeks so I should have known better than to make the mistake I made.

I did not have any poles/sticks with me. Usually, when I'm in creeks I have felt bottom boots. Unfortunately, I took a step as if I had felt bottoms when I did not.

I agree that the significance or awareness of mortality seems to grow with age. I'm happy that I have escaped with only minor flesh wounds so far :D

barefoot
04-04-2006, 13:52
I too fell had had 9 stiches in my elbow. I carry some gauze pads and a gauze wrap for this type of injury. I did learn that if you don't get stiches within 12 hours they can't/won't put them in. If you wait longer they can only do the butterfly strips and you end up with the big fatty scar.

Hana_Hanger
04-04-2006, 14:28
Ouch...Thanks for sharing.
Also for the reminder to have first aid with us always.

This shows me I think I may start hiking with two poles/sticks
and maybe not wear my crocs for hiking anymore.

Glad everything in this case worked out well...hope you have a speedy recovery and hit the trails again soon.

Ender
04-04-2006, 14:59
Yowza... it looks like you got bit by an itty bitty shark. Trail shark.

Heal fast!

The Cheat
04-04-2006, 15:26
Yowza... it looks like you got bit by an itty bitty shark. Trail shark.

Heal fast!

CreekFisher's new trail name? lol

Chomp09
04-04-2006, 18:22
Been there too man! Just got a bunch of stitches out of my elbow from trying to ice walk down to a stream bed a few weeks ago... Not ten minutes before I had been swearing at myself at the trail head for forgetting my poles. Guess I tend to learn most of my lessons the hard way though. Hope you heel quickly!