First Aid

So this seems kind of a silly thing to blog about, but there are reasons for telling you about the first aid kit I put together today! I was going to just buy a first aid kit. They have a wide variety of things I wouldn't otherwise think to have or know where to get. Like a glow stick, a pair of gloves, a cold pack, tweezers, first aid tape, a finger splint, or a "survival wrap". The survival wrap looks like a piece of aluminum foil. Its label said it can hold in heat, block out sunlight, or reflect light to catch the attention of passersby, particularly cars. Useful I suppose, but a little strange. But I'm making mine for my new apartment so its kind of like my medicine cabinet. Its not strictly for emergencies like many are. Its my go to kit for anything medical. So I got a few extras.

Here is my recipe for a first aid kit:

1. Johnson and Johnson Red Cross first aid kit. They are like 8 bucks at Wal Mart and a steal just for the band-aids! Its got regular and finger band-aids (great for me because I often miss bagels and slice the tips of my fingers instead) small band-aids, gauze, a guide for what to do in various situations, individual packs of Advil and Tylenol, Imodium AD, and Neosporin. 

(plus lots more!)

2. Mucinex. Not cough suppressant, not decongestant, but expectorant. I am not a fan of the others because they work against the natural immune system functions in the throat. There is a very specific purpose for mucous-its a good thing! There is a purpose for coughing as well, so suppressing coughing or mucous itself is slashing the tires of the immune system. Mucous is naturally trying to get out of your body,thats what it does: blob itself all over the pathogen and ooze it outside the body. The expectorant helps it get out easier. Mucinex is awesome and works fast. Totally worth it.

3. Acid Controller. Like Pepcid AC or Zantac or whatever.  I just buy the Wal Mart brand. Yes this is good for heartburn, but its also good for an upset stomach. My prescriptions leave my stomach  sour often times, and the acid controller can help a lot. I think a good replacement or addition to this is Pepto. You never know when a hang over is going to reach pepto level (especially if your boyfriend is a frat boy who drinks lots of beer) Oh I also have a bottle of tums in there. My Dad's side of the family is big on the tums, we all get heartburn. Its always a good thing to have around. 

4. Antibiotic ointment...aka Neosporin. A must have for cuts. There are only a couple small packs in the first aid kit I bought, so a tube addition is necessary for the purpose I have for it. This also goes back to the bagel/finger problem. Cuts on the tips of fingers are really easy to get infected and they don't like to stay closed very long and heal right, so the neosporin helps its extra long recovery time.

5. Elastic bandage. You never know when you are going to hurt an ankle or some drunk girl is going to trip on your floor. Be prepared if you are hosting a par-tay! It also sticks to itself so its good for random purposes in weird situations.  Take advantage of this stickiness.

6. A big ole bottle of ibuprofen. Why get Advil when the Wal Mart ibuprofen is the exact same thing for cheaper? Advil is the pain reliever of my choice, my must have. Particularly good for headaches and menstrual cramps, its also the ideal for swelling. So when that drunk girl sprains her ankle, she can pop a few advil to keep the swelling down. Oh also a must have for toothaches! This is why ibuprofen is my favorite, it works best for me for just about any hurt.

7. A cute bag to put it in!! Preferably clear so you can see what you've got without digging around in there. I bought a set at WalMart for cheap. Using the big one for first aid, and smaller ones for make-up and hair stuff, as well as travel.

This is obviously fit for my tastes and needs in terms of medical care. Take some time to think about what you might need to add. Be smart about the drugs you use because they have different purposes, and pros and cons.  

 
Man I'm a nerd!! All this health care stuff...no wonder I want to go into Public Health!!