Friday, May 18, 2012

A cloth, a cloth



While I admit that I am not the best person to have around in an emergency my Mom is really the last person you want to have around you when there is an accident.

My Dad was an optometrist; at the back of his practise he had a workshop where he repaired frames.  Something happened with the gas for the little welder one day and there was a little explosion.  My Mom was standing in the room next to my Dad’s workshop.  Instead of running straight to him, she ran around through all the other offices and the front reception to get to him.  Fortunately my Dad was not seriously hurt.

My step brother had a motor cycle accident.  There was blood everywhere.  My Mom did not rush him to the emergency.  In her shocked state she said, “Sit down and eat your dinner, you are late.”

My Mom and Dad lived with me for a few years.  I was cleaning my bedroom one day.  I took the glass top off my dressing table to clean it.  The thick heavy glass cracked.  A  piece cut into my foot and a vein was severed.  There was blood everywhere.  My Mom was close by.  I asked her to get me a rag for the blood.  She ran off with her hands in the air shouting, “A cloth, a cloth, a cloth.”  I told my daughters to call my Dad.
My Dad came, he brought a rag and we went to the doctor’s rooms to get me stitched up.  All the time my Mom was still running around the house shouting “a cloth, a cloth, a cloth.”

How do you react in an emergency?

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46 comments:

  1. Maryke van RensburgMay 18, 2012 at 1:51 AM

    Clotheo, oh Clotheo!  Where art thou Oh Clotheo?

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  2. A cloth, a cloth, my kingdom for a cloth!!

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  3. Ha ha Rachel and Maryke you can write a play on this 

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  4. I usually try to stay calm during emergencies, but my daughter kind of does the same thing your mom does. At least it adds some humour to the situation (given that it's not a "bad" emergency :)
    Also read your bio on the side - I'm on husband No. 3 as well, third time lucky ;)

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  5. Thankfully I am good in an emergency because I not only have 5 kids, I have a severely special needs son. I learned long ago how to stay calm and react quickly. My mom was a nurse so I assume I got the clear head from her. It certainly didn't come from my dad. Haha!

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  6. I enjoyed your blog Kerstin.  We have another thing in common my husband is German and I am part German.  Reading the email from your son I saw he is as full as fun as my daughters are.

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  7. Five children and a special needs son you need nerves of steel.  Do you ever sleep?  Wow!

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  8. Sleep? I seem to remember what sleeping is like. I just haven't experienced it personally in about 8 years. Haha!

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  9. I'm awesome in an emergency but afterwards I'm usually shaking and trying not to vomit lol.

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  10. justkeepinitrealfolksJune 5, 2012 at 1:14 PM

    I would react like your Mom. I'm a total freak. Luckily my husband is the king of cool and can handle any emergency situation.

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  11. Hah wow! This made me grateful my mom is a bit more grounded in an emergency...

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  12. sounds like panic is her coping mechanism for emergencies. I am usually amazingly calm and have textbook responses during the emergency. When it's all over and everything is ok then I freak out!

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  13. Your family sounds very accident prone, I'm glad I don't live next door. Gas explosions frighten me.

    (Kellie's World)

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  14. I'm usually the calm under pressure one.  Something about being raised by a very emotional mother?

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  15. My reaction always depends on who it happened to and who else is around.  I'll rely on my husband to take charge if he's there.  If he's not, I play the part!

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  16. I'm actually pretty calm in an emergency.  

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  17. I think I respond pretty well in an emergency, though I do get a little nervous.

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  18. I'm great during the emergency. I get the job done. It's after wards when it's all over that I puke, especially if blood was involved. :P

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  19. Haha! I'm actually not sure how I react in emergencies. I haven't dealt with many of them. If I'm the one hurt, though, I usually try to underplay it, like it's not as serious as it is so I can just go about my day!

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  20. Your Doctor's WifeJune 6, 2012 at 8:03 AM

    I am very calm in an emergency and my husband just rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. It's a rather low key event around our house when it involves blood. However, Christmas trees are a whole other story...

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  21. Haha! funny story. I'm glad your dad was around.  I'm the emergency go-to person around here.

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  22. Ack. I probably would have run around for a while too. Glad you dad was in the stitching business. 

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  23. SisterhoodofthesensiblemomsJune 6, 2012 at 1:00 PM

    Your mom is no Florence Nightengale but she is certainly comic relief. Ha! Erin

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  24. If there's blood...all bets are off! I have to put my head btw my knees to keep from passing out. Totally involuntary by the way because I have no fear of blood. It just happens. So I wouldn't have been able to get you a cloth either.

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  25. Tara_pohlkottepressJune 6, 2012 at 3:55 PM

    haha. note to self do not need medical attention arround your family :)

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  26. Thank you for sharing this -- it made me laugh out loud!  

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  27. Hahaha!  I would be teased mercilessly for that sort of thing too :)  Your poor mom :P

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  28. Your mom sounds like a real hoot!  At least you know what to expect from her!

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  29. Delayed reaction also hits me at times.  Robbie I loved your blog about your summers but I cannot figure out how to comment on it, the comment box won't come up.

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  30. My parents caravan blew half away from a gas explosion once.  I guess we are a little accident prone.  I am also very nervous around gas.

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  31. Emotion runs high in our family unfortunately.  We don't skip generations

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  32. I am the same Jamie I am more capable when I know there is nobody else to take charge.  My husband is always so calm and together in a crisis.

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  33. I don't think I am that bad but if my family read this they would all be groaning and telling me I am delusional.

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  34. I tend to freeze which is not helpful.  

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  35. Funny enough blood does not scare me so much.

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  36. My husband and I were driving once and a policemen with a gun was chasing a man and I stopped right in the middle of them out of fear.  The freezing thing is not so good.

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  37. I suppose being a doctor's wife you have you are used to emergencies.   Thinking about it I am not that bad when it is a medical emergency involving one of my children.

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  38. My husband is that one, I think there should be one in each household.

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  39. My Dad was always so calm in an emergency.  Fortunately now I have a husband that is as calm.

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  40. Yes Erin my Mom is a lot of fun and you should hear her when she relates these stories she has such a hearty laugh.

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  41. My family as well we are the worst bunch of teasers.

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  42. Despite her reaction to emergencies you can always depend on my Mom and yes she is a very funny person.

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  43. Fortunately it is half the family the other half are good so you have a chance at surviving

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  44. I wouldn't necessarily call it an emergency, but the time my son pooped in the bath on my watch I was clueless how to respond and had to call the Mrs. to rectify the situation.  We each have our strengths.

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