[dabbo]

A very good friend (like another mother to me) suffers from Dystonia, and has chronic pain. She mentioned that she kept a folder in the car with her detailing her condition, what meds she is on, doctors #'s and family #'s. I thought that was a good idea. Does anyone here do that? I started typing one out, and when I got to the description, I was kinda at a loss for words

- have a pain -free day!!

[LinJane]

Hi, i'ts a great idea but I don't do it. I hate going to a new doctor or the hospital and they ask previous surgeries and medications. Right now I am not taking many meds but I have SO many previous surgeries I can't even list. I keep telling myself to write it down so I can provide it to the doctor/hospital at the time. Als, hubby is diabetic and takes lots of meds. Same deal with him. Trying to remember all he takes is a nightmare.

Good idea! Linda

[DiMarie]

Originally Posted by dabbo

A very good friend (like another mother to me) suffers from Dystonia, and has chronic pain. She mentioned that she kept a folder in the car with her detailing her condition, what meds she is on, doctors #'s and family #'s. I thought that was a good idea. Does anyone here do that? I started typing one out, and when I got to the description, I was kinda at a loss for words

- have a pain -free day!!

When in a loss, tell them carpal tunnel in a major flare of the upper body..
Some here may ahve short sweet to the mental capacityy of ER doc's handy for you to use Dabbo.....

There are two options I had. For me I have a health record book about the size of a check bood or small address book. Medications allergies, surgeries, treatments that help that didn;t, all doctors names and hospitals. Folded in it I have a small snopsis docs used for diags, fybro, myofacial, brachail plexapathy, left side cervial herniations,lumbar, etc, etc.

For my daughter hers was a bit thicker, like a journal and updated changes in medication, photo copies of MRI and EMG results,

My Mom had a medicac alert braclet it was nice looking. Now she also had a nice typed up history from `2 years old whole life, to current, that was kept onsite at this braclet palce. So when she got the pace maker, or she had atoo high ammonia an dwent into commas, no one mistook it for her diabetes.

But the meds and allergies when you are injured or hurting, you can't think...Last trip to phisio, I had spasms so bad I just could not think, this flared from the moment the PA left until nurse came in to prepare for trigger points,,,I could not remember anything I hurt too bad.

Even a folded paper, of recent is good, keep detailed in a wallet, BOXES< FILES< STORE ROOMS at home not car, lol.
Di

[LinJane]

Our local hospital od'd my mother-in-law TWICE on dilaudid this past winter. The first time they gave it to her she had a horrible reaction and they had to give her another medication to counter act it. The second time they gave it to her she had indicated to the nurse she could not take it. They said they were giving it to her in a different form? didn't make sense but they did it anyway. Luckily my husband was there watching her. She code blued. swallowed her tongue and told me she actually went down "the tunnel". Luckily he saw and called a nurse. Took a few doc's and nurses to get her back. They then put her in intensive care. I told them not to give it to her and made them put a bracelet indicating this. You have to have someone with you in the hospital. Also, she went in for a cough, they wanted to keep her over night for observation making sure not pneumonia. She was dizzy and needed the bathroom. Told the aid who brought her in the bathroom and left her there. Needless to say, being dizzy she fell and broke her hip in three places!! Major negligence. Luckily after surgery she is doing better but a broken hip for an elder person is not a good thing. Thaks why you need someone with you and also any medications you may have a problem with. Linda

[dabbo]

Part of what got me thinking about the folder, notebook, whatever, was the last (and i mean LAST) time I went to the ER, I told the triage nurse I was allergic to Lyrica. 3hrs later when the doc saw me he said "So it looks like you're taking Lyrica." Thankfully I was with it enough to tell him to re-read the freakin triage report (politely, of course.) Un real.....

I do like Di's idea of a small (like one of those 3" tall note pads). I was hoping to not go back to the doc until october, but I may try and see him on one of my days off next week. I'm getting the list together....

[Curious]

what about using one of those little flash drives? some even hook to your car keys.

i had never used them, but lil'monkey had to have one for each class. new age home work. saves tree's with no turning in papers.

[DiMarie]

Courious that is a great idea for when traveling to have as much info at the finger tips.

When I worked in law enforcement having the mendical bracelets were great for identifying a medical emergency to relate to the medics.
I ran wiht the ambulance too for18 years.

One thing we need fast is medical information of medications, there are many things that have interactions, also past history, if they have had a past heart attack. A fall victim may wnat treatment for the broken ankle or arm, but what made them fall...did they have a seizure or stroke, other emergency brewing.

We had a project of the life vile in our refridgerators. THe medical or emergency personal know to look in the refridgerator for the perscription bottle. It has all the needed information in a perscription bottle. Even a marker for your door window that you have one.
Good thread and ideas
di

[dabbo]

You're right Di- good ideas here!! I like the idea of the window sticker, but do you think that people (theives) may see that and think "oooh, good stuff." I *think* i'm going to get a small spiral bound notebook (easy to read right there) and also a USB thumb drive with all the info. I think a 1gb one can be bought for less that $20.

[johannakat]

yeah- back to school sales are on, 512MB drive at target is $8.99 right now.

I keep a copy of littlest kittens records with me almost all the time (asthma baby) y of all the visits we have made to him for the past year or so so that if we end up in the ER or urgent care doc, i can easily summarize what she has been up to.

never really thought to do it for myself...hmmm...it is a good idea.

[ocgirl]

http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/it...6003&added=yes