Sometimes you need a "sick kit"

Be prepared for emergencies with a "Sick Kit"

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links this blog will earn a commission. Your prices will not be affected by this.*

Well, for me, last week was a terrible blur. First the snowy weather caused my honey and I to cancel our valentine and anniversary plans. That was a bummer but we just delayed things for a week. Then, I managed to eat something that wasn't quite right... and ended up with a wicked case of food poisoning. I was sick for several days. It was terrible.

You need to have a "sick kit" handy

Recently on pinterest I stumbled upon this wonderful idea called a "sick kit". A sick kit is a box of handy items that you keep on hand to have in case you (or someone in your house) gets suddenly ill and you don't want to have to run out to the store to grab these things. I'm not one of those super-organized chicks, so to me... this was absolutely an amazing idea. Of course you can change/alter the items to suit your preferences but these are the items that I have decided that I need in my sick kit.

The food poisoning was harsh on my system so eating solid foods just wasn't possible. I was pretty miserable (and pretty gross to be honest). Sometimes being single comes in handy... (laughs). I made sure to drink plenty of water and I tried to eat a little soup when I could. But the first 24 hours, that wasn't the best idea. However, your sick kit could include some chicken noodle soup (which is great when you have a cold or the flu), or perhaps some tomato soup. Whatever you prefer. I tried to keep my sick kit simple enough to cover a few different things. Just remember that if you're sick, a bland diet is best. Rice, toast, broth, apple sauce, and perhaps green bananas (can't put those in a sick kit though)... are all gentle on your digestive system.

A few things that I didn't include in my list, but I did have handy included:

lip balm (I prefer carmex, but Burt's Bees is pretty good)
ginger ale
straws
paper towels/napkis
thermometer
eye mask
a hooded sweatshirt (yes, I was bundled up in the bed in a hoodie. I would share a picture but I was a frightful looking thing...)

Everything in one place provides peace of mind.

Now, to be honest, I have all these things in my home. Okay, most of them. The problem is that they're in a bunch of different places. For my sick kit, I made sure to include things I could pop into the microwave, versus having to cook something on the stove. Those extra few minutes of preparation is just more time that you're not resting. The first few hours that I was sick, I was lucky that I keep a 2 quart jug of water in my room to help me with my daily water intake. If not for that handy jug, I would have been in trouble. I didn't have the strength to go farther than the bathroom and then back to bed. With that water nearby I could stay hydrated from my bed.

I'm working on my sick kit this week and I'll probably keep it in the closet. You may want to keep yours in your pantry or your kitchen -- wherever you're most likely to be able to get to it quickly but still have it out of the way (so that you're not tempted to reach in and use the items). Oh! By the way, you can save yourself some space by purchasing travel size medicine for your kit and the mini-bottles of water and gatorade. And be sure to periodically check your kit for expiration dates and to be sure that everything you want is still in place.

I have to tell you, I was pretty terrified that I would be too sick to celebrate my first anniversary and Valentine's day with my honey. By the weekend, I was feeling good enough to continue our plans. My body is still recovering, but I am pretty much back to normal now. I had a wonderful Valentine's day (even a week late it was perfect). I'm pretty excited that my health care efforts paid off.

How was your Valentine's day? Do you have a sick kit to get through these harsh winter months?

*This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase items via these links, I will receive a commission. All funds generated by these links goes to support this blog and the writer.

Pages