Poll: Would you amputate a Limb to possibly survive?

[Yopaz]

Limbs tend to contain large blood vessels. Amputating one in the middle of nowhere will result in me bleeding to death within minutes most likely. Specially since I'd be likely to pass out from the shock so I couldn't do any self-first-aid and all.

Pretty much this. There's also a good chance of getting infected.

I have no medical training so chances are good that I would kill myself in the process. I have a good chance of dying in pain as I bleed to death afterwards. Getting an infection could actually cause me to suffer more than dying of dehydration.

I would rather kill myself since I know that would be the most likely result regatdless. If I could be sure I would survive the amputation then I would.

 

[lunavixen]

In the second case certainly, but in the first I'd probably just kill myself with it. Getting through bone with a penknife sounds unnecessarily painful and fruitless.

the penknife wouldn't cut bone, you'd have to either break the bone and then cut the flesh away, or cut the flesh away and then try and break the bone, lateral or perpendicular pressure would work, hurt like all hell, but work.

In regards to the original post, I don't think i could do it, even if you could fashion a suitable tourniquet before you started you still have to break at least 2 bones (and the bones in your leg are much harder than the ones in your arms) and transect an artery, assuming the artery is done last, you'd have to try and avoid all the major blood vessels and sever tendons and muscle all with an unsuitable and probably semi or completely blunt blade. Even if you got free, chances are you would pass out from shock and blood loss, or bleed out before you got very far. I couldn't do it, a finger or three, maybe, but not an entire limb, there is too much to go wrong.

As for the second situation, amputating a limb would not work, as the virus would likely already be in your blood stream, so unless you're willing to amputate your head, you're still turning into a zombie.

 

[PatrickXD]

In circumstance one, I'm not sure if I would have the willpower to cut off my arm. Circumstance two, I could let that happen. In the modern world, the loss of limb is not the problem. It's more the process that requires a certain concentrated level of bravery that I can't say I have.

 

[Naeras]

Of course I would. It would make it possible to sign up for some of the mechanical limbs that are currently being experimented with, so the handicap wouldn't be that big.

And no, that's not a "lol get real that's just nerdy sci-fi". Look it up. That field is advancing so fast nowadays it's insane.

 

[viranimus]

For the last decade and a half or so, that has been a basic guaranteed inevitability.

Im quite literally just waiting around for it to happen.

 

[Aeshi]

Depends on the limb. I might give up a leg, but if it was an arm I'd probably just choose to die instead.

 

[Candidus]

In a realistic situation: an injury has lead to complications, and a doctor is explaining my options to me.

I'd give the amputation a chance and see how I feel. If I'm wrecked by the reduction in my abilities and quality of life, I can always throw myself off a building after the fact.

 

[SundayRoast]

1. I wouldn't give up and arm as my livelyhood is dependent on them. And the chances of surviving the extremely painful procedure would be extremely slim

2. Chances would be better as it would already be in a scenario where artistic merits wouldn't be necessary.
But it would once again be painful as all hell and I could likely die from a regular infection and if I didn't I'd be an easy target for other zombies. Being weak from blood loss, having only one arm to defend myself with and reeking of fresh blood.

 

[knight steel]

Plus i make fun of my friends dad for having one arm.

Wow, you have issues. Making fun of someone who is dealing with a situation that you say you would rather die than be in is just low.

I feel the same as you in regards to rather dying than live with physical impairment, which is why I have so much respect for those that do live with it, like the disabled or elderly. Sort of contradicted yourself in regards to respecting them, didn't you?

Get some morals.

Moral? Pfft ! A mechanic for people to feel better about themselves . Plus i only make fun of that one armless person not all of them . And since he's the dad of my best friend he's fair game . Actually the way he lost it is pretty tragic . He saved his son from getting hit by a car and lost his arm . I think he regrets it now lol .

Morality *_*
There is no such thing as the universal correct Morality.
Morality is Manmade it is an ideology and not an innate part of nature.
Therefore our morality is created through our experiences and perceptions.
This makes it subjective to each person and society.
What does this mean, it means that because it subjective,
there is no right or wrong moral code, because we
determine good and bad through morality the fact
that there is no correct one means, there is no such thing as good and evil.
A murder/rapist/thief is no more wrong in his actions as you are in yours.
We all simply do what benefits us- Murder is bad, but this is because I will be punished for murder. I emulate the moral behaviour of society because it is the conventional behaviour, not because I believe in it. Humans are just molecules and chemicals we live and we die this is natural how and why does not matter. Only my feeling and what effect?s me matters as I am not anyone else and cannot feel or experience what they feel-this can extend to other people but only because their state of mind/body/beliefs effects me or because the chemicals in my brain makes me feel and care for them thus coming back to Me and my wants.
However the general moral code we have has merit-after all we need morality even if it fake for society to function and society needs to function for us to progress and for us to live enjoyable life?s-and as such believing in right or wrong is healthy and I encourage it I just know deep down it not "true". With all that said there is a chance given how far humans have come, it stands to reason that maybe we were right in the basic moral code we chose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_nihilism
OP:I would try and fail spectacularly so In order to try and avoid that fate I would wait until the very last moment before trying.

 

[Nomadiac]

...Fuck. (Which, incidentally, is what I chose for Lee to say in this exact same situation in The Walking Dead.)

I mean, I'd know that it was the right choice for survival (any chance is better than none), but I don't think I could work up the courage for it. I'd probably just give up and accept death. I've never been able to deal with bodily harm (and I mean serious, permanent stuff, like amputations); doing it to myself is unthinkable.

If it were a hospital and I was in the care of qualified surgeons and under heavy anaesthetic, I'd be willing to accept it in a life-threatening situation, particularly with the advent of artificial limbs; but out in the bush, with a fucking penknife? Not going to happen, unless I have something really, incredibly important to live for..

 

[chocolate pickles]

ZIP!

{1} This scenario is already a death sentance. Cut off a limb with a pen knife? Out in the middle of nowhere? With my only hope of not dying to be an improvised staunch and no possibility of even a painful cauterization? Where the possibility of an infection might still claim me even if I manage to get free AND help? AT THIS HOUR??? I'm sorry, but if I had a machete, I'd TRY it, but my lucky blade would have my gushing for much longer than necessary because it can't be done quickly and cleanly. It's a grim prospect.

Someone actually managed to survive this scenario. It was documented in a film called 127 hours. I found a quote from wikipedia:

After freeing himself (Through amputating his trapped arm), Ralston still had to get back to his car. He climbed out of the slot canyon in which he had been trapped, rappelled down a 65-foot (20 m) sheer wall one-handed, then hiked out of the canyon in the hot midday sun. He was 8 miles (13 km) from his vehicle, and had no phone. However, while hiking out, he encountered a family on vacation from the Netherlands, Eric and Monique Meijer and their son Andy, who gave him food and water and then hurried to alert the authorities. Ralston had feared he would bleed to death; he lost 40 pounds, including 25% of his blood volume. Fortunately, the rescuers searching for Ralston, alerted by his family that he was missing, had narrowed the search down to Canyonlands and flew by in their helicopter. He was rescued six hours after amputating his arm.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Scenario #1: Fuck no. I'd just slit my wrists (along, not sideways, as I learned in the army), wait for dizziness and be done with it. The Happy Tree Friends episode is still too clear in my memory for me to be able to bear the pain.

Scenario #2: Yes, get on with it. We may nor have painkillers, but if we have booze, I'm going to get shit-faced hammered, not to mention it working as an antiseptic. Plus I have a friend to help me out with the bleeding afterwards.

A question: are we talking about the whole limb here, as in severed from shoulder or hip, or just partially? Because if the latter, I'ma get me an iron fist and start beating up the zombies that took my arm. Like Guts from Berserk!

I'd miss playing the piano though

Spoiler: BOOM! (nsfw)

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

But... but what will I use for masturbation playing videogames?

I suppose in a life or death situation I would probably cut my arm off, but I know fuck-all about creating a tourniquet so I'll inevitably end up dying from blood loss. In the second situation I would probably do it, but I'd be quoting Evil Dead 2 to numb the pain/forget my troubles. Also since it's the zombie apocalypse I'd demand a chainsaw replacement no matter how unwieldy or heavy it is.

 

[Raikas]

In regards to the original post, I don't think i could do it, even if you could fashion a suitable tourniquet before you started you still have to break at least 2 bones (and the bones in your leg are much harder than the ones in your arms)

Well, you could go through the joint instead of trying to break the bone - higher level of disability in the end, but less work in the moment so greater possibility of survival.

 

[FalloutJack]

DAYUM!

Then, my hat's off to him. Holy shit.

 

[lunavixen]

In regards to the original post, I don't think i could do it, even if you could fashion a suitable tourniquet before you started you still have to break at least 2 bones (and the bones in your leg are much harder than the ones in your arms)

Well, you could go through the joint instead of trying to break the bone - higher level of disability in the end, but less work in the moment so greater possibility of survival.

joints are harder to break than the centre of the bone and you'd have to shatter the joint, which is very difficult to do with so little leverage, you'd still have to get around at least 2 sections of bone, and even more tendons

 

[Raikas]

In regards to the original post, I don't think i could do it, even if you could fashion a suitable tourniquet before you started you still have to break at least 2 bones (and the bones in your leg are much harder than the ones in your arms)

Well, you could go through the joint instead of trying to break the bone - higher level of disability in the end, but less work in the moment so greater possibility of survival.

joints are harder to break than the centre of the bone and you'd have to shatter the joint, which is very difficult to do with so little leverage, you'd still have to get around at least 2 sections of bone, and even more tendons

Tendons are soft tissue - you certainly could use a knife on them, unlike bones, which require a saw (or breakage, but then you're looking an at additional injury). There's a reason people can recover so much more easily from disarticulation-type amputations than from transfemoral/trantibial/etc ones - you're not breaking anything.

 

[Angie7F]

I nearly lost mi mind when my skin was in bad condition.
So if I lost a limb i really dont think I would be able to hold it together.