Take Thanksgiving precautions / Avoid damaging to health, plumbing and pets

Thanksgiving is a time for family, food and fun. It's also a time for fires, burns, cuts, heartburn and clogged drains.

So today, take special care with your wings and drumsticks and you just might avoid a visit to your local emergency room.

"Keep in mind that a frozen turkey is a dangerous weapon," said Kayleen Paul, McKay-Dee Hospital Center director of critical care, trauma and emergency services.

"We have seen broken fingers, a fractured skull in a 2-year-old when his mother swung the turkey out of the car and he was standing behind her, and once, a lady who dropped the frozen turkey as she was taking it out of the freezer and broke her right foot as well as the left front paw of her black Lab standing next to her."

Speaking of pets, Paul advises against feeding your dog and cat leftover food scraps because they can cause pancreatitis, a painful and potentially life-threatening condition. Instead, focus on avoiding your own heartburn issues.

"The most common food problem that prompts post-Thanksgiving emergency department visits would be gall bladder pain after eating a huge, high-fat meal," Paul said.

"Another problem is nausea and diarrhea from food poisoning after eating leftovers that have been sitting out for hours."

Paul also said if you are traveling and bringing food with you, make sure it's kept appropriately hot or cold enough to avoid bacteria growth.

"And if you're going over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house, buckle up," Paul said.

"Gas up before the holiday, make sure the car's checked out and slow down."

If you plan on deep-frying your turkey, don't do it on a wooden deck or inside your garage, said Deanna Wolfe, trauma nurse coordinator at Ogden Regional Medical Center.

Instead, have the fryer on concrete or bare ground.

Deep-fryers can easily overflow when a cold turkey is placed in hot oil and a fire can start.

"There's a lot of cooking and baking this time of year. Closely supervise children, as they like to help and don't realize the dangers," Wolfe said.

"We took care of a child that bit a cord hanging down from a crock pot and she got burned and shocked and needed plastic surgery in her mouth and on her face. Pets can also think hanging cords are (a toy) to play with."

Wolfe also said eating a large meal causes your heart to work hard to digest all that food.

She suggests eating the equivalent of approximately the size of your fist to avoid the horrible "too full" feeling, which can be dangerous.

In a survey on Facebook, several people admitted to dropping frozen turkeys on their foot, slicing their hands with potato peelers, burning their hands while cooking, clogging the sink with potato skins and even punching family members in anger.

"Family. Ah, the best and worst part of the holiday season," Paul said.

"My best health advice is to lower your expectations. Slow down, avoid guilt and go with the flow."

Another big mistake people make is having too many people in the kitchen, Paul said.

Too many cooks or doing tasks in a rush can end in lacerations and burns. So, because knives are sharp and ovens are hot, avoid accidents by investing in flexible potholders, turning pan handles away from the edge of the stove, going slowly while cutting -- and don't get careless with the booze if you're the cook.

It's also wise to eat slowly and chew your food well to avoid choking.

Wolfe also warns against using propane heaters in closed spaces, indoors or in the same room as a water heater or furnace, to avoid carbon monoxide exposure.

If you are lucky enough to survive all the potential Thanksgiving disasters lurking in the corner, you still aren't out of the woods -- especially if you decide to hit the mall on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year.

"Be organized," Paul said. "Wear comfortable shoes, have a budget and stick to it and resolve to be polite. In the end, all will be well if you wash your hands frequently. And, sad to say, anybody who is sick should stay home and away from the festivities."