Eric. Yes, I do take more for longer trips. I go solo almost exclusively so mainly prepare for what I feel I might need. If I am out for more than a 4-5 day trip, I will take a full treatment course of Amoxicillin and will also take more percocet and Imitrex. I probably should take a full treatment course of Amoxicillin anyway.

I have never used the Amoxicillin; it is for the emergency I hope I never need to handle. I will only use Amoxicillin for a grossly contaminated wound that penetrates into underlying tissues; I would be really hesitant to use it for any undiagnosed internal infection.

The percocet is for pain relief of two sorts: The first is if I injure a foot or knee or arm but can still keep going; I will take the percocet to get to civilization a bit more comfortably. The other use is for a case of rotator-cuff tendinitis that I manage but never eliminate. On occasion, it will be painful enough to keep me awake, so I will take a pain medication. In fact, I prefer oxycodon to percocet but the former is much harder to obtain and only a bit more effective.

My GP is willing to write prescriptions for percocet; he knows me well enough to do so. He is a bit hesitant to write one for oxycodon since it is on the DEA watch list. Fortunately, I live close to Mexico and can obtain most name-brand drugs without a prescription. Of course I would NEVER attempt to bring prescription medication into the US without a valid prescription but this is a potential source for the daring. The customs folks are more concerned with booze, cigarettes and knock-off watches than stuff like Amoxicillin. There are also on-line pharmacies that will both write you a prescription and then fill it. I'm not sure that I trust those folks.

Tango. I use the scalpel blades for trimming skin flaps and for going after splinters that are beyond the reach of a needle. So far, I manage them reasonably well w/o a handle but there are light plastic handles available as well. When my arthritis demands, I'll start carrying one. I don't like using a pocket knife blade because they are seldom sharp enough for minor surgery and they need to be sterilized before use. I do have a light magnifier available if I need it. The scalpel blades only add a couple of grams to the kit weight.
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May I walk in beauty.