What injuring both hands taught me...

Alison

Without going into the how's I managed to injure both of my hands in two separate accidents; within 2 weeks of each other 🙄.

In both instances I was distracted by a 2.5 year old while doing a chore that really needed my full attention.

My first injury resulted in a deep cut; later discovering I also partially severed the tendon. It was a blunt trauma which also resulted in significant soft tissue damage and swelling.

I decided to clean and tend to it at home. I cleaned it with water etc and then poured some Colloidal Silver on it to get rid of any possible germs. Later I continued with Iodine Tincture drops as it healed. Due to swelling and a decent gape I found Steri-Strips worked best to pull the wound together. It continued to bleed so I used some Cayenne Pepper powder sprinkled on it - this helped immensely.

The second wound on the other hand was a cut to the bone. I knew as soon as I went to clean it I needed stitches - I'm no super hero! 8 Stitches later and with a script for antibiotics I had no intention of taking. I'd managed to side step a tetanus shot...

I contacted a homeopath I'd used before and was told to utilise the following products:

1. Ledum 30c = Tetanus alternative 2 x daily for 3 days
2. Pyrogen 30c = Antibiotic 1 x daily for 7 days
3. Hypericum 30c = Tissue and Wound healing 4 hrly
4. Arnica 30C = Tissue and bruising healing 4hrly

I hadn't taken anything for the pain for the 1st injury, but for the 2nd I took some White Willow Bark and Devils Claw. I'd had these in my 'medicine chest' already. By day 3 I no longer needed them.

Due to the tendon being damaged etc both injuries are still healing. I have learnt that I really do need to pace myself and show more self care. Part of that was to get a new pair of well fitting leather garden gloves - Good Ones.

This reminds me of Marjory's incident with the snake bite. I look back and think 'well...that was silly', but I maintained my boundaries and learnt more about homeopathy. I put some of what I learnt about herbs in practice, and am looking at planting some Yarrow in my garden in the near future. I'm also wearing my new gloves✋.

I've decided to stay away from the chainsaw right now (:

If you've had an injury or have a remedy that you've used for yourself or family member, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

I did discover that the things I have been using for years; my 'go to' products like Colloidal Silver and Iodine, were at the top of my memory when these things happened. It took a little longer for some of the other things to jump to the forefront. So another lesson was that I have to find ways to put things into my long term memory regarding treatments, so that they are utilised ASAP during an emergency.

Take Care

ines871

Glad to hear that you are on the mend Alison, without infection & other complications.

Thank you for sharing. 🙂 Surely many will find these various resources most helpful, as did I. Thanks again. God Bless.

Ray

Thanks for sharing, Alison, glad you are healing. Before I knew about medicinal herbs, my dad had a chainsaw cut to his leg. He needed stitches but refused to go to a doctor. By the time I heard about it, it was several days later, it wasn't infected, but was still gaping open. He let me close it up with superglue. If that happened today, I would use Doc Jones' ductape and string method to close the wound.

Alison

Ah yes, Doc Jones' duct tape method. I took a screen shot of that one. That is ingenious.

I was also recently told that if you grow Yarrow you can stuff some fresh yarrow in the wound and close it up using a bandage [the lady telling me this said her husband had a chainsaw wound to his foot and stuffed in some yarrow leaves and put his sock on. Next day it had stuck back together with the leaves poking out].

I've completely healed and all is well. Some minor loss of sensation and still getting some of the movement back, but nominal loss.

One of our dogs developed an infection near her nose and I used the same treatments for her. It's now almost gone as well.

Obiora E

My daughter last year was burned by radiator fluid from her car. I taught her how to make a poultice using Comfrey. My brother had her purchase some homepathic remedies (I don't recall what they were) and not only did the dark scab that formed on her arm disappear but you cannot even tell that anything happened it. She started the poultice about 48 hours after she was burnt. The homeopathic treatment started the same day.

I haven't had any major injuries as an adult but I am working to create an arsenal of herbal allies for the future. And I am learning more about homeopathic remedies too to use them in conjunction.

ines871

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/842209#Comment_842209

@ckoehn_adams - Wait ! "Ductape & string " method - Can you explain, please.

Now Seriously wondering... If that could/woulda saved my wrist: Fractured... in three (of the 8) bones we have in a normally formed wrist. - And because am a relatively tiny shrimp (lol), there was NO WAY I was going to let any (what they call 'surgeon') insert some Screws & steel-ROD into my little fore-arm, as the 1st. time I could fall on that as an Iceskater..., it would totally shred me, & then most likely they'd want to Amputate it, so I REFUSED. -

So, of course they found an alternative, aka "closed wrist Reduction without anesthesia": (what surgeons now call "wild, savage, inhumane, cruel, brutal, barbaric procedure, etc" - YES I suffered thru that with no drugs for the entire eternal agony, 4 years ago.

okay I need to go to bed now, might finish this post later. Have a wonderful SAFE day, everyone !

shllnzl

Dr. Jones teaches the Making Herbal Medicine classes on this site. His website is www.homegrownherbalist.net

I went to his website out of curiosity and was investigating the herbal kits that he has for sale. He sells The Cut, Bite and Sting kit that includes the Duct Tape and String kit for closing wounds. It is an ingenious way to "stitch" a wound closed. He has a video that demonstrates how the duct tape system works. I hope he patented that system because it could save a life.

ines871

@shllnzl - I too have Doc Jones bookmarked, but was Unaware of "The Cut, Bite & Sting kit". Going to check this out. Thanks for the reference.

Alison

Yes, Doc Jones does have an amazing duct tape method that can be used in an emergency.

I am not so opposed to doctors as to not get something stitched up. I did take the scripts for the antibiotics but didn't get them filled...wanted to make sure the GP wasn't going to have a fit over my homeopathy choices for that.

Marjory has interviewed Doc Jones during her annual health summit. Most definitely worth a watch when it comes around, or the purchase if it's on sale at the moment.

I am finding there are also more integrative doctors around. That's also an option for some to consider maybe so that if/ when a GP is needed you already have someone who is more on your wavelength than not to go to.

Karin

Wow @Alison what a story. So glad you are all healed now. Fantastic job on yourself with your healing, and good on you for using the herbs and homoeopathy. I always keep some Ledum handy for bites, good to know you can use it for cuts too

Torey

So glad to see the use of homeopathic remedies here! Always great to hear success stories. So glad it worked so well for you @Alison .

Ledum is a great tetanus remedy. Arnica is something everyone should have in their medicine chest (bruising, blunt force trauma, shock, pain). Hypericum is so useful for any type of puncture or crush injury, especially to the extremities. Pyrogen is less commonly available, not usually sold in health food stores (at least not in my area). But good that you had a homeopath who had it available.

Homeopathic kits are so useful to have on hand. They usually come with a small booklet with a materia medica and a list of symptoms so they are easy to use. Helios products seem to be the most widely available but there are other companies as well. Some health food stores might have them or they can be ordered online direct from Helios in the UK. If you are in the US, I understand that there have been some restrictions put on the import of remedies into the country. I'm not exactly sure which companies they have banned, however, you can order kits from Hahnemann labs in California.

Alison

I agree.

And with the upcoming food summit by TheGrowNetwork it appears we'll all get another chance to learn even more about safe and natural ways of healing.

🌱🌿🍃

tomandcara

@Alison Another natural remedy that works well for healing is raw unfiltered honey. I was impressed with what you did do.

Alison

Great suggestion.. I generally have some Manuka honey available, so will keep that in mind.

judsoncarroll4

Off topic sort of... but maybe it could help someone. I've always been odd (big surprise, I know). When I was a small child, I saw a person on tv who had no hands and had learned to use their feet as hands. I thought it was neat, so I did. Granted, I have very long toes ... "monkey toes" as an ex-girlfriend called them. But, with a little practice, I learned to pick up things with my toes, turn door knobs... basic tasks.... even hold a pencil or a spoon. At 42, when barefoot, I still pick things up off the floor with my toes and transfer them to my hands, to avoid bending over. I know this is pretty far out where the busses don't run, but it came to me naturally. One never knows what might happen....it is not a bad idea to learn to use your toes.