Medical Kits

I got a request to list the stuff one might put into a medical kit.

I used a see-through bag, big Ziplok or the pillow case bags I mentioned before are fine.  Any bag will do.  I prefer to see what I'm after from the outside.

Ours had these items:

1. Non stick bandages;
2. Tape, non adhesive coban is great but expensive;
3. Neosporin or some other infection fighting gel;
4. I had a roll of that mesh you see pros riding with the day after crashes.  Its basically one long sock that is open on both ends.  That stuff is awesome for holding the non-stick bandage in place while you race.  There is no tape glue to draw dirt.
5. Small Scissors;
6. Visine;
7. Pain Killer of choice;
8. regular band aids and regular gauze to soak up BLOOD.  Not really good for sleeping or racing because they stick.
9. extra sanitizer
10. extra lip balm
11. extra sunscreen
12. allergy, cold, antihistamine bottles depending on your allergies and tendency to take meds if you get sick on the road. 
13. Pepto Bismo, pink tablets whatever you use when facing food poisoning.  RAAM poisoning is far more virulent.  Worth its weight in gold for the dyspeptic racers and crew.

Sounds like a lot but a little bag all stocked up can save a trip to the store which, as before, is a sleep-robber.

I packed that bag assuming I would never need most of the contents.  Life had other plans.

I was sending photos of my wounds to my doctor from my phone during the race to check for proper healing.  I ended up performing a surgical debridement on my arm in the hotel each day.  This meant, stick it in the sink and scrub down to fresh flesh to promote healing.  I was developing Eschar during each ride.  Even though that sounds like a cool pirate wound its actually a brown crusty thing that Toro started calling Creme Brule.  He's mean.  So if you crash the main way to avoid amputation is to control the infection.  A couple days my Dr. nearly made me go to an ER for some more advanced care.  The kit saved me from that time waster.

Not a lot of people realize that the scar I ended up with on my right arm is shaped like Satan's head complete with two horns.  METAL.

The medical bag rides in the rear window shelf on the driver's side.  Right behind the racer, in plain sight.

Photos later if I've got them.