Arrow wounds - Location and healing time?

cowgirlprincess · Jun 24, 2009

Hi everyone!
Okay. . . my MC is in the middle of an Indian attack (I know. . .not original for a western. . . but in the story it's not that simplistic.

) and gets wounded by an arrow. My problem is that I had it in her shoulder until I did some research (here and elsewhere) that woke me up to the fact that shoulder wounds can be fatal (was I surprised.

). After my MC receives the wound she has to be able to get to the cabin door. My MC is a young woman in the age range of 18-20. She has two kids (one age 4 and the other 14) whom she is trying to protect.
So basically I need to figure out where she is wounded, and then I could use an estimated recovery time and I am also trying to figure out how a wound like that would affect her (physically).
Thanks in advance! I appreciate any and all input. Y'all are very appreciated.

Barb D · Jun 24, 2009

My character gets grazed by an arrow, loses his balance, falls, and hits his head on a rock. That way I don't have to worry too much about the arrow healing time.

2Wheels · Jun 25, 2009

ANY wound can be fatal if it causes an infection. I have a character who gets gas gangrene from what appears to be a minor arrow wound to the calf. The infection marches up his leg and into his lower body, rotting the flesh as it goes, and causing internal organ failure within the space of about 15 hours flat. To help avoid this scenario, it's best to have a wound that bleeds well for a while

From how far away is she hit? If the arrow is at the end of its flight, then there won't be much energy left in, so it might not penetrate deeply, in which case you might get away with a shoulder injury - maybe in the back where it gets stopped by her shoulder blade?

ChristineR · Jun 25, 2009

The majority of serious arrow wounds would have been fatal because of gangrene. The usual solution was amputation, but that wouldn't be possible on the shoulder. If she has to run around right after the shooting, loss of blood might be a serious issue as well.

If the arrow doesn't hit an artery, and she can keep the wound clean and dressed and avoid moving her shoulder for a few weeks, she doesn't need to get gangrene, and she can make a complete recovery, although her arm will probably be weak for the rest of her life.

Thomas_Anderson · Jun 26, 2009

I'm more concerned with the ages. Your 18-20 year old MC had a 14 year old kid? That means she was six years old when she had it. Even a hundred years ago in the wild west, I don't think six year olds had children.

Unless you mean the kids are simply under her care, and she is not the mother.

veinglory · Jun 26, 2009

The serious-but-not-threatening shoulder wound is something of a western cliche. I would just sticking it in one of her limbs.

cowgirlprincess · Jun 26, 2009

First off. . . thank you everyone for your input!

I'm not set on the shoulder wound. . . that's why I posted this inquiry. . . I'm trying to figure out something else. . . I actually agree about the shoulder wound being a western cliche. . . and am not pursuing it. I'm mostly trying to figure out something better. (Sometimes the things a writer has to do to their MC are just brutal

)

About her age. . . neither of the kids are hers, but she's watching over them and very protective of them.

veinglory · Jun 26, 2009

I would suggest putting the wound in a large muscle mass like the calf (if she was running away). It would hurt like hell but created a bleeding wound that isn't that prone to infection so long as the arrow was cleanish.

Tsu Dho Nimh · Jun 27, 2009

An arrow that scrapes across the ribs would hurt like heck, bleed, and yet not immobilize her.

Here's a trick - silk was used as under-armor in medieval times because it tended to stop arrows from penetrating so far, and make their extraction easier. Can she bounce something off her silk knickers?

cowgirlprincess · Jul 1, 2009

Sweet! I did not know that about silk.

Thank you everyone for your help. . . I think I know what I am going to do with my story now. Thank you again. I appreciate it tons.

Arrow wounds - Location and healing time?

cowgirlprincess

Barb D

2Wheels

Anachronista

ChristineR

What happened?

Thomas_Anderson

veinglory

volitare nequeo

cowgirlprincess

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Tsu Dho Nimh

cowgirlprincess