Injuries Resulting From Getting Stuck in a Chimney

What injuries might be sustained if a man playing Santa became trapped while sliding down the chimney?

Yes, Virginia, Santa Claus has gotten stuck in a chimney.

Despite sometimes appearing large on the outside, the inside of a chimney isn’t very big, usually has an offset course (ie, not straight up-and-down), and typically narrows at the flue. Individuals become trapped at variable distances. Rescue generally involves the fire department extracting the victim from above.

From a medical standpoint, cuts, scrapes, and bruises are very common, and broken bones aren’t unusual. Depending on the length of time before discovery, dehydration may be a factor. The chest may not be able to fully expand, and muscle fatigue can set in if the victim is trapped and not discovered for an extended period. Environmental concerns may also come into play—hot or cold weather.

Without timely rescue asphyxiation (suffocation) can occur, leading to death. As you can imagine, in this case it’s necessary to disassemble the chimney to free the body.
There are bizarre reports of skeletons discovered in chimneys—none in Santa suits to my knowledge.

Moral of the story: leave a couple of footprints on the hearth for the kids, but don’t try sliding down the chimney.

Questions? Comments?
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Kelly has worked in the medical field for over twenty years, mainly at large medical centers. With experience in a variety of settings, chances are Kelly may have seen it.

Sometimes truth seems stranger than fiction in medicine, but accurate medicine in fiction is fabulous.
Find her fiction at www.kellywhitley.com.
Blog: www.kellywhitleybooks.blogspot.com

A Suspect with Two Different Kinds of DNA

Can a character have one kind of DNA in his semen and another in his blood?

Yes—and it doesn’t require fantasy or magic. You’re describing a genetic chimera.
What is a chimera? In Greek mythology, this was a fire-breathing creature with the body of a lion, a goat’s head growing out of its back, and a tail comprised of a serpent.
Human chimeras are individuals with two distinct populations of cells. This can occur several different ways, but the most common is this:
Two separately fertilized ova start off as fraternal twins. Very early on, the two embryos fuse into a single individual, and the two sets of DNA are contained within that single individual. If chromosome set #1 produces the testicles and chromosome set #2 produces the blood or is responsible for the mucus membranes of the mouth (where a cheek swab for DNA is done), the two genetic profiles won’t match.
Chimeras occur more frequently in cases of in vitro fertilization.
Placental transfer of cells between mother and fetus can result in microchimerism—very small populations of genetically different cells in the mother or the fetus or both. The presence of fetal cells in the mother may have some connection to autoimmune disease (conditions in which the body perceives some of its own cells as foreign and attacks them).
Blood transfusion has been connected to microchimerism as well.
Most chimeras go through life without being discovered. The most popularized cases have been related to genetic matching for organ transplant and child custody.

Questions? Comments?
~*~
Kelly has worked in the medical field for over twenty years, mainly at large medical centers. With experience in a variety of settings, chances are Kelly may have seen it.

Sometimes truth seems stranger than fiction in medicine, but accurate medicine in fiction is fabulous.
Find her fiction at www.kellywhitley.com.
Book blog: www.kellywhitleybooks.blogspot.com

A Fatal Disease "Disappears"

The hero in my MS is in his early 30's. I need a disease or medical condition that he thinks is serious enough to leave his company in the hands of his VP for a month and go on a road trip before he dies. By the end of the journey he is healed. What disease or medical condition could he have that would disappear by "believing" it went away?

Hello.
One to consider is possible misdiagnosis of pancreatic cancer. I’ve seen an aberrant artery be diagnosed as this malignancy on a CAT scan. As weight loss is the main symptom, the guy could see a doctor for complaints of unexplained weight loss and have the CAT scan, which could in turn show the “tumor.” The prognosis for this disease is poor, with average survival of two to four months after diagnosis. This diagnosis and prognosis would certainly be grounds for getting affairs in order and completing a “bucket list” like seeing the country.

Another is viral cardiomyopathy. A virus can affect the heart muscle, severely impairing the heart’s ability to pump, leaving it weak and resulting in congestive heart failure. The main treatment is drugs and listing the patient for a heart transplant. Some patients spontaneously improve.

Questions? Comments?
Thanks to Connie at Crime Scene Writers for this question; this answer is cross-posted there. To join: crimescenewriter@yahoogroups.com
~*~
Kelly has worked in the medical field for over twenty years, mainly at large medical centers. With experience in a variety of settings, chances are Kelly may have seen it.

Sometimes truth seems stranger than fiction in medicine, but accurate medicine in fiction is fabulous.
Find her fiction at www.kellywhitley.com.
Book blog: www.kellywhitleybooks.blogspot.com

Inducing Hallucinations in a Character Using a Natural Substance

I’m writing a character left for dead in the desert in the Southwest USA. He is dehydrated and starving and eats or drinks something that makes him hallucinate. What can I use?

Dehydration alone can cause decreased level of consciousness, but true hallucinations wouldn’t be likely if the character can still walk. Consider having him come across a cactus; here’s why:
Peyote comes from a species of cactus; the active ingredient is the compound mescaline. Peyote causes visual and auditory hallucinations, lasting from a few hours up to a day. In contrast to LSD, most users are aware of being intoxicated, and peyote isn’t associated with flashbacks. It can be psychologically addictive. The character is likely to emerge without negative after effects related to the peyote itself.
Peyote has been used for centuries, including in Native American religious ceremonies. When cultivated, the cactus is cut off at ground level; the new growth consists of nodules, known as peyote buttons. These can be smoked, chewed, or soaked in liquid to make an extract. Because of its bitter taste, some users dry the plant, powder it, and put it in capsules. Excessive peyote ingestion causes nausea, anxiety, a racing heart, and occasionally delusions, during which the user can do self-harm.
Mescaline (the active compound in peyote) has been synthesized and sold as a drug. Like many illicit substances, it is often cut with other drugs or substances, which can contribute to a toxic ingestion. The unpleasant side effects have limited its popularity.

Questions? Comments?
~*~
Kelly has worked in the medical field for over twenty years, mainly at large medical centers. With experience in a variety of settings, chances are Kelly may have seen it.

Sometimes truth seems stranger than fiction in medicine, but accurate medicine in fiction is fabulous.
Find her fiction at www.kellywhitley.com.
Book blog: www.kellywhitleybooks.blogspot.com