The other day I had the misfortune of jamming my nail into the back of a chair, causing the nail to bend back and rip from the bed in a very alarming, not to say painful manner.
I cried like a little girl. I admit it.
Once I took care of the bleeding and the whining, I went to look for a bandage to hold my nail down so that it wouldn’t rip any further.
Nothing in my medicine cabinet.
Nothing in the medicine basket in the kitchen.
Nothing in the first aid kit.
Finally I find a box of bandages buried under who knows how many empty bottles and leftover soaps and dried up nail polishes inside the kids’ bath cabinet. So, I am remedying that oversight today. And cleaning out the crap that has collected due to lazy kids.
Stuff One Should Never Be Without in a Medicine Cabinet
#5– Aspirin
Be all and end all of pain relievers, acne sufferers, and let’s not forget those with heart issues.
#4– Isopropyl alcohol
I have to make that distinction. Otherwise, people would stock Everclear™.
#3– Bandages
Blood is sure pretty, unless it’s your own.
#2– Bismuth solution
For every abdomen ailment. And it’s pink! BONUS!!
#1– Topical antibiotic
I must have seventeen tubes of Neosporin™, Lanacane™, and Bacitracin™ all over the house. And I’m of the opinion it’s STILL not enough.
Anyway, I hope y’all have a wonderful Thursday and enjoy the day not needing any of these items. I’m off to clean out the massive collection of crap under the cabinet. Here’s hoping none of it is radioactive by now 🙂
February 20th, 2014 at 11:58 AM
Tape and super glue should be added.
PS, I would have cried like a girl too, after cursing like a sailor.
February 20th, 2014 at 1:45 PM
Who said I didn’t curse like a sailor?? 😉
February 20th, 2014 at 12:05 PM
What Reiuxcat said above! I would also add something for “the runs”. And perhaps an ace bandage or two for the occasional sprains and such. Epsom salt in a warm bath is great for most body aches and pains (a good soak never hurts!)
After that, you are almost to the point of falling back on the two primary items no home should be without….. duct tape and WD40… which should take care of anything not covered by your list or the rest of the items listed above.
February 20th, 2014 at 1:46 PM
The pink stuff is for the first ailment you mentioned, too. Though Imodium AD is better 🙂
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:24 PM
I was trying to recall the name of the “newer” stuff….Imodium….yeah, that’s the ticket! Getting old is for the birds….you know I was trying to recall the name of that stuff….
February 20th, 2014 at 2:56 PM
Man up and just rub some dirt on it! 😛
February 20th, 2014 at 3:48 PM
Well sure! But you don’t need to stock dirt. It’s everywhere 😉
February 20th, 2014 at 4:03 PM
Your medicine cabinet should never be without Xanex…lots of Xanex….its a wonder drug! When I take it, the police are waaaay less likely to come to my house for a “visit.”
Better Living through Chemistry!
February 20th, 2014 at 4:14 PM
Uh, duly noted 😉
February 20th, 2014 at 4:49 PM
I think you might be wrong about #4 Aggie… You can only use Isopropyl as a disinfectant. Everclear can be a disinfectant, AND an antithetic!
February 20th, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Good point 😀
February 20th, 2014 at 5:22 PM
I want to add hydrogen peroxide. It’s great for cleaning wounds, and makes an effective mouthwash when diluted.
February 20th, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Indeed, and it’s the one bottle I know I can find in a pinch 😀
February 20th, 2014 at 8:37 PM
What about mercurochrome?!? Ipecac? Dilaudid?
All very important items. Used to have the first as a kid. Second was only mentioned on a lark – it sounds nasty. Third was pretty necessary after having my arm bolted back together but I don’t see it as being a great multitasker.
#4… Pure curiosity… Does Texas sell Everclear? We used to make some nasty grog with the stuff in Orygun. Many of my friends were laid low by the stuff.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:04 AM
Ipecac is good only if you have very young, very curious kids.
And Everclear is a rite of passage here 😀
February 20th, 2014 at 8:54 PM
Duct tape and a paper towel. Wrap whatever is bleeding with the paper towel (or fold up the paper towel and use to cover the gash if necessary), hold in place with duct tape. More serious wounds may need multiple layers. Done this many a time while at work and not close to a BandAid (or not near a well-stocked medicine cabinet that contained a bandage large enough).
February 21st, 2014 at 7:05 AM
Y’all mention duct tape as if I skipped over it!
I have it stocked elsewhere, just not the medicine cabinet. Takes too much space 😀
February 21st, 2014 at 7:31 AM
What is a medicine cabinet?
I keep my stuff in the tool box.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:48 AM
Whatever works 😉
February 21st, 2014 at 9:18 AM
Prilosec
Super Duper Multi B vitamins
Axe body spray
February 21st, 2014 at 10:58 AM
You forgot the chloroform. 😀
February 21st, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Axe is chloroform 😉
February 21st, 2014 at 6:22 PM
Especially a sharp axe. And gardening gloves. And a bag of lime.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:53 PM
I had to order high purity chloroform a few years ago for work (it was the perfect solvent for a material I was using). You should have seen the looks of concern I got from purchasing.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:25 AM
Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 1% Hydrocortisone cream/gel, antihistamines, acetaminophen (generic for “Tylenol”), Ace bandages and medical tape (or, as everyone has it around, duct tape). As you can tell, scrapes, bruises, sprains and insect bites/stings are really prevalent around the Imperial
DungeonGame Room. 😀February 21st, 2014 at 2:53 PM
Indeed, you have experience in that department 😀
February 21st, 2014 at 4:08 PM
It never hurts to have a little something for lubrication, either, just in case one finds oneself in a “tight situation“. 😉
February 21st, 2014 at 4:21 PM
I should scold you at the H&B chat for that 😛
February 21st, 2014 at 7:56 PM
If this wasn’t a family blog… Oh, the things one could say as a smartass…
February 21st, 2014 at 8:01 PM
That should read “intelligent posterior”. It IS a family-friendly blog, after all. 😉
February 21st, 2014 at 9:35 PM
Or “asinus ingeniosus”?
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:36 AM
Not a one of those things is effective when you have a kidney stone … trust me on this. And, it seems to take forever for the hydrocodone to kick in when that f****r is putting the hurt to you.
How to put it in familiar terms? … Having a kidney stone is like being forced to sit and view BC’s photoshops of Hillary Clinton and Helen Thomas for hours on end.
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:36 PM
You are much too kind, my good sir! 😀
February 24th, 2014 at 10:11 AM
@ Ogre…. I suffer from recurrent kidney stones. Have had 4 blasted out and upwards of 30 passed, the biggest of which was a 5mm. You can chew a vicoden for quicker relief, but of course that is not recommended by the medical professionals….2nd stone I had was the worst. Within 15 minutes of onset I was on the ground, vomiting and going into shock…..I have been beat up, broken, concussed, etc. etc. Nothing in my life has ever hurt at the level of that stone….they are from the devil…
February 24th, 2014 at 4:39 PM
Troy, you have my complete sympathies. I’ve only had the one, and hope to never have another. To have gone through it time after time just seems like cruel and unusual punishment to me.
When my back started hurting from it, I thought I would tough it out. That little f****r was easily tougher than I, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I don’t care who you are, those little f*****s will whip your a** for you.