Be Prepared - Life Changes

[StephCabo]

Red lights and sirens, cars yielding.... Riding the center line. Thankful I am in the front seat of the ambulance. I am not the patient. I am riding with my neighbor. I realize there is so much I don't know about her... age, birthday, medications, Dr. emergency contact. She can't find her words she's having a stroke...How many of us can't be understood? Are you cold? My thoughts interrupted by the driver.. You're shaking.. Oh no I'm not cold, I just have Parkinson's... Oh crap did I forgot my meds? Nope took them, I'm good.

As I was sitting with her at the hospital I was thinking how fragile life is and how it changes in the blink of an eye.

Is it easier to become disabled suddenly and have to learn to adapt over night or is it easier to loose things slowly, to know what's coming... either way it's hard. It's a life changing process.

I am grateful everyday for every thing that I am still able to do. What ever the future holds I want to be prepared for small changes and huge changes. We never know.

I now have a list.... So someone else doesn't have to feel helpless like I did today.

Name, birthdate, contacts, doctor, medications, allergies, insurance.. I have a copy by my bed, in my purse and in every room in the house and in the car...

I used to be a girl scout LOL

Have a good day

[Hidden]

I hope your neighbour recovers. With a good neighbour like you she has a better than average chance of rebounding and adapting. Well done StephCabo.

Emergencies happen to everyone not just PD or PDP patients.

Paper copies are good but paper gets wet. Laminate it.

Suggestion : EMERGENCY FLASHDRIVE (Mac and PC compatible) for yourself and for everyone individual your family including your dogs.

It can be placed in your wallet - like a credit card - and used in emergencies such as the one described above. All vital personal stats, emergency contact #s, doctors info, Dx, medications / doses, specific needs, medical insurance, last scans - MRI / CT, everything.

Very efficient and can be life saving.

I run with ID / emergency information out of habit. It has been used once - I was unconscious and the good person who transported me to Emergency used the info to not only get me to 'my' Hospital emergency but to contact 'my' doctor. It saved my life I'm certain of it.

Just do it. Use tech to your advantage.

[StephCabo in reply to Hidden]

Nouska, Thanks, You are right, even better... And I all ready have all my med info on PC and phone... just didn't think about it...Guess my brain was in Hawaiian mode.... Hawaii is a slow laid back state even with technology believe it or not.. Medics were still writing every thing down didn't use an MDT like LA Co. I love Hawaii but the medical is not up to par with Southern California.. and actually my info on my phone has saved my life too come to think of it... silly me

Neighbor is doing well... Home from hospital

[PatV]

You Are a good neighbor. I have my ICE (In Case of Emergency) info in my phone, in my walker, on my fridge and in my Hospital kit. Just have to keep it up to date. Thanks to my daughter, who has TBI.

[sandeelee]

I thought I was alone in what I felt. This is the third time I've tried to join this site. first two web adddresses I forgot the passwords or something and I cannot connect. This time I wrote it down where I can find it. I keep loseing or mixing up addresses and passwords. Even if I write them down. I founnd myself taking the wrong doses of medication. And I set them up ahead of time. weeks ahead. I know them by heart. But I still messed up. My husband is suppost to watch over me. He don't. I have seizures. alot. I take medication for dimentia. but I only get to wondering around at night, trying to clean or fix things. lol that's hard to do when your hands won't stay still. lol Anyone ever have problems like theses? ^o^ or am I a rare breed?? LOL

[StephCabo]

You are not alone... There are so many times and so many sites I forget or just cant seem to get on to for some stupid reason. For instance, I hit the wrong key twice so it locks you out...No two sites are the same, so it is impossible to remember how to sign into them all.. and sometimes they just don't work, or you just have to change your pass word for no apparent reason... technology Frustrating dealing with it, can't do with it.... Back to my favorite saying.. It is what it is... Aloha