Water, Water everywhere and not a drop to drink. The final chapter.

We are going to finish the discussion of some of the most common water bore illnesses.   We have discussed Giardia and E. Coli.  Sometimes known as beaver fever and travelers trots respectively.  Today we are going to learn about the organism called Cryptosporidium which also causes a diarrheal illness called Cryptosporidiosis.  This organism wasn’t discovered until 1976, unlike E. Coli which was observed with some of the most primitive microscopes over a hundred years ago.  It has been found to be one of the most common waterborne diseases and is found worldwide. Once again, it is transferred by the fecal – oral route, usually by drinking infected water or by poor sanitation practices and not washing hands.  It is most hardy and easily transmitted as a cyst or the “Egg” form, and, if it is taken into your body, it hatches and goes into the intestinal tissue.  Now this organism is not much of a danger to those with a good immune system.  In those people, after a brief period of diarrhea, the patient often feels better and and their immune system kills the organism.  However, the patients with weak or compromised immune systems (the very young, elderly, organ transplant patients, patients taking medications that effect the immune system and Immunodeficiency diseases), the body cannot kill the organism, and the infection can last for months or years.  While healthy people have a 2 to 4 week bout of watery diarrhea, these patients can have acute/persistent... Read more

Water, Water everywhere and not a drop to drink Part 2

Last week we talked about the organism Giardia and the effect it can have on your digestive system… very Bad to say the least.  Some of you have written to me asking if you do get it, how you can treat it.  If you remember, up to half the population can be silent carriers of this organism and would need no treatment.  Another portion of the infected have minor symptoms and, sooner or later, will seek treatment and be treated correctly, usually if they give a good history and tell of drinking possibly infected water.  The Final group are those that have major symptoms and with progressive weakness, dehydration and of course the explosive diarrhea; they will end up in the hospital.  Once again, a good history will uncover the fact that the patient might have ingested infected water, and they will be treated quickly and easily.  But, as far as I know, there is no over the counter, quick and easy treatment.  So, unless you are one of the lucky ones that are carriers, you will need to see your doctor or local hospital! Read more  Read More →

Water, Water everywhere and not a drop to drink. Part 1

It is a beautiful day in the spring, and you are out hiking and gotten all hot, tired and thirsty.  Suddenly you come upon a sparkling, clear and cold stream.  It certainly looks clean, and the water is so nice and cold.  So you take your water bottle out of your pack, fill it up, and enjoy a long, cold drink.  Much, much refreshed you finish your hike.  How many of us have done this when you have gone out for a hike on a beautiful day?  I have, and I am sure most of you have taken a drink from a wilderness stream and enjoyed it and gotten away with it.  While most of the time you can get away with it, sometimes the ending changes to something, like this: A few  days later, you suddenly start to burp foul sulfur-smelling gas.  Then you suddenly feel like you have to go to the bathroom, and, as you run for it, you have what can kindly be described as “Explosive Diarrhea.”  As the hours pass and the s*** continues to hit the fan, you become weaker and weaker until, finally dehydrated, you go to the hospital. What happened to you?  Most likely you have fallen prey to the microorganism called Giardia Lamblia otherwise known as Giardia or Beaver Fever. Hard to belief that something this small and innocent looking could send almost 30% of the people that ingest it seeking medical treatment.  While another 30 to 50% become silent carriers.  Today in America, some of infected animal populations include cows, sheep, deer and, of course, the animal that gives it... Read more

ICE – In Case of Emergency:

Apparently this is a standard procedure all paramedics follow at the scene of an accident when they come across your cell phone: ICE – ‘In Case of Emergency’. We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn’t know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this ‘ICE’ (In Case of Emergency) Campaign. The concept of ‘ICE’ is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell (mobile) phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name ‘ICE’ (In Case Of Emergency). The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn’t know which number to call. He, therefore, thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as ‘ICE.’ For... Read more

Pet E.R. Guide: A Valuable Handbook That Can Save You Time in an Emergency and Possibly Your Pet’s Life

The Pet E.R. Guide by Melinda Lord (Trailer Life Books) is something pet owners shouldn’t leave home without. It’s a directory of 24-hour and after-hour veterinary facilities in the United States. The author stresses at the beginning of the book to PLEASE call the emergency facility prior to transporting your pet there. A facility could have been sold and relocated or simply gone out of business. A phone call could save you and your pet a lot of time… even its life. Read more  Read More →

Down time, What you can do during the Winter!

I hear a lot of you whining like little kids before Christmas that there isn’t anything “camping” to do during the winter. Well, maybe you can’t go out and be at the campground, but there are still tons of things you can do during the winter to make you a better prepared and safer camper for next year. Think of it this way, this is the time to relax in a different way from the summer camping trips. Being as I am sort of the Health and Safety guy on here, I have some suggestions for you. First off, for Christmas whine (in a constructive way) a little bit to friends and family about getting you some books on camping, first aid, birding, canoeing, or anything that you have always wanted to do or learn about. Learning about something you have always wanted to know about is a great way to pass some long winter days. There are hundreds of places to look for books; you can start here on line with Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Books-A-Million.com , and many others! There are even services where you can buy and trade books online like Swaptree or you can look at the used books on E-Bay. You can even do like my kids and print out the pages and just casually leave then laying around where the person who buys your gifts can find them! That might not even count as whining, so you can do it with a clearer conscious! Then, I want to suggest that you call around and find a class to take. Now, me being who I am, I would suggest a class on CPR or basic first... Read more

Serious as a Heart Attack, so learn the Symptoms!

I am sure that lots of you will remember Redd Foxx as Fred Stanford, the lovable Junk man that always tried to get out of trouble by clutching his chest and saying "I am coming to meet you Ethel. This is the big one!". Heart attacks are one of the biggest causes of death in the U.S. While I am not going to debate what you can do to prevent them (you know good diet and exercise, quit smoking, lose weight and all that!), I want to discuss today how to know one when you see one, because, if you recognize the symptoms early enough, the "Big One" can be treated. A heart attack, otherwise known as a Acute Myocardial Infraction (AMI), is where an artery that supplies blood to the heart becomes blocked and causes part of the muscle of the heart to die. Often the heart muscle gives warning that the blockage is about to happen. We call this warning "Chest Pain". So if you begin to have SHORT periods of chest pain, take it as a warning and see your doctor. Some people report that they thought the chest pain was indigestion and so they were not worried. But they report they had it several times for several days before they had an AMI. In fact, most men report that, when they finally had the AMI, they had chest pain for an hour before they called for help. Another interesting fact is that most men start to die about an hour after the symptoms of a heart attack begin! This means that Denial just isn’t the name of a river in Egypt! Call for... Read more

Can you identify a Stroke?

First I want to apologize to my readers, we have been working on finding and buying a house and have had several close calls but came up short on each of them for one reason or another. We do have to be out of our apartment very soon or suffer a major rent increase, so much so that we have stepped up looking to a fevered pitch and even started packing, and this has caused me to miss several weeks of articles. I do want to report that we have found a nice place (old farm house that has been remodeled) out in the country with 10 acres and once again (cross your fingers!), barring any unforeseen problems, we should have our Own place shortly! And it even has a garage big enough to store the camper in it; we just have to put another door in it! Now back to our regularly scheduled articles on health and safety! Today I want to talk about a problem that is becoming more common as we start to have an older population, that is of strokes. In the medical profession, we call them CVA or Cerebral Vascular Accidents. Most of us fear being left with the crippling after-effects, or maybe I am speaking only for myself. But know this, in today’s world, there are more treatments than were possible even just a few years ago. But what is a stroke or CVA? Well, there are two types. First, let us begin with the most dangerous type which is the least treatable; it is called the Hemorrhagic Stroke. This occurs when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and begins bleeding (or hemorrhaging... Read more

Camping with Pets

Camping with your pet brings the whole family together to enjoy the experience instead of leaving the four-footed member of the family behind to worry about. Just as you would pack what items to bring along for you, don’t overlook what your pet may need to keep him comfortable, too. Being prepared with the right essentials and equipment is the key to ensure a happy time on the road and in the woods. Also keep in mind when and where you plan to camp. The time of year and geographical location of your campsite can make a big difference in how and what you prepare for your camping trip. Know what the weather conditions are likely to be and pack accordingly. Read more  Read More →

RV Emergency Repair Kit

How likely is it that your RV will have a breakdown on the road? Most people assume a vehicle breakdown will never to happen to them. When it does happen, they have no plan and no equipment. Regularly scheduled maintenance and a thorough pre-trip inspection improves the chance that your RV will perform up to par, but even with rigorous maintenance and care, the possibility remains that your RV might stall or that the unexpected will happen. Don’t be caught unprepared. RV Emergency Preparedness Checklist • Good Sam RV Emergency Roadside Service • Spare tire – properly inflated • High-quality, heavy-duty, long jumper cables • Emergency contact information (medical, vehicle insurance, etc…) • First-Aid Kit • RV owners’ manual / a shop manual • Flashlight with spare batteries • Pocket knife • Roll of duct tape Basic toolkit: • Hammer • Combination wrenches • Screwdriver set (various sizes Phillips and flat-head) • Ratchet and Socket sets • Torx bits • Pliers Additional supplies that you should carrry with you: • Spark-plug socket • Electrical test light (multimeter) • Spare electrical wire, wire crimper and splicers, butt connector • Roll of insulated 12-guage wire • Spare engine drive belts • Spare fuel filter • Radiator hoses and hose clamps • Spare fuses • Extra motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid Stay with Your Vehicle If your RV experiences a roadside breakdown, have someone stay with the vehicle if possible and... Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »