first aid kit

[Evan Young]

Does anybody carry a first aid kit with them? I feel like it would be a good idea. I'm gonna go buy one and make sure it has everything I could possibly need for a burn.
any comments?

[gav]

i always have a few band aids handy, but a whole first aid kit seems a bit unnecesary. The best thing you can get for burns is Paw Paw ointment, it's all natural and works damn quick.
Paw paw is what you call papya I think.
Even just the skin off the fruit works well.
Diluted lavender oil is also good.
Aloe vera is also good, either in packaged gell type or straight from plant.
Alway rince a burn in cool water first. Never apply a cream or bandage while the burn area is still hot, it will just make it cook more !!
Neurophen or any form of ibuprofen pain killer is a good thing to carry around. They're good anti inflamatories, useful for muscle sprains and pains, and hang overs.
Tea tree oil for disinfecting cuts.
Sage tea for gargling, great for voice repair.
That's my essential first aid list.

[Evan Young]

Well, I bought a jonson and jonson first aid kit for $20 and it seems to have quite a bit of stuff in it. I added some bigger gauz pads and some no stick burn pads for larger wounds. I was a boy scout for a long time, so I'm just trying to "be prepared".
I've never really hurt myself in a show (knock on wood) but I have seen other performers get hurt, and I have seen plenty of people just waking down the street hit the pavement for no reason at all while I was sitting on deck waiting for my turn in rotation (mostly kids). If I had had a first aid kit in my box I could have helped them.
I am accident prone though. I burned the crap out of my leg on my friends go cart exaust pipe a few weeks ago. My juggling box was in the trunk of my car (it usually is), but I had no first aid kit.
I also picked up some baby wipes for all that soot from the torches. Mostly for myself, but there is the ocasional volounteer who decides they want to hold the unlit torches thier way instead of mine, and get big black marks all over them.
anyway, whatever.
thanks gav, I never new about the tea tree, sage tea, lavender oil, or papya.

[Frisbee]

baby wipes

those wipes are also ideal for washing and cleaning sillicone balls...and help to give that nice velvety broken in feel that they get.

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

I used to carry one all the time and would set it out on display and make jokes about it during my show. It did come in very handy on several occassions as well.

[newyorkstreetdean]

Sage tea?

Gav, can I just pull some sage from my garden, seep it and gargle or do I need a drying process, other things etc.

Also, is it drinkable, any benefits?

[Stephon]

No good deed goes unpunished

Originally posted by Evan Young
I have seen plenty of people just waking down the street hit the pavement for no reason at all while I was sitting on deck waiting for my turn in rotation (mostly kids). If I had had a first aid kit in my box I could have helped them.

I admire that you'd want to help a passerby who got hurt; it's the way things should be.

Unfortunately, the way things are mean that you could leave yourself open for litigation from someone who doesn't appreciate your help, or may want to take advantage of your kindheartedness.

"Good Samaritan" laws would protect you to some extent, but even so, it wouldn't be fun to have to go thru a court battle just because you made the mistake of being a decent human being.

Not saying you shouldn't help people--just pointing out something to think about.

[gav]

Re: Sage tea?

Originally posted by newyorkstreetdean
Gav, can I just pull some sage from my garden, seep it and gargle or do I need a drying process, other things etc.

Also, is it drinkable, any benefits?

I'd say you could do it with fresh sage.
You can drink it, but it will highten your blood pressure, so it's good if you have low pressure, but not recommended if yours is high.
Gargling is all you need for the voice.

[dave walbridge]

First aid

Some thoughts:

A gel pack would be nice -- cooling the burn right away may reduce the severity. Gloves for doing first aid on others, Ibuprofin, sunscreen.

[scot]

thanks steven. You know, you might offend muslims by wearing a turban as a costume piece.

[Stephon]

I'm sorry, Scot--I think I missed the point of your post.

(and it's Stephon, not Steven)

[martin ewen]

scot, you know you might offend the starving millions by playing with your food. (Not that they'd be able to do anything, they are after all fairly malnourished )

[Daniel Zindler]

I've used a first aid kit since I started. MY MOM MADE ME GET ONE! (see is a nurse, and I'm 17 yo). Yes a big first aid kit is a bit much. But a very small $10 one from you local drug store has come in handy a couple of times for other performers and audience members (gratefully not myself). If you have room in your case why shouldn't you take one?

A first aid kit also makes you look professional a gigs when the organizer in unsure of your use of dangerous props.

[Scot Free]

Originally posted by scot
thanks steven. You know, you might offend muslims by wearing a turban as a costume piece.

Scot, you know, you might offend muslims by implying that muslims wear turbans.
Stephon, you might offend some canadian geezers by wearing a turban as a costume piece into a Leagion hall.

[Stephon]

A gathering of oldsters sitting around wearing bifocals, Depends, and turbans--it's charming and a little oogy, all at the same time.