The one thing I hate about my job!

[Riff Raff]

Often we go to patient's who live in deplorable conditions, where you have to navigate through the rubbish in the house, your sinuses shut down from the stink of cat piss and other smells too horrible to contemplate, you can't see the carpet for the dirt etc. And you get the person to hospital and then you feel it.... there's something moving around on your skin and you're starting to feel really itchy. One time I got 42 flea bites in half an hour. And those little suckers get everywhere - in your clothes, in the ambulance, on station and if you're really unlucky, they come home with you!
I've got 14 bites on my tummy and arms from yesterday and the itching is driving me mad.

Now I know that tea tree oil combed through hair is a good preventative for nits - so does anyone know of anything I can use to deter fleas (apart from putting on all my wet weather gear then taping all possible entry points up before entering a house)?

[Lucyloo]

Eeeeeewwwwww!!!!
Whatever you guys get paid....it's not enough!
L.

[RiderInBlack]

We hates them.
We hates them.
Little trickies they are.

Ripcord or Permoxin the fu*kers. Do your whole house, specially the bed. I spay the Ambo too if I was allowed.

[zadok]

It's amazing how some people live. There is no excuse for it. Sheer lazyness. I don't envy your job when you come accross these sort of conditions. Even if they are sick you would think a relative or friend would be able to chip in and help clean the place up.

[vifferman]

Would normal insect repellant (like "Shoo" or whatever) work? I know fleas are attracted by heat, whereas other biting insects act on CO2 and smell, but maybe it would dissuade them from staying on you once they leapt aboard?

[bugjuice]

you sure it wasn't off WT? not comin round your place for a while then..

I guess in your line of work, it leaves you open to absolutely everything concieveable to human-kind in NZ.. and foreigners..

[Ixion]

It's amazing how some people live. There is no excuse for it. Sheer lazyness. I don't envy your job when you come accross these sort of conditions. Even if they are sick you would think a relative or friend would be able to chip in and help clean the place up.

Many old people have no relatives near them (children nowdays piss off overseas instead of staying home like dutiful daughters to look after Mum and Dad - ungrateful little buggers), and any friends they may have left are likely to be as old and sick as they are.

And if you are near blind or crippled with arthritis, just staying alive calls for all the little strength you may have left. Lazy ? Perhaps. But I would not want to thus denigrate old people when I don't suffer as they do. Something about walking in the other person's shoes.

And often that flea ridden moggy is the only comfort and friend the old person may have.

Perhaps if the community as a whole showed more concern for it's older members these problems would not happen.

There are organisations in every country and city that will be delighte dto receive offers of volunteer help to assist old people. What have YOU (hypothetical you) done to help ?

[MSTRS:Me]

Something about walking in the other person's shoes.

After walking a mile in your shoes, you can go get........cos I'll be a mile away AND I'll have your shoes

Many old people have no relatives near them (children nowdays piss off overseas instead of staying home like dutiful daughters to look after Mum and Dad - ungrateful little buggers), and any friends they may have left are likely to be as old and sick as they are.

And if you are near blind or crippled with arthritis, just staying alive calls for all the little strength you may have left. Lazy ? Perhaps.

And often that flea ridden moggy is the only comfort and friend the old person may have.

Perhaps if the community as a whole showed more concern for it's older members these problems would not happen.

There are organisations in every country and city that will be delighte dto receive offers of volunteer help to assist old people. What have YOU (hypothetical you) done to help ?

Our much vaunted 'western society has much to be ashamed of, but are you sure that RiffRaff was talking about 'old' people?

[Hitcher]

The bad news is that there is no deterent for fleas. They are attracted to movement and body heat. All I could recommend would be something like a biohazard suit that would deny them access to human flesh.

It sure is enlightening seeing how "the other half" live. Many who live in such squalid conditions choose to blame their landlord for allowing such conditions. As if...

[Lou Girardin]

Now I know that tea tree oil combed through hair is a good preventative for nits - so does anyone know of anything I can use to deter fleas (apart from putting on all my wet weather gear then taping all possible entry points up before entering a house)?

Flamethrower? Thermite grenade? Back pack sprayer full of Frontline?

[John]

Cant you get hold of surplus morphine over its expriry date? I see that to be the only answer

[justsomeguy]

Used to have a similar problem when we used to go into the forests back in India on long hiking/ camping trips.....

Don't know if you have time to do it.... but go and have a proper shower with a good antiseptic soap IMMEDIATELY AFTER RETURNING FROM THE DIRTY HOUSE to clean off any fleas and to help with the bites (just soothes them) and change into another pair of clothes.....if possible also another pair of shoes and socks too.

Wash the clothes you've been wearing well in some strong soap and dettol or something like that....

Get some anti flea powder (I'm sure there should be something suitable for people) and carry it in your ambo and apply some before you enter the house if it looks dodgy, if you can't find any people friendly powder try a small bit of animal powder on a small patch on your body--- you know...

Spray the ambo well with those insect repellant sprays and drive with the windows open or with a small air mask/ scarf wrapped around your nose or whatever if you have to, to stop you breathing the fumes. Or spray and leave overnight.... whatever...

[Motoracer]

Not really kidding but when you are exposed to that kind of an enviroment, how about a choice to use bio hazzard type of suits? I know it sounds over the top but if your personal health is at risk, I reckon you should be able to wear some form of an additional protection from such threats.

Failing that, there's always flee colors (sp) to wear around your wrist and ankels.

[Riff Raff]

Firstly it's very rarely elderly people who are the problem.

If we have the chance to change clothing, obviously we do - but it's not always possible. Usually put clothing in a bag, spray heaps of fly spray into the bag then shut tightly and leave for 24 hours before washing.

It's just one of the hazards of the job unfortunately.

[TwoSeven]

Fly spray works well.