fandomhighdorms | Combined Magic and Support Reserves, Wednesday Afternoon

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Combined Magic and Support Reserves, Wednesday Afternoon

Unlike last week, there were no Twister boards in evidence, much to Karla's disappointment, at least. Instead, there were several dummies lying about, including on a table directly in front of them. Don't worry, there were still snacks. They were just on another table, off to one side.

"Sometimes," Karla said, when it looked like everyone had assembled, "people get hurt. It's a regrettable fact of life, but injuries and illnesses can happen, no matter how much care we take. During an invasion or something, that likelihood only increases. And, since this something that we have to keep in mind, it only makes sense that, in case of an emergency, we all know a little bit about taking care of our friends and allies."

"But you should also make certain if the person who is injured is not just being stubborn and really does require magical healing," Raven said. She wasn't grumbling. Much.

"Whether we have powers specifically geared towards magically Healing someone or not, there are a few very useful, non-magical methods we can all learn that might save someone's life. Even people with powers ought to know at least a few of these methods--the may come a time when the answer to 'should I use magic to Heal this?' is no. If that happens, you want to make sure you have other skills to rely on."

"Sometimes the school teaches them," Tara offered. "Dr. Pierce has been teaching first aid all summer -- I took it from him last term and, even though it made me nervous sometimes? It was a really good class."

Karla nodded her agreement, she was enjoying Dr. Pierce's class, too. "Today, we've asked Dana Scully to provide us with a demonstration for a few of these skills. When she's done, feel free to practice, ask questions, or offer other tips and tricks you know, so we can all be as prepared as possible."

[Written with the usual suspects, the lovely

trigons_child and

life_inshadow. ~~Please hold on for~~ OCD is up]

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Panic briefly, wondering where the food is.

Attempting to get over the deep funk her visit to Faery and saying goodbye to her mother had left her in, Leda was here, drinking a very large caffeinated beverage.

That might have something to do with the nonstop tapping of the foot.

Peter arrived, grateful the subject today was at least in the scope of things he understood quite readily.

He raised an eyebrow at the dummies that were where the snacks normally were. Before spotting the side tables, he wondered if the dummies were going to ooze candy filling or something.

Scully raised an eyebrow back at him, and asked, "What? You have a weird look on your face."

"I just got this image," Peter said, only a little embarassed at the absurdity. "Like, the dummies having oozing wounds of raspberry jelly."

James mingled in the background, noticing the lack of food.

He was slightly worried. Most gatherings on this island, from his limited experience, involved food of some sort if there were at least three people.

For a quick moment, Sookie did panic about the food -- not that it was missing, but that Karla might be responsible for it. Always a terrifying prospect.

Asuna wondered at the missing food, maybe it was like in the Reserves where they have to cross perilous walkways?

Alex wondered where the food might be but wasn't too messed up about it. She'd had her feel of sweets that morning.

Once she's pinged in (after 7pm EST), feel free to ping into this thread with comments and questions for her.

Scully took a breath, and motioned to the four practice dummies she'd hauled with her from the clinic.

"Good afternoon. I'm glad you're all interested in learning CPR." She nodded to the dummies. "This is easier in real life if it's done in pairs, to give one person a break, so I recommend that you attempt this exercise this way too. First on the dummies, then each other. If you're comfortable with that."

She forgot she was teaching teenagers for a minute there.

"First, off call (http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/quickcpr.html) for help. If someone's not breathing, there could be a million reasons why, and a real clinic is the best place for them. You're just here to hopefully keep them breathing until the paramedics arrive.

"Second, check them for non-responsiveness. Are they bleeding from the chest? Is there an obvious reason they're not breathing? Clear their mouth, make sure that they still can't breathe normally, then start."

Scully hauled the dummy that was taller than she was into view. "Tilt their head back, and listen for breathing. Pinch their nose, then give two breaths," she demonstrated, "in one second. If they're still not breathing, coughing, or moving we start CPR."

She pointed to the spot on the chest to start. "Push down right here, about one and a half to two inches, 30 times at once. You need to do it fast, about 100 times a minute, which is why it's good to have another person there to check you. Then give them two breaths again. Keep doing this until the ambulance arrives."

"Don't worry if you crack a rib," Scully added. "That happens. They might start vomiting too, which is gross, but you'll live. So will they. Tilt their head sideways, and keep going." She gave them all a grim look. "Carry mouthwash if you're extra-squeamish. And no, you're unlikely to get any blood diseases from anyone this way. You may catch their cold, but again, you'll live."

Scully went through it one more time (http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/videodemo/adult-cpr-video.html), then stood up, hands on her hips. "Any questions?"

Either on the provided dummies or on each other!

Not dirty, really. ~~Okay, maybe a little dirty~~

Scully was there, ready to help if you lost track of if it was 30 compressions a 100 times a minute or vice versa.

Asuna waved at Scully and moved to the dummies, she followed Scully's instructions and put her hands over the chest and proceeded to compress but did so carefully, aware that she could crack a rib at first go.

"Perfectly. Now breathe into the mouth again," Scully said, watching, "Two puffs. Do they have anything like this where you're from? It looks like you've done it before."

"I've seen it on TV," she explained, "But I've never done it before."

She pinched the dummy's nose, tilted its head and puffed two times. Asuna glanced at Scully, "Did I do it right?"

"Yes. That's right, make sure it's tilted back like that, so the air goes straight down the throat," Scully explained, very serious. "The point is to keep the heart going until mechanical or electrical assistance can arrive."

Asuna tilted the head back slightly. "Mechanical or electrical assistance? You mean, those paddle things that kind of zap you back to life?"

"Defibrillation," Scully said automatically. "Yes, what they're doing is kind of, mmmm. Re-setting the heart, in case of irregular rhythm or heart stoppage. It shocks the heart back into its natural rhythm, at least long enough to get them more help." She frowned. "I should have brought an AED (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_external_defibrillator) with me to show you guys how to do that too. Most of the automatic ones can diagnose how much voltage to use on someone if their heartbeat is irregular."

"Oh, it doesn't re-start the heart?" She asked, puzzled. " I thought that's what it does? I mean, all the movies kind of show the patients flatlining and then they bring out the defib-- defib-- the paddle thingies and suddenly the heart starts beating again!"

"The larger, more intensive ones can," Scully said. "But they require a lot more training to use. An AED is very simple, and I could show you guys how to use it, but I wouldn't want you trying it on someone whose heart has stopped completely. You'd at least need full paramedic training for that."

Asuna chuckled and said, "I wouldn't want another person's heart to stop just for an experiment!"

Scully smiled in amusement at Asuna, and said, "Well, if you-- or any of you," she added, looking around, "Want more instruction, I work at the Clinic on Thursdays. It's usually pretty quiet, so feel free to come by for more information."

"Can I really?" Asuna asked, perking up. After all, with all the things Negi and her friends get up to she might need to know these things. "I think I'll take you up on that! When are you usually in the clinic?"

Scully's smile widened. "Eight to four, usually, and I usually eat at the Clinic." Much to the nurse's dismay. Workaholic got thrown around a lot. "So feel free to come by any time. I'd be happy to show you more."

"I'll do that, I'll even bring my notebook to take notes!"

What kind of Healing magics are available and how do they work? Who has other non-magical healing skills? These are important to know before an emergency.

Also, when are some times when it's more appropriate not to use magic for Healing?

"There are medicinal plants and herbs," Tara offered. "I don't think most of them are magic enough to do anything drugs don't do, but they might be a better choice if somebody has a drug allergy, or if you can't get to a pharmacy."

"Maybe we should do some kind of herb workshop?" Karla said, thinking of Katniss. "Herbs that are useful, either for eating or medicines? If nothing else, at least people will know that wild dill makes for an excellent addition to salad."

And, considering Fandom and its eccentricities, there was no rule that said they wouldn't end up having to live off the land at some point anyway.

Tara considered it. "That's a good idea to do during the summer," she said. "Catch things while they're in season, right?"

Karla nodded. "Maybe organize something in the Preserve," she mused. "I wouldn't be surprised at all to find some kind of wild herb bed in there."

[I swear, I did not set out which the intention of pinging every character you have today. However, I'm now on the lookout for Henry and Christian anyway!]

"Salves? Talismen? To supplement the herbs," he said, listening to the other conversation. "Some caches of aid at points around the island, wrapped in oilskin to keep out the rain."

Or in plastic food containers, or sealed military surplus ammo boxes, or...

"I had a very similar idea," Karla said. "Boxes filled with gauze, aspirin, dried food, blankets, and a few bottles of water. Not much, but enough to maybe keep someone alive."

"That should be easy to do. Dorms, school, cabins. Maybe in some of the shops in town, too?"

"I was thinking out near the rocky bits, in the preserve, by the beach. Places that don't normally have such amenities nearby," Karla said. "Most of the dorms and stores have at least a first aid kit, I think."

"How do we make this happen?" he asked, thinking he would stash some in his own secret places near the warehouses.

"As far as I know, there is no one with healing gifts exactly like my own," Raven began to explain. "My empathy allows me to take pain away from others and dispel it, healing their bodies in the process. I have not encountered anything I could not heal."

She wasn't boasting, just being factual! OK, maybe boasting a little. She was rather proud of herself for that.

"In my world," Sookie said hesitantly, "vampire blood can heal wounds, and there are, um, lasting aftereffects." As all three of the girls would recall. "I don't have it on hand, um, ever, and I'd rather not use it again without another option -- but if you're ever home with me and get hurt, it's a consideration."

"I don't know any healing magics but my friend has that kind of magic, she was able to stop him from turning into stone."

There are only three of them today.

*shakes fist at Comic Con*

Raven was there, and she was never going to understand people who turned down her offers of magical healing.

Stupid stubborn people. Hrmph.

Tara was sitting cross-legged on the ground, feeding a hedgehog raisins.

If hedgehogs didn't eat raisins, Kennedy didn't know that well enough to complain.

Karla still thought an extra week of Twister would be fun, but loved Healing enough that this was an acceptable substitute.

"So I hear I missed a lot of fun last week."

"Twister!" Karla said, smiling a bit. "I'd never played. Have you?"

"No." Leda admitted. "I'm not sure I'd ever heard of it before."

[Sorry! Was out of town yesterday.]

*secretly wants to go to SDCC*

*laughs at the use of the term 'secretly'*

*eyes sad, unused press credentials*

I'm so in that same boat.

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Combined Magic and Support Reserves, Wednesday Afternoon

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Scully's Demo

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Discussion

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OOC

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