Thanks for all the reviews and messages, guys. Hopefully, I'll get around to writing more sometime soon.
Random interesting tidbits from recent lectures:
- Dolphins sleep with one eye open. They're mammals so they have a little problem of making sure that they can come up to the surface for air at intervals. Solution for when they need to rest? Half of the brain goes to sleep while the other hemisphere keeps the dolphin moving and alert in case of predators nearby. Smart evolution. I wish I could multitask like that.
I see you.
(http://www.thesleeproom.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dolphin1.jpg)
- Seizure. So thud, there's someone convulsing on the floor near you. What do you do? (Call 911, duh.) But in spite of the commonly perpetuated idea that you should find something to stick into the patient's mouth during seizure to prevent him from biting his tongue ... don't do it. Don't. People, thinking to help, usually either A) lose a finger trying to jam something down a clenching jaw (don't underestimate those muscle spasms, folks) or B) the patient bites through the object and ends up aspirating the broken pieces. A bitten tongue can generally heal. A patient who chokes to death won't.
And my professor remarked dryly, "People also somehow think the patient will swallow his tongue if you don't stick something in his mouth. Last time I checked though ... the tongue is attached." So no, rest assured, a patient won't swallow and choke on his own tongue.
Also, don't try to restrain the patient since that usually does more harm than good. Do try to ease their breathing by rolling them to their side and cushioning their head with something soft. Patients with seizures or epilepsy generally come out of the attacks by themselves and in mild cases, won't even need to go to the hospital. However, if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, there's serious potential for brain damage and the patient should definitely be sent to the hospital to be checked out.
That's all for now, folks. Off to cram! :(
Aww, well done on your exam. :3
ReplyDeleteWow, I never knew that about Dolphins or Seizures, Something new learned today (Yay)
By the Way... Where did 'Maeven' come from? I've always wondered that. O.O
xxPbRxx
You should write facts like those more often! I didn't know about the dolphins and the seizures, though I think I'd been told in a school lecture that we should move the person to a better position.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know you're almost finished with your classes :) I have three more finals and after next week. . it's summer vacation at last =D
Katherine: Hmm ... it was so long ago when I first signed up that I don't really quite remember how I picked my penname. I'm horrible with making up screennames - it used to give me a headache when I signed up for AIM names. I think I just looked at some random names, maybe slapped an N onto Maeve. Haha, either way, I don't believe there's any extreme deep meaning.
ReplyDeleteNereids' Moments: Yay for summer vacation! I still have some exams to wrap up with, but ... sighs. I'm glad you liked the facts! I'll try to put up more entries like these, but I only wish all lectures could be as interesting. Unfortunately, for the majority, it's usually about memorizing little nitty gritty details that aren't necessarily clinically oriented, but are required to establish a background.
Thanks for the comments!