Monday, September 1, 2008

A September to Remember

Happy September, everyone! This month, my bloggy friend, Lea over at 'Blog It All' is hosting a contest of sorts entitled "A September to Remember." The winner gets Blackberry Grits.

September is really starting out with a BANG! at Lonesome Pine this year. Well, I guess it’s really more like a bang! The Gustav frenzy has had our internet out for the past two days…so I was starting to get a bit jumpy around here. I was afraid Mr. Fix-It was going to send me to computer de-tox. It also doesn’t help that I woke up with a headache, then proceeded to up-chuck my breakfast. Maybe that's TMI, but I hope I’m not coming down with the flu. Just to be sure, I've stayed in bed most of the day...you know...saving up my energy for the busy week ahead.

No matter, I have to push all that aside so that I can win this here bloggy contest and enjoy some Blackberry Grits at Lea’s house. Although I’ve never even MET Lea, I have it on good authority that I don’t want to miss the grits!

So, I’ll start off my ‘Remembering’ telling you about one of my very first memories in life.

Merthiolate.

Any of you remember this particular method of torture? This stuff came in a little brown bottle and when painted on a wound it left a bright red stain that stayed for days. The wound felt like it was on fire! Supposedly, it was an antiseptic, I think. It was banned by the FDA in the 1990's because of the Thimerosal in it. Too bad it was about 30 something years too late!

According to my Dad, I was riding in the front seat with him on our way home one day --long before baby car seats and seat-belts. Apparently, I was messing with the passenger side door. As Daddy made a sharp left turn, the door flew open with my little 3-year old self dangling precariously over the pavement; hanging onto the door's armrest for dear life. The toes of both my feet dragging on the pavement.

I don’t remember the wild car ride. I DO remember being held down and Merthiolate being applied to my scraped up toes whilst I cried. I remember my sweet Mama blowing on them as hard as she could to stop the burning. No amount of blowing relieved that burn.

I guess that was the treatment of the day and I guess it worked to keep my toes from being infected, since I still have them attached to my foot; but I vowed right then and there that I would NEVER do that to MY children!!!

So, now you know about my very FIRST memory. Too bad it couldn’t have been a sweet one. Thankfully, they get better.

(Thus ends my first 'short' post...I'm trying to do better!)


Stay tuned.





8 Click here to Comment!:

Anonymous said...

Aww ouch ouch ouch! My first memory was falling out of my stroller haha Maybe Ill just write a post about that!

Lori said...

I hope you feel better soon. I think you should get extra points for under-the-weather blogging.

MamaHen Em said...

I don't remember my first memory. How sad is that???? I remember my nephew opening the door to the car as my sister pulled into the driveway (small town, car seats were not always used - yikes!) and falling out onto the driveway. A very scary day for sis!

I remember the bactine spray that my mom would spray on. I think it basically did the same thing, stung like mad!

Hope you feel better and aren't coming down with anything!

Anonymous said...

my friend, liz, says that the reason the current generation is so whimpy is because they never had to endure merthiolate. she credits the fall of western society to the banning of merthiolate... just a thought.

Kelley said...

I think my earliest memory was having my pacifier taken away from me. Very traumatic...and even though I don't have a memory involving the M-stuff (too young, I think:0) this was bad enough.

I hereby give you 5 points for helping those of us who don't have m-stuff memories to be grateful that we don't.

Oh yeah, if the prize is Lea's grits then what happens if she wins?

Laura said...

I remember this stuff with frightening clarity! I have something that has a similar effect on my son when he has poison ivy. Now, instead of passing out from blowing on it, we use the hair dryer on the cool setting. It is a saving grace.

BTW, I am joining the contest a day late. I forgot to do it yesterday. Something about spending time with my husband.

Unknown said...

Well, Kell, you should have memories far before taking that paci away because you were quite old by that time (have to defend myself here). :)

One of my early memories (but not the first) was when my sister pushed the cigarette lighter in the car to get it hot and then apply it to my cheek. Ouch. It hurt.

Mamajil said...

I remember the red stuff!!! (I am a little late reading your post...Homeschooling all these kids is cutting into my blog time....anyway) my mother was not merciful at all when it came to the red stuff she would slather it on and it burned like crazy...then because she just painted the stuff all over every one at school would say "eww what happened to you" ugh! :/