It seems as though most of the people I know are dropping like flies to the flu or other respiratory illness right now. Whether it is the dreaded swine flu or the usual seasonal flu, the fact that everyone around us seems to be affected right now makes the whole thing hit home.
I know, despite trying to deny it to myself, that at some point my own family may be affected. As much as I would like to sometimes place them in a bubble, there are those things called school and work, not to mention social activities.
With this in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to go through the medicine cabinet. This is also pretty timely in one other way. I have been trying to get my husband to take down our old medicine cabinet in the half bathroom (powder room) in anticipation of painting the room and replacing the cabinet with a mirror.
If you haven’t gone through your medicine cabinet in some time, right now is ideal. You can toss all of the old stuff and review what you might need to buy for the upcoming cold and flu season. There is nothing worse that having a child wake up with a 101 fever and having no children’s fever reducer in the house.
Toss old medications, including prescriptions. It may be tempting to keep these items just in case, but this could be dangerous. Unless you are on a long-term medicine, you should get a new prescription for new illnesses or injuries, and you should never share medication with anyone else in your family.
Remove any personal information from your old medicines and then toss in the trash unless there is some indication to dispose of these things in a different way. Do not flush medications down the toilet.
As you go through the shelves, make a list of what you might need to replace. Even antibacterial ointments, such as Neosporin have expiration dates (check the crimped end of the tube). Finally, wipe down your medicine cabinet for a new clean start.
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