I had planned a trip down the coast last weekend. We were to depart on Sunday for Half Moon Bay about a 45 mile run. I went to the boat on Saturday night to chill the refer full of beer and prep the boat.

I had been working around home that afternoon and was bitten by a yellow jacket on my right ring finger. It is amazing how much pain they generate, my wife asked me if I needed anything, I said no I will just have a beer and cowboy up. The pain subsided after a couple of beers.
That night on the boat it felt like I had smacked my knuckle with a framing hammer, in the morning my hand was a little swollen but did not hurt. We set off on our trip, by that afternoon my hand had doubled in size and I had a serious problem as holding a beer was becoming painful.
We reached our destination late, it was after 10PM by the time we got the boat tied up. The only thing open was a pizza parlor and a gas station with a mini mart. I grabbed some Sudafed and aspirin at the mini mart and downed them. I asked if there was a pharmacy near, the only one around was about six miles south and it closed at 11PM. No transportation available I ate my pizza and a beer and went back to the boat for a deep Sudafed sleep.

Woke up Monday and we went to breakfast, I noted that now my arm was swelling and was swollen halfway to my elbow. Another patron at the resturaunt was bitching about his presciption not being ready at the pharmacy. I interupted and asked if he was going back there with the thought I would phone my docter and get a persciptioin for what was ailing me. Unfortunatly he said he was not going there.

We went to check out with the harbor masters and upon departure I asked if there was an emergency medical clinic near. They stated there was one a few miles north of town. There are no buses or cabs in the area, the harbor master asked what my problem was, I showed him my hands and told him about the yellow jacket bite. He happened to be alergic to bee stings, he imediatly offered a ride to the clinic and back.

I was checked by the doctor there, they concluded that since the antihistimine I had taken did not slow the swelling that the bite had gotten infected and they gave me an antibiotic.

We left late but, I did not feel it would have been wise to launch on the next leg of our trip without getting my hand looked at. We would be in a position where help would not be easily available for the next six to eight hours.

This in mind I question what the rest of you keep aboard for first aid, do you keep any pharmaceuticals aboard? I will be reviewing my first aid kit on my next trip up as I have not looked at it in some time. I know I have the normal cut, scrape and burn supplies, I am a big believer in Superglue for cuts and gashes and have used it around home for deep cuts that would require stitches if I went to the Vet, a thurough cleaning and drying of the would and and aplication of Superglue heals fast and leaved almost no scar. I will give some thought to what pharmaceutical supplies to have aboard other than beer bandages and aspirin as well.