In our first post in this three part series on firearms, we looked at some statistics regarding gun violence as well as why a bullet does damage. It's not just because it makes a hole. Promise. In part two we looked at what a "caliber" is and looked at some gross pictures. In this, the final post in the series, I spoke with a Justice of the Peace/Coroner, a paramedic and a gunshot wound victim. They allnoted a few things that could add more realism to your work in progress.
Justice of the Peace/Coroner (In the state of Texas, a Justice of the Peace acts as Coroner for a county without a Medical Examiner.)
This judicial officer said that all gunshot wounds can be fatal. There's no "safe place" to shoot a character. So, don't assume that if your protagonist is shot in the hand that all should be just fine. She also noted that most of what she sees on TV seems fake. And, if a victim is high on drugs, they can keep fighting, even with multiple wounds, for an unbelievable amount of time.
The JoP also pointed out that gunshot wounds can be very bloody. And, the more traumatic the wound, the stronger the smell. If a bullet hits the head, brain matter can go everywhere. The bullet's trajectory is one way to determine if your character's wound to the head, or anywhere else, was self inflicted.
Paramedic
Just as the JoP said that bullet wounds can be very bloody, a paramedic said that sometimes they aren't very bloody at all. This paramedic attended to a victim recently who had five bullet wounds. A few were bandaged with only Tegaderm, a transparent medical dressing that looks like tape. He said that exit wounds were not always the huge, gaping holes as are sometimes portrayed on screen. In fact, the exit wound could be smaller than the bullet. If a bullet doesn't exit the body and is near the surface of the skin, it can be seen through the skin and felt. And, though very injured and with multiple wounds on the body, gunshot victims aren't always screaming in pain.
Gunshot Victim
This victim echoed what the paramedic said, when shot he didn't cry out pain. In fact, he told me that he didn't know he had been shot. The bullet hit him near the knee but he went to the ground from the impact.
In the ambulance he was given IV painkillers. When the painkillers ebbed his leg felt like dead weight. It was over a week before he went in for surgery to remove the bullet. While it was still lodged in his leg, he described the sensation as "screaming pain." After the bullet was removed, the pain was less intense but still excruciating. For weeks the slightest movement in the limb woke him up at night.
Sensations Noted by Other Gunshot Victims
Many victims say that upon being shot, they felt no pain. More than the breech of the bullet they felt its impact and describe it like being hit by a bat. Some looked at the wound with confusion and shock, not quite believing what they were seeing.
When the sensations of pain set it, they are noted as a deep numbness that gives way to burning. Sharp pain may follow similar to a bee sting or as intense, stabbing pain. If shot in the abdomen, internal bleeding will put pressure on internal organs and cause intense pain. The flow of blood causes a warm sensation as well as one that is cold and wet. Cleaning the wound is noted as sometimes being far more painful than the wound itself.
What many victims reported most about their injury is something seldom seen on pages or screens: the emotional aftereffects. A friend of mine was shot during a fight. What he endured physically paled in comparison to what he suffered mentally. If your character is shot in an assault, or even in an accident, it is reasonable for them to suffer symptoms of PTSD which far exceeds physical healing time. And, it just so happens, PTSD will be the subject of our next post. Until then, enjoy these videos of trauma team management of gunshot wounds. The first is a from single bullet that penetrated both legs and the second is gunshot wound to the neck. You will be directed to YouTube to see the first.
For more great resources on writing realistic fights and battles, visit my blog at FightWrite.net . Oh, and, be sure to check out my book with Writer's Digest set to release on June 11.
https://thoughtcatalog.com/holly-riordan/2017/02/26-gunshot-survivors-explain-exactly-what-the-bullet-felt-like/
http://americanshootingjournal.com/heres-what-it-feels-like-to-get-shot/
