10.24.2008

Prepping for Cold Season

I started to write this post yesterday and then realized i felt like being more upbeat but it's time to deal with the onslaught of the winter sick season. I feel like i can totally and completely deal with the coming cold and dark, but i'm woefully unready for at least one person to have some sort of sickness for the next 6 months. Rather than despair for the next few paragraphs i'll tell you what i do to get ready.

Sometime in September, i try to take stock of the various sick-related items one needs to have on hand and replenish any we're low on. It's really terrible to get walloped with a head-cold and realize you have no medicine in the house. An added bonus is that several of these count against your Health FSA so if you're staring down some leftover money this helps you spend it.

I make sure we have:
*Humidifier Filters
*Decongestant for adults (day and nighttime formulas)
*Tylenol for the kids
*Saline spray for the kids
*Vicks vaporub for kids and adults
*Oil of Olbas (a new addition this year, potent but less messy then vicks)
*Aquaphor for chapped cheeks and hands
*Coughdrops
*Mucus Relief Medicine for the adults

I'm also going to stockpile some pedialtye for the kids, gatorade and saltine crackers, plus some cans of chicken soup-- oh and take-out menus. Now if they could just devote some of the world's resources to eradicating the common cold i'd be all set! Until then, at least now i've got my sick kit together.

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