My new and improved First Aid Kit
Each year I go through our first aid kit. In the past, I just tossed the expired items and stuffed everything back into an old shoe box. This year I tried something new – I organized our first aid kit.
After doing some research, I made a list and had our family doctor take a look. A few things he advised against having (“You are better off leaving suturing to professionals,” was one comment and “Taking aspirin with your anti-inflammatory medicine isn’t a good idea,” was another) but basically agreed with my list. Here’s what I packed:
Moleskin to prevent chafing and blisters although duct tape would work in a pinch.
Gauze pads for cleaning and protecting.
Sunscreen for everything including lips. (One for my Kit and one in the dashboard.)
Non-antibacterial soap for cleaning.
Butterfly band-aids (instead of sutures) to close a cut.
Imodium A-D for diarrhea.
Ibuprofen for pain relief and anti-inflammatory (instead of aspirin). (A prescription was need for heavy-duty dosage.)
Duct tape is good for everything, so why not for wrapping wounds? And it was doctor suggested.
Iodine but antiseptic ointment is preferred.
Tweezers for removing splinters, ticks, etc.
Safety pins for fastening – an alternative to duct tape.
ACE bandage for support and limb stabilization.
Krazy glue for wound closing when butterfly band-aids just aren’t big enough. (I would use only in major emergence but doc says its okay.)
Aloe Vera gel for burns from fire, sun, wind, whatever.
Oral dehydration salts/powders or electrolyte replacements in case of diarrhea.
And our doctor reminded us of the importance of having our tetanus and other shots up-to-date.
Remember, this is my first aid kit tailored to Fred, me, and our dogs (check with your vet for any special needs your dog might have). Your kit will probably look different. But be sure to double check with your family doctor to see if there is something you may have overlooked or some little “trick” they have found useful (I had never considered using duct tape for a first aid emergency) . Here’s hoping you will neverr need any of it.
