We haven't talked about this for a while... but living in "tornado alley" it seems like a good time of year to bring it up.
I have a little "kit" that I carry with me outside the house. It's great for travel, but also for emergencies and sudden flares.
My pouch is small enough to slip into another bag, but it contains:
- Latex-free bandaids
- A pair of latex-free gloves
- Special bandaids for blisters
- A disposable cloth mask (not as good as a respirator, but handy)
- A list of all my medications and supplements
- A list of crucial information including safe pain medications, how to contact my doctors and family, a list of triggers I might encounter in a hospital (for example, any kind of blood thinner), and insurance info
- At least a week's supply of each medication (I keep them in two little stacking towers with each section labeled)
- My prescription bottle of tramadol... it's a controlled substance
If I ever need to make a sudden trip to the hospital, the LAST thing I want to have happen is a doctor/nurse questioning... are you sure you really need this medication?? My mom is diabetic and you would think nurses could handle that... but a couple of years ago she crashed after a surgery because they weren't giving her enough insulin. This way I have my own personal stash.
I've also run out of a prescription a few times
This kit has saved my butt when I couldn't immediately get a refill. And... if I forget to pre-medicate before I leave the house, no worries. I have lots of H1 and H2 antihistamines (the tablets are tiny). Ditto for Tylenol.
When we have a tornado warning, guess what goes with me into the shelter?
My "kit" is a lot more portable than the regular bottles I use on a daily basis.
Heather