So I have to admit that because of my history I’ve got a pretty lengthy medical file that probably weighs more in pounds than it measures in thickness. So it’s always been in my best interest to actually purchase some sort of medical ID bracelet or dog tags to give people a heads up in case something goes wrong and I’m unable to communicate. I am, unfortunately, a true procrastinator at heart. What makes matters worse is that, when I’m faced with a lot of decisions before reaching an end goal, I tend to drag my feet like an overweight dachshund being forced on a walk around the block.
Case in point: I probably should have had a medical ID bracelet the moment I discovered I had an allergy that led to anaphylactic shock. That’s basically when your body reacts so severely to something that it starts shutting down. Eyes, throat, mouth…everything swells and cuts off the necessities. You know…like air. It’s not a super common allergic reaction, but most that deal with it frequently tend to carry an epi-pen or other life-saving medications around for this very reason.
Of course, the trigger for that severe reaction in me only comes from one source and it’s only maintained in one environment that I’m aware of. Medicating myself ahead of time tends to curb the reaction to the bare minimum or down to nothing at all. While great, it may or may not have given me a reason to procrastinate on a medical ID bracelet for just that much longer.
Jump ahead several years and we’ve got Breast Cancer breathing down my neck, a full on radical mastectomy complete with lymph node removal. Anybody who has been through this or is even remotely familiar to this procedure knows that most nurses, phlebotomists and the like tend to frown on using the arm on the side your lymph nodes have been removed. Not only does this include drawing blood and IVs, but they also strongly advise not using blood pressure cuffs and lifting anything over a certain weight due to the strong risk of developing lymphedema. Lymphedema, in short, is pretty much a chronic and painful swelling in the arm. It’s an unfortunate and pretty common side effect of losing your lymph nodes, as those are what pull water and fluids from any sort of injury through to your body’s waste system (liver and kidneys, naturally). Without them, the fluid tends to pool and collect right where it forms, causing painful swelling. In order to control it you’re pretty much stuck with the equivalent of compression socks on your arms for life. There’s at least some solace knowing that people do make some pretty fancy and fashionable lymphedema wraps. But, once you have it, it can flare up or calm a bit, so you’re pretty much looking at a permanent condition. Thus far it’s one I’ve managed to avoid. Probably in my best interest to keep it that way.
You would think that this would get me off my rear, right? A severe allergy, risk of a painful chronic condition if somebody pokes or squeezes the wrong arm…? Well … sort of. It did push me to start looking around. My major roadblock, however, was that I was also on a plethora of medications, had several doctors…had emergency numbers that should be placed on such a thing…
But when you look at most websites offering these bracelets, you’re given 4-5 lines of space to put the most important things down. How do you prioritize? What do you tell people if you’re found unconscious and in need of medical help?
Like…how if you’re found unconscious in a parking lot, slumped over your steering wheel…? Stop looking at me like that. I can feel the disapproval through your screen.
I still didn’t have a bracelet made yet when I had my adventure during that chaos. If you consider I could open my own pharmacy with all the medications they have me on, knowing that info in the ER would have been mighty helpful. I lucked out in that my husband is pretty well-informed with my health, but the wrong medication, the wrong dosage, mixed with another…? There’s no way to pretty up the fact that it could kill you or severely hamper your recovery.
So I finally did some research. Google can be such a marvelous thing for the prepetual procrastinator.
Turns out that if you have a novel of information you want EMTs, Nurses, ER staff, doctors or even perfect strangers to know if you’re out cold…can be put onto a simple medical ID card. Tuck it away in your wallet, call it good. I was hesitant at first, though, knowing that most of my medications and dosages, times, etc., are prone to changing.
Turns out people have thought of that, too.
If you go here you can find a form online that you can fill out with all the information that will be needed. Blood type, emergency numbers, allergies, address, name, conditions, medications and dosages and times …
All the stuff to make your nurse proud.
So what does that leave to put on your medical ID bracelet or dog tags? Anything you think would be needed immediately. For me? My name, two emergency numbers, and a line that simply reads “SEE MEDICAL ID CARD”.
Best part? While the medical bracelet doesn’t come free (or cheap in a lot of cases), you don’t feel so bad buying a nice one that will last knowing that there will be little cause to have to replace the actual tag in the future. Every time something changes? Go back, fill it out again, print it for free in any of the available card sizes, tuck it in your wallet and go on with your day. Considering how everything else in life is far from simple, it’s nice to see at least one thing is.
Yeah, I need to get off my keester and do this, too. <_< I don't have any excuse. I just…haven't done it.