I was recently asked a question by writer Rebekah Sikyta regarding recovering from blood loss. She wrote:
If he (her character) loses a fair amount of blood (I’m thinking like Class II hemorrhage, but it happens over a couple hours) and passes out, how long will he remain unconscious once the bleeding is stopped? Also, how will he feel when he wakes up? What will his recovery look like in terms of lingering effects of the blood loss?
This is a great question. If you aren’t familiar with what she means by class II hemorrhage, look over this post on blood loss. There’s a ton of variables at play here.
Things to Consider When Recovering from Blood Loss
First, you must consider the setting. The era will have a dramatic impact on recovering from blood loss because it will decide the level of medical knowledge and care that is available.
Second, the size of the character matters. Larger people simply have more blood. When speaking of classifications of hemorrhage, blood loss is considered by percentage rather than measured amounts. However, it will take a small person much less time to lose, say, twenty percent of their blood than it would a person twice that size. And, again, it’s just because the larger has more blood.
Third, speed of blood loss has a huge impact on one’s ability to survive. If you lose it too quickly, the body is less able to adapt to the lack of o2 traveling to the cells. So, your character is more likely to survive a Class II hemorrhage that bleeds out slowly rather than all at once.
Fourth, be sure that you don’t write the wound in the gut. When you cut into the abdominal area you run the risk of sepsis and that complicates everything and your character could easily die even with modern medicine.
Regenerating Blood Is Only Part of the Problem.
When you donate a pint of blood, the body is able to regenerate that blood volume in under 48 hours. However, it can take up to a month or more for the red blood cell count to return to normal. That is why you must wait at least fifteen weeks between blood donations. When RBC count is low, the body has to work much harder to get oxygen to the cells.
Symptoms of Anemia
A low RBC count causes anemia. Symptoms of anemia are:
- Easy fatigue and loss of energy.
- Unusually rapid heart beat, particularly with exercise.
- Shortness of breath and headache, particularly with exercise.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Dizziness.
- Pale skin.
- Leg cramps.
- Insomnia.
Back to the Question
So, how long will it take a character to recover from a class II hemorrhage – 15-30% loss of blood volume? There is no hard and fast timetable. Outside of a medical setting where IV fluids and/or transfusions are available, it’s equally feasible that they live or die. If they live, they have quite a road to recovery. They may go unconscious or be so weak that communication is limited. How long they may be unconscious is hard to say. They may be conscious but simply to weak to open their eyes or speak. I would imagine you could feasibly allow them to be unresponsive for a full day.
While recovering will need lots of rest and fluids. The more fluids the better. As soon as they are able to eat, they need foods high in iron. It is completely feasible that they are weak for more than a month depending upon how young and otherwise healthy they are. Because, remember, even after blood volume has returned to normal, it will take much more time to build up the RBC count.
While recovering from blood loss the character will tire quickly. Just having a conversation might tire them out. As tired as they are, they may not be able to sleep. They may have headaches and leg cramps. Walking might be difficult for a week. If they need to go anywhere, they will need to be transported.
The Takeaway
Blood loss like this is great when you need a character to be down but not dead. It also allows the opportunity for a lot of dialogue as they recover. It’s also a great for when you want all the other characters, and maybe reader, to think they are dead but then PLOT TWIST they alive!!!!!
Send me questions any time, writers. For reals. I love them!
Until the next round at FightWrite™, get blood on your pages!
You need to participate in a contest for among the finest blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
You are my aspiration, I possess few blogs and infrequently run out from to brand.
The other day, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this information So i am happy to convey that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to do not forget this web site and give it a look on a constant basis.
You made some clear points there. I did a search on the subject and found most people will go along with with your site.
What i don’t understood is in truth how you’re now not really much more smartly-liked than you might be right now. You’re very intelligent. You recognize therefore significantly with regards to this topic, made me personally imagine it from a lot of numerous angles. Its like men and women aren’t involved until it is one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs excellent. At all times handle it up!
I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my web site :).
Some genuinely great info , Sword lily I found this. “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Wohh exactly what I was searching for, regards for putting up.
As a Newbie, I am constantly browsing online for articles that can aid me. Thank you
What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It positively useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to contribute & aid other users like its helped me. Good job.
Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.
I haven’t checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
It?¦s really a nice and useful piece of information. I?¦m satisfied that you simply shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Those are yours alright! . We at least need to get these people stealing images to start blogging! They probably just did a image search and grabbed them. They look good though!
I gotta favorite this internet site it seems very beneficial very beneficial
I got good info from your blog
Great site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also.
I gotta favorite this site it seems very beneficial extremely helpful
I gotta bookmark this web site it seems very beneficial very beneficial
I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I?¦ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my site 🙂
You have remarked very interesting details! ps decent internet site.
This is really attention-grabbing, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and sit up for looking for extra of your great post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks!
You got a very fantastic website, Gladiola I detected it through yahoo.
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided me.
Wonderful goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely magnificent. I really like what you have acquired here, really like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is really a tremendous site.
I have read some just right stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how so much effort you put to create the sort of magnificent informative site.
It’s laborious to search out educated people on this subject, but you sound like you already know what you’re talking about! Thanks
I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!
I’ve recently started a blog, the information you offer on this website has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work. “Everyone is responsible and no one is to blame.” by Will Schutz.
I have learn some just right stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how a lot attempt you place to make such a wonderful informative website.
This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
Just wanna tell that this is very beneficial, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
I wish to show some thanks to this writer just for rescuing me from this challenge. After scouting throughout the world-wide-web and obtaining principles which are not powerful, I assumed my life was well over. Living without the solutions to the issues you have resolved through your review is a serious case, and the ones which could have in a negative way affected my career if I hadn’t noticed the website. Your own talents and kindness in taking care of everything was useful. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a thing like this. It’s possible to at this time look ahead to my future. Thanks for your time very much for the professional and amazing help. I won’t be reluctant to refer your web site to anybody who would like guidance about this matter.
I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this information So i am happy to convey that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to don’t forget this web site and give it a look regularly.
Some truly interesting points you have written.Helped me a lot, just what I was searching for : D.
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one nowadays..
Hello! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa? My site addresses a lot of the same topics as yours and I think we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Superb blog by the way!
There is evidently a lot to know about this. I believe you made various nice points in features also.
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is great blog. An excellent read. I will definitely be back.
I carry on listening to the newscast lecture about getting free online grant applications so I have been looking around for the top site to get one. Could you advise me please, where could i find some?
you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
My spouse and i got excited that Edward could round up his survey with the ideas he made through the web site. It’s not at all simplistic just to choose to be giving freely guidelines that many a number of people have been selling. Therefore we do understand we’ve got the writer to be grateful to for that. The type of illustrations you have made, the simple web site navigation, the friendships your site assist to create – it’s all exceptional, and it’s assisting our son in addition to our family imagine that the article is pleasurable, and that’s extraordinarily fundamental. Thank you for everything!
I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or blog posts in this sort of space . Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i am glad to exhibit that I have a very just right uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I such a lot indisputably will make sure to do not fail to remember this web site and provides it a look on a constant basis.
I have recently started a site, the info you offer on this website has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
I am not sure where you are getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for excellent information I was looking for this information for my mission.
Hello my friend! I wish to say that this post is amazing, nice written and come with approximately all significant infos. I would like to look more posts like this .
I regard something genuinely interesting about your web blog so I saved to my bookmarks.
Thanks for every other informative site. Where else may I am getting that kind of info written in such a perfect method? I’ve a mission that I am just now working on, and I have been at the glance out for such information.
Thank you, I have just been looking for information approximately this subject for a long time and yours is the greatest I have found out so far. However, what about the conclusion? Are you certain concerning the source?
Some genuinely great information, Gladiolus I discovered this.
I have been checking out a few of your posts and i must say pretty good stuff. I will definitely bookmark your site.
Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.
Would you be all for exchanging links?
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this superb blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will talk about this site with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
Appreciating the hard work you put into your blog and detailed information you present. It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Great read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
I visited a lot of website but I conceive this one has something extra in it in it
Keep functioning ,remarkable job!