[Sca-cooks] asthma, was Olwen, was new question

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> mind you many folks also seem to think that "all breathing problems are
> asthma" and that therefore if they see me gasping for air in an *allergy*
> attack they should shove an asthma inhaler in my face...
> <sigh>
> oh well..... you just gotta keep educating folks right?  (baseball bat,
> where is my baseball bat)
> Kirsten

Ah, jeeze. If someone is having breathing problems, the LAST thing you need
to do is hand them random meds.

First thing to do is calm the situation down- talk to them in a calm voice,
try to determine the problem, and get the panicking/helpful idiots out of
the way.

If it's choking (partial) encourage them to cough. If it's any form of CLD
(chronic lung disease) get them to their oxygen- if that doesn't relieve
them, call 911, but for Heavens Sakes, keep things calm.

If it is an asthma attack, again, keep things calm. Assist with THEIR
LEGALLY PRESCRIBED MEDS (epi-pen, inhaler, or whatever) and KEEP THE
SITUATION CALM!!!!!

Holding, smelling, and even drinking hot coffee IF THEY"RE CAPABLE will
help, while 911 is on the way.

BUT, DON'T BE HITTING THEM WITH RANDOM MEDS!!!!

And, calm everything down.

Stress is a major trigger and aggravator of most CLDs. Reduce the stress,
and you're reducing the problem- much of the stress can be caused by the
person's embarrasment at "causing a scene", and isn't helped by people
jumping around and getting excited- panic is contagious.

As things calm down, gentle loosening of constrictive clothing and jewelry
is a big help, but jumping at them to tear their clothing apart isn't.

SPECIFICLY SCA- if a lady is wearing one of those tight bodices, loosening
it will help, but if you suddenly open it, by cutting the laces, you might
put them into shock- you'll be dropping their blood pressure in a hurry.

At Pennsic a couple of years ago, a lady had an asthma attack during the
Hell party. Before I got there, since she hadn't brought her meds (dumb)
someone not only gave her theirs (dumber) but gave her an overdose( utterly
blanking stupid) on the priciple that if a little was good, more must be
better. Since the medication in question was epinephrine (adreniline, for
those of us pharmacologically ignorant) which, among other things, is
responsible for the fight or flight reaction, the lady was dealing with not
only an asthma attack, but a chemically enhanced panic attack. Eventually
she was fine, but for a while it was...interesting.

For those of you who aren't trained in at least First Aid, the best thing
you can usually do is dial 911, answer their questions, then shut up and sit
down, or remove yourself or any panicking people from the scene. Above all,
appear to be calm, even if you're scared to death.

Phlip

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....