and heres another question for you......

this should be of interest to all of us. Im just looking at getting a decent first aid kit together. Bearing in mind, we are out in the sticks and I am carrying out a lot of manual work on the cave, has anybody got any suggestions of items to include. I dont dare ask Carole for advice because she would fill it with all sorts of medical things that would bring on a dizzy spell just looking at them, ('Chemo nurse', it dosen't mean she knows how to treat a wounded soldier ). Kez, my son is no good either, as a trainee drugs dispenser, he'd be telling me to stock it full of all sorts of lotions and potions Im thinking big bandages, steristrips, plasters and the like.
What do you have in your kit? Or haven't you got one!

Day Nurse and Night Nurse or something similar for when you get man 'flu!! Don't seem to be able to get that stuff here. x

Small bottle of the hard stuff to take away any pain you get

I would suggest Dave a good first aid book which all members of the family have read and know how to put into practise the contents. Practise the procedures amongst yourselves as the ''it will never happen to me'' outlook doesn't always work. A knowledge of CPR and the recovery position is important plus medication for any known allergic reaction one may have from bites and stings etc. Remember incorrectly applied first aid can cause more harm than none at all. Spicey

Nice reply Spicey, bite and sting treatment is a good idea, i'd overlooked that one!

Learn how to:
Knowledge of how to stop/stem bleeding efficiently.
How to deal with a fracture (compound ..means bone visible).
Basic CPR.
Ability to recognise a 'stroke' and/or possible 'heart attack'.

Clean materials and a few dressings. It may seem odd in this climate, but one of those shock blankets (Look like baco foil).. easily fit into a small first aid kit, but are invaluable for wrapping a casualty in to keep their temperature stable.

and a telephone!!! Emergency number same as UK / Europe. 112.

Multi-lingual operators to guide you through different scenarios.

In Spain in the campo, private vehicle becomes an ambulance once you have a white cloth/flag attached to aerial or somewhere, headlights on, horn sounding. This may be a better option than waiting for an ambulance. Estimate the distance from the nearest hospital. If it is half an hour, then may be easier/quicker to transfer casualty in a private vehicle.

A forum member broke a leg and got shipped to hospital in half the time it would have done if they had waited for an ambulance!

Great advice - I did a peadatric first aid course at home when I was on maternity leave and it is amazing what you can so quickly forget even when it is simple and essential.

I have this book with me. It lives on top of the bathroom cabinet so easily grabbed.

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Definately try to get everyone in the house to learn basics - it's no good if only you know and you are not around to help.

Seems like ice is a useful first aid treatment for stings, bumps and the like. Have emergency numbers displayed near the phone. Check use-by date too even on bandages.

Obvioulsy the internet is a useful resouce I would definately go to NHS Direct still if I was unsure about anything. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Some good info here, keep it coming. Maybe we could make a list of recomended items and make it sticky. Copy , paste and add your items.......

First Aid book
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Plasters / Streri strips
Bandages / Triangular bandages
Space Blanket
Sting relief
Eye wash
Burn relief
Night nurse / Day nurse
Immodium / Loperamide
Alchohol free wipes
Thermometer
Piriton / Antihistamine
Antacid / Indegestion relief

Brilliant info, Rosie. Didn't know that a white flag, lights & horn converted an ordinary car into an ambulance.

Excuse me if I'm duplicating, but it wasn't entirely clear from the layout of your reply that if you phone 112 and ask for an English-speaking (or whatever) operator, you'll get one.

Good idea to compile everything into a "sticky", Dave. I'd be happy to condense everyone's contributions into one post, if that's OK and any help.

Jenny wrote:Brilliant info, Rosie. Didn't know that a white flag, lights & horn converted an ordinary car into an ambulance.

Excuse me if I'm duplicating, but it wasn't entirely clear from the layout of your reply that if you phone 112 and ask for an English-speaking (or whatever) operator, you'll get one.

Good idea to compile everything into a "sticky", Dave. I'd be happy to condense everyone's contributions into one post, if that's OK and any help.

Jenny, when I rang 112 for the for the fire brigade, I was near to panic. The operator immediately transferred me to her English speaking colleague. My Spanish in a panic was soon seen through! I didn't need to ask for an English speaker! I will hasten to add that most of the villagers turned out with buckets and set up a 'chain'. about another 20 men were beating the flames. They all kept the fire in check until the fire tender arrived... from Baza! The good news is that only 3 or 4 trees perished and the rest of the plantation is still standing.

Safety pins, don't forget safety pins and tape to secure bandages. Scissors! Tweezers and needles for splinters etc. Eyewash. Antiseptic liquid or wipes. Cotton wool.

My kit includes Hypercal - a natural antiseptic cream containing hypericum and calendula which we find is good for (almost) everything.

Pain relieving spray such as Nut-med or those sticky deep heat patches, good for backs in particular.

Diarrhoea relief tablets, indigestion soothers, antihistamines.

Can you tell mine is more of a crate than a kit???

I'm now going to add a white flag to the car kit...

Most insect bites are acid based and a quick dab with household ammonia will stop them dead. Bicarb would do as well but ammonia is quicker and more effective (not good as an aftershave though)

Rosie wrote:

In Spain in the campo, private vehicle becomes an ambulance once you have a white cloth/flag attached to aerial or somewhere, headlights on, horn sounding. This may be a better option than waiting for an ambulance. Estimate the distance from the nearest hospital. If it is half an hour, then may be easier/quicker to transfer casualty in a private vehicle.

A forum member broke a leg and got shipped to hospital in half the time it would have done if they had waited for an ambulance!

Brilliant advice for those living in rural hamlets with no street names and tracks leading in all directions for sure it would be quicker, an even life saving to do the above.

There is a 24-hour medical care centre in Huescar. Which might be closer for some, for the likes of the 'walking wounded' the tpye of patients that get sat in the waiting area in an A& E deaprtment, rather blue lighted in. So Huescar not for the likes of suspected MI's, (heart attacks) need to head striaght to the A&E department in Baza. For those who are non-resident ensure you have you health insurance and E111 card available.

Directions
Driving to Hiescar from Galera. Take the first turn-off to Huéscar, which is on your left and just past the petrol station (also on your left side). Go into Huéscar and past the park on your right, the police station on your left and you will come to a junction with traffic lights. At the traffic lights turn left and the health centre is down the 2nd/3rd turning on your left side (there are lots of signs at the edge of the road you need to turn down so it’s quite easy to spot).

Directions Baza A&E department, this is easily found take A92 towards Granada / Baza and take the turn off for the hospital and follow the signs for hospital. You cannot miss it.

Pharmacy

There is also an English speaking Pharmacist in Huascar, follow the signs for the ITV centre. Look to your left and you should see it just before the ITV centre in Huescar.

Pharmacists in Spain sell many products that you would usually require a prescription for in England.

(Never get it in your eyes) It is very cheap

This is one of the reasons we bought our cave house close to the Baza Hospital it also has a Helicopter. The best people to ask this question are the Spanish.
One of the things they keep in the house is AQUA Oxigenada H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) a very good antiseptic which you can buy in all Super Markets and Chemists, (Never get it in your eyes) you can use this for so many things.

Use on wounds also it will Oxygenate your brain to get you out of being drunk (You must be careful find out how to use it first dosage in water etc.) “Ed McCABE On Oxygen Therapies” has written books on it and there are also DVDs and video tapes on the subject,

We have used it for years for many uses, paint the affected walls with it it kills mildew.