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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Watching Dr Oz 11/29/12: JR Martinez Story of Survival, Emergency Preparedness, What To Do If An Aneurysm Strikes, What To Do For A Heart Attack, Emergency Preparedness Items

The Dr. Oz Show
Airdate: November 29, 2012
Dr. Oz: J.R. Martinez Surviving The Unthinkable


  • J.R. Martinez shares his story of survival
  • Dr. Oz discussed three emergency situations. Would you know what to do?
  • What to do if you had an aneurysm?
  • Would you know to do if you had a heart attack?
  • Top five emergency preparedness items to keep on hand

Dr. Oz sits down with J.R. Martinez, the army vet who survived a traumatic fire in Iraq and turned the experience into an inspiration for millions. What would you do in the case in a medical emergency? Dr. Oz takes viewers through emergency medical situations and describes what you should do to save a life. Do you have an emergency preparedness kit at home? Dr. Oz shares he wants you to have on hand in case of a natural disaster.

Photo credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Dr. Oz: J.R. Martinez Surviving The Unthinkable

Dr. Oz read J.R. Martinez's book Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit and knew he had to talk to him. Mr. Martinez was severely burned whiled serving in Iraq. He has turned his life into an inspirational story that he shares with the world.

Mr. Martinez enlisted in the Army at the age of 19 and was sent to Iraq. The truck he was traveling in struck a bomb and both the truck and Mr. Martinez were engulfed in flames. Three years and 33 surgeries later, Mr. Martinez was put back together however he looked a little different. His face and most of his body were scared.

His healing included more than simply healing from the burns. Mr. Martinez had to understand and learn who he had become.

When Mr. Martinez realized he was on fire and trapped in the military truck he thought he was going to die so much so he saw his mother receiving a flag at his own funeral. His sister, who passed away before she he was born, presented herself to him and said he was going to survive. She is his guardian angel.

Growing up, Mr. Martinez wanted to be a football player. He was handsome, had many friends, had a great life. An injury ended his hopes to pursue football and he made the fateful decision to join the Army.

Dr. Oz showed how doctors saved Mr. Martinez's life with 15 skin graphs to cover the extensive areas of his body that were severely burned. Having treated burn victims, Dr. Oz said he understands how painful burns can be and expressed his dismay over how Mr. Martinez lived through the pain of that experience.

For several weeks, Mr. Martinez said he was inconsolable and continually crying. His mother has always been his strength and she confronted her son to bring him out of his depression. She entered his hospital room and told him he can't know at that moment why this happened but if he got through the surgeries and healing he could begin to understand his new purpose in life.

While in the hospital, Mr. Martinez began speaking with other burn victims and saw that he could help. He realized that he had the gift of public speaking and turned to a veterans groups and began a mission of sharing his story with the world as a motivational speaker.

The producers of soap opera All My Children were looking into a story line of an injured soldier returning to normal life. Instead of hiring an actor to play a wounded vet they went looking for a solider with acting experience to bring realism to the role. Mr. Martinez took a chance and auditioned for the part.

Mr. Martinez shared a story of meeting a young boy who was staring at him. The boy came up to him and said “Whoa, what happened to you? You don't look normal.” Instead of taking that moment and making it personal and making it mean something negative about him, Mr. Martinez used humor and turned the situation around to a positive one. He turned to the boy and said “I was just thinking the same thing of you.” And they laughed.

Mr. Martinez has taken part in the new Documentary Trial By Fire that shares the story of people across the country whose lives have changed after traumatic burns nearly took their lives.

While working on All My Children, Mr. Martinez met Diana who later became his wife. He had to fell comfortable with himself and who is grown to be. The couple now have a young daughter who makes his life mean so much more.

Dr. Oz asked if Mr. Martinez knows why this happened? It's my destiny, said Mr. Martinez. He feels his life is meant to share his story and to light a fire, so to speak, for other people to seek out the world of opportunity that is out there. Because he accepted what happened to him, he feels he is a better person and he wants his life to be an inspiration to others.

Dr. Oz: JR Meets His Biggest Fan

Bethany was just three years old when a pile of burning trash in her yard was blown on to her and burned over 50% of her body.

She saw Mr. Martinez on Season 13 of Dancing With The Stars in 2011 and was inspired by his journey through recovery and his determination to regain confidence in himself and go out in public and appear on TV. She now wants to share her story and help other burn victims recover and regain a normal life.

Mr. Martinez shared a dance with Bethany on The Dr. Oz Show. 

Dr. Oz: Emergency Preparedness

Life can change in an instant, as J.R. Martinez knows well. Would you know what to do if a medial emergency unfolded in front of you? Dr. Oz shares three common emergency situations and explains the correct way to handle them.

Dr. Oz Emergency Preparedness: Fainting
What would you do if someone fainted?
A. Lift their feet above their head
B. Shake them gently until they wake up
C. Elevate their head

Dr. Oz polled today's audience and the majority answered C, but they were wrong! The correct response if someone faints is A. Lift their feet above their head.

Dr. Oz: Correct Response to Fainting
  1. When you lay down, the blood is evenly distributed throughout the body. While standing, the blood rushes to the feet. If someone faints the best first response is to elevate the feet so that blood can move to the heart and the head.
  2. Check to see if they are conscience.
  3. Check to see if the person is breathing.
  4. Check their pulse.
  5. Call 911. Always call for help when someone faints even if the person regains conciseness and says they are fine. Fainting can be a sign of a serious medical issue and a person who has fainted should see a doctor to determine the cause and rule out possible medical concerns.
Dr. Oz Emergency Preparedness: Bleeding
If you or someone has a deep gash or cut that is bleeding, what should you do?
A. Immediately clean the cut with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide
B. Apply pressure with clean cloth
C. Run under cold water

90% of those polled answered B and they are correct, apply pressure with a clean cloth.

Dr. Oz: Correct Response to Bleeding
  1. Find a clean towel or rag, apply pressure, and elevate above heart.
  2. If the blood is squirting from the cut that indicates an artery has been damaged and call 911.
  3. Apply a clean cloth for 5-10 minutes, if the cut is still bleeding then determine if a trip to the doctor or the ER is warranted.
  4. Wrap the cut with gauze wrap. If no gauze is available then use paper towels or toilet paper (then go buy gauze).

Dr. Oz Emergency Preparedness: Seizure
If you see someone fall to the ground begin shaking and foaming at the mouth, what do you do?
A. Turn them on their side
B. Find a wooden spoon and place it under their tongue
C. Stabilize them by holding them still

50% said A and that's concerning to Dr. Oz because more people need to know how to handle this situation.

Dr. Oz: Correct Response to Seizure
  1. If person has seizure while sitting then get them on the ground, make sure the person is on their side so that they won't choke on any fluid that comes out.
  2. Do not hold the person down.
  3. If they have tight clothing on or a tie remove or loosen the clothing.
  4. Call 911.
[I would add to this response list to do your best to time the seizure. The length of the seizure could be important for someone who suffers from them frequently. Working in retail, there were several occasions when people suffered from seizures in the store. One person had epilepsy and for them, it was important to know how long the seizure was because it helped their doctors determine if prescribed medications were or weren't helping reduce the seizures.]

Dr. Oz: What To Do For An Aneurysm

An aneurysm may seem like one of the least likely medical emergency however one in 50 suffer from a seizure everyday and 60% of them are women. That's one aneurysm occurring every 18 minutes.

Dr. Carolyn Brockington, MD, vascular neurologist, said everyone is at risk and risks increase as we age. Women are more at risk then men.

With a demonstration, Dr. Oz and Dr. Brockington explained what happens with an aneurysm. A weakened blood vessel can create a bubble along the vessel which can grow until it bursts. Blood from that burst vessel enters the brain and that blood in the brain is toxic.

Dr. Brokington said an aneurysm will feel like the worst headache of your life with sudden and severe pain. It's vital to get to hospital immediately if you suspect an aneurysm may be occurring.

To help determine if a strong headache is an aneurysm, Dr. Brokington detailed three key symptoms.

Dr. Oz: Aneurysm Symptom #1: Pain
Locate the source of the pain. Typically pain resulting from an aneurysm can be above and behind the eye. The will be searing and come on suddenly.

Dr. Oz: Aneurysm Symptom #2: Droopy Eyelid and Enlarged Pupil
Before the massive, major pain of an aneurysm starts, many patients say that they notice one eyelid becoming droopy and have seen the pupil of the same eye becoming enlarged.

Dr. Oz: Aneurysm Symptom #3: Numbness or Weakness
Numbness or weakness that develops on one side of the body or face is another symptom of an aneurysm. This symptom is similar to stroke and Dr. Brokington explained that an aneurysm is actually a type of stroke. Like a stroke, an aneurysm is also an injury to the brain where blood flow is constricted. The sooner you get medical treatment the greater chances of recovery and survivability. Call 911 immediately, this is not the time to drive yourself to the emergency room.

Dr. Oz: What To Do For A Heart Attack

Dr. Lori Mosca, MD, MPH, PhD, is Director of Preventive Cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and author of Heart to Heart: A Personal Plan for Creating a Heart - Healthy Family. She joined Dr. Oz to discuss what to do if you suspect you're having a heart attack as well as the most common symptoms.

Dr. Oz Step #1 If You're Having a Heart Attack: Call 911
The most important step is to call 911. Surprisingly, only about 50% people who suspect they are having a heart attack call for help.

Dr. Oz Step #2 If You're Having a Heart Attack: 325mg Aspirin
Most people take the aspirin before calling 911 and that's in opposite order, says Dr. Mosca. Aspirin masks several symptoms of the heart attack then the patient thinks it was a passing discomfort and doesn't seek help. Their risks of death increase by leaps and bounds.

Dr. Oz Step #3 If You're Having a Heart Attack: Lay Down
Unlock the door and lay down until help arrives. A surprising amount of women try to tidy up their house, clean the dishes, and put on make-up before help arrives. Emergency personnel doesn't care if there are dishes in the kitchen sink or if you are in your PJ's without make-up, they are intent on saving lives.

Dr. Oz Heart Attack Symptoms

[On the 10/25/12 episode of The Dr. Oz Show, guest Rosie O'Donnell discussed, for the first time, her brush with death after suffering a heart attack. In that episode, Dr. Oz discussed common symptoms of a heart attack and how symptoms of a heart attack manifest differently in men then in women.] Today, he continues that discussion and provides even more information on how to spot and how to respond to symptoms of a heart attack.

Dr. Oz Heart Attack Symptom #1: Pain
Heart attack victims report a radiating pain that can develop in different areas from the arms to the chest as well as the back. This pain typically happens during simple acts of picking up something light or the common act of picking up a child.

Dr. Mosca explained that the finger point test can help differentiate between muscle pain and pain from a heart attack. If you can't pinpoint the pain with one finger then it might be a heart attack.

Chest pain is thought to be a classic sign of a heart attack and yet in actuality chest is pressure, like a vice on the chest, is more prevalent and the pain will last longer than a minute.

Dr. Oz Heart Attack Symptom #2: Exhaustion
Heart attack patients often feel a fatigue that won't go away. It's a fatigue that is more than low energy from working too hard. Instead, patients say they are so tired they can't get out of bed, an overwhelming exhaustion. Over 80% of people who had a heart attack report that they felt fatigue for 3-6 months before the actual heart attack. Dr. Oz said that sort of exhaustion is a whispered symptom.

Dr. Oz Heart Attack Symptom #3: Out of Breath
Even if you haven't been exercising regularly or are out of shape, the shortness of breath that is associated with a heart attack comes during normal activities. It's described as not a painful type of breathing but rather a case of not being able to catch the breath. 

Dr. Oz: Top 5 Emergency Prep Items

Life can change in an instant, be it a medical emergency or a natural disaster. Dr. Oz says to have these items in your home in case disaster strikes.

Dr. Oz Emergency Prep Item #1: Water Purifying Tablets
Access to clean water is essential to survival. Water purifying tablets allow you to maintain hydration during a disaster. Widely available at sporting good stores for about $8.

Dr. Oz Emergency Prep Item #2: Boxes of Milk
Boxes of milk that don't require refrigeration until it's open can increase your available nutrition should stores be closed after a natural disaster. Shelf-stable milk cartons can store for 7 months or longer and are available in a variety of dairy and dairy-free options – chocolate milk too!

Dr. Oz Emergency Prep Item #3: Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is an energy- and protein-packed food that can last 2 years in the pantry. Check the label and choose a variety that doesn't need to be refrigerated. [With all the peanut butter recalls lately, I think I'll opt for almond butter instead!]

Dr. Oz Emergency Prep Item #4: Canned Fish
Dr. Oz recommends to have on hand three days worth of canned fish per person to provide a valuable source of protein nutrition. Canned fish can store for four years.

Dr. Oz Emergency Prep Item #5: Canned Lentils
Canned lentils provide fiber and protein for a hearty vegetarian meal and can last up to 3 years on the pantry shelf.


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