>When Illness Strikes… A Bath Toy
>After working out at the Y last night, I arrived home to find Punky looking very worried.
“What’s wrong, Punky?” I asked.
“Mommy,” she said, “There’s a sick bath toy. You need to see it.”
“Oh no,” I said. “A sick bath toy?” She nodded gravely and took my hand in hers. “Take me to it.”
Solemnly, Punky led me to the bathroom, where I found this:
It was Vanilla, a Barbie that had been relegated to bath toy status several months ago. And indeed, she looked very sick.
“She has been sick about 20 hours,” Punky said sadly.
“Really?” I said. “20 hours? That’s a long time.” Punky nodded and began tending to her patient, offering her water, which the patient refused.
“Have you showed Daddy?” I asked.
“Yes,” Punky sighed.
“And what does he think?”
“He thinks she looks very awful.”
We tried to make the sick bath toy comfortable for a few minutes and Punky brought in her older sisters to visit the patient. Finally, I told her it was time for bed.
“But I can’t go to bed!” she protested incredulously. “Who will take care of the sick bath toy?”
“I’ll watch her while you sleep,” I promised. “I’ll make sure nothing happens.”
Reluctantly, Punky went to bed.
Today, however, Vanilla is no better. And so, Internet, I need your help.
Does anyone out there know the cure for a sick bath toy?
>When my toys were cold, I always tried to heat them up in the microwave. This warmed them up, but then they had to move to Chernobyl. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!~Amalia~
>Usually a nice warm bath and a nap with their mommy/doctor does the trick. Or maybe she needs a sister bath toy. We have quite the bevy of naked dolls in our tub. Last count five girls and one boy – kinda like a 70’s hot tub party.
>maybe she needs some new clothes! That always cheers me up.
>Yes, I know the cure. She needs bubbles on her whole body and then she need some Healy Cream (body lotion). My son hates when I put lotion on him, but if I tell him it’s healy cream for his skin, then he’s ok with it 🙂
>That is the sweetest thing ever. Never having had a sick bath toy at our house, I have no advice to offer. However, we will be praying for your family during this stressful time.
>I like the warm bath idea…perhaps Vanilla needs a spa day!
>Well, first you have to figure out if Vanilla has a cold or a fever. If a cold, then let her pig out on something (bath toy hamburger possibly? bath toy oranges?). If it’s a fever just keep her wrapped tight in a blanket and don’t feed her anything.http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1777-feed-a-cold-starve-a-fever-may-be-right.htmlAlso, Jagermeister is a great cold medicine.
>You have several options. If you are concerned about mildew, Vanilla can be sent to the Goodwill Sanitarium. Unfortunately, it’s permanent.If she just doesn’t look good, feel free to put on a couple of thimbles on your pointer fingers and give her a ZAPP!!!! That has been known to work as well. If she has hair poisoning, a pair of scissors will help to get rid of the offending hair.Good luck,Darth Doc,Board Certified Dollogist.
>I’d love to help you, but it turns out your the rider on your policy for bath toys is out of network. My hands are tied. Apologies.
>a boo-boo bunny might help!
>From a first-year med student who was recently sick:1. A cocktail mix of Ny- and Dayquil2. Arrested Development [available for free at http://www.hulu.com]3. Ben and Jerry’ Half-Baked ice cream4. Lots of sleepThis should fix her right up.
>A bath size dose of whatever medicine it is that Punky takes when she is sick?Barbara
>She probably needs the continued ministrations of an adorable 4 year old.
>Ken in a Speedo?Punky is so adorable!Seriously, though, I like the new bubble bath idea.
>Ha, I love it!I think you’re going to have to call the doll doctor (aka any friend that is willing to pose as such). Punky can report the symptoms to him/her and get advice on what to do to cure her doll.
>I have no idea…but some of the others sound good!That last picture of Punky is adorable!
>Bubbles!
>I think a trip outside will do the trick for vanilla. If it doesn’t help, I’d give her a “swirly”.
>Sure, Vanilla needs a solo trip to a spa in the mountains for the weekend–no kids, no husbands, no computers, no cell phones, just some good books, music, and perhaps some wine.No, wait…that’s me!Oh, let Vanilla have a little sun bath and do her hair fancy. That oughta fix her right up!
>poor punky! this must be so hard on her.seriously, what are vanilla’s symptoms? i mean as a registered nurse i can’t offer any healthcare professional advice without a thorough history of her physical symptoms and complaints…does she have any alleriges?…is she currently taking any medications (including otc diet aids? more than 20 hours is like a really long time for a bath toy. i do hope she gets better.
>I think Vanilla may need some tea and toast and a teeny tiny hot water bottle on her tummy.
>Poor Punky!I think Vodka will work…oh wait, that’s for me 🙂
>Oh my sweet lord, that face! Priceless.Incidentally, I’ve heard magnifying glasses and hot summer days do the trick. It’s like botox for barbies.
>She needs a party. With invitations and cupcakes. All will be fine.
>There is nothing a visit to the cute Ken doll doctor couldn’t fix! That and watching TV for a few days.
>20 hours?! How cute is that?The swirly idea cracked me up… but I bet what Vanilla needs is Mr. Chocolate. Or maybe a heating pad! Oh, and we use “magic lotion” here for a variety of “ailments.”
>OMG this is so sweet. And all of the ideas have me laughing so hard I can’t see straight. We haven’t had the problem here so I can’t help…okay we have, but the offending toy got tossed in the trash when Toddler was asleep. I think he had no clue the toy was sick. You know the Jager or Vodka work around here. But you might not want to start Punky on that just yet.
>maybe she is lonely? and needs a new friend…
>How about adding some of Mommy’s Very Special Perfume to the bath water? Followed, of course, by a wrap in a warm towel, am massage, and some tea.
>Why do I have the distinct feeling our answers are more about what we would like than what is good for Vanilla? hee.I think she needs a week in the Bahama sun to bake out her cold. If by any chance you manage to have this paid by the Doll Health Insurance Company, let me know what line you used, so I can use it on mine!
>Oh the sick toys….its a tough time being a little mommy to all those Barbies and figurines. Grace told me that her doll was sick and had to throw up. And so she took the doll to the bathroom where she held it over the potty to “throwed up”. Then we had to take its temp and blood pressure with the play-doctor station. But alas, that doll keeps getting sick. So I can treat a sick toy but I am afraid there is no cure! LOL!
>I once had an aunt who was convinced that the cure to any malady was an enema.I didn’t visit her much.
>I forgot to ask, does Vanilla have health insurance? is she under the Ferrier family coverage?
>Isn’t Punky cute?I’d cover up her feet – they look cold. Other than that, probably just let Vanilla rest and make sure she gets lots of fluids.
>UPDATE: Vanilla still wasn’t feeling better this morning and lay unmoving on the bathtub rim. It didn’t help matters when she fell in while Punky was bathing. She surfaced with many a “Pleh, pleh, pleh,” and felt even more awful.Fortunately, Punky’s 4-year checkup was this morning, so she appealed to her doctor for some dolly medicine, which she received and gave to Vanilla.It looks like she’s going to make it.
>i would surmise there’s a direct relationship btwn punky’s appt and the ailing bath buddy. our 5 yr old has been tending to ‘sick’ animals, dolls, uncles, and brothers for A YEAR now. some days she’s a paramedic or doctor, some days she is immobile on the floor, playing ‘a sick one.’ i recommend you get a kiddie doctor’s kit at the toy store.
>Oh, we’ve got one of those. Punky takes it with her to every appointment. Today, the nurse was due for three vaccinations AND Punky used her stethoscope to determine that someone was singing in the doctor’s tummy.
>For futuer referance, A warm bath (with Punky) and warm blanket (with Punky) and lots of love from everyone. Always makes Little Miss’ babies feel better. My thoughts are with you, I know this is a very stressful time for all.
>Maybe she needs some “drying out” time at Betty Ford? Tee Hee
>She needs a Band-aid. Duh.
>Our Barbie’s always seem to perk up with some new shoes and possibly a new purse. Hair bows also seem to do the trick.