My medical bracelet and....

[wyofirebirdbaby]

My medical alert bracelet and wallet medical card arrived yesterday and they are both in their proper places.

The bracelet doesn't really look like a typical medical alert bracelet and the engraved condition isn't as easy to see as I thought it'd be. It doesn't look like a fashion statement either!

Is it still likely to be noticed in an emergency situation? It's a bright silver ID bracelet type front held by 2 thin black braided leather straps and a magnet latch. COPD is in big letters but doesn't seem to stand out real well. It's on my right wrist.

I realize someone will go through my wallet and then find my medical card but quite a few minutes could pass by then. Should I maybe get a different bracelet? I have a lot of allergies and one of them is latex gloves and it's a severe reaction when contact is made and that's on the back of the bracelet but if bracelet isn't seen the gloves have already made contact with my skin.

Maybe I can get it re-engraved or something? Any suggestions?

[mavriktu]

Personally,I would stick with the standard.I come up on an accident scene,I am not going jewlery shopping,the standard with the caducious(sp) snake on a stick thingie,stands out and is at once recognizable.

[USMARINE]

I don't know if you live in a big area or not but maybe it'd be a good idea to let the local rescue service know in case something should happen. We instituted a thing out here with an empty medicine bottle with important medical info on it in the refrigerator. Maybe a wallet card system?

[oneoldcop]

Personally,I would stick with the standard.I come up on an accident scene,I am not going jewlery shopping,the standard with the caduceus(sp) snake on a stick thingie,stands out and is at once recognizable.

This ^^^everyone recognizes this as an emergency medical condition...

[jswwjw]

You might want to take a magic marker and write your condition on the back of your license as well. Diabetic, etc.

[wyofirebirdbaby]

I agree but I'm also allergic to metals,so I can't wear necklaces or bracelets and all the regular ones were all metal. The leather straps aren't soft and pliable,thus holding the little metal strip off my wrist. I wonder if I can get a fairly big sticker made up that would stick on the outside of my glove box announcing what my bracelet says? Of course that's useless if I collapse at the grocery store.

I live in a small community and can inform the few officers that are personal friends of mine of the situation.

Also,another question pertaining to this medical deal......I'm home alone a lot and all my doors and windows are locked at all times,24/7. If I had to call 9-1-1 my condition would make it impossible to get up and unlock doors and most likely speech will be affected also as it has been the couple of times I needed the ER. I had someone here then though. The back part has 3 doors to get through,the front only one but it's a door made back when doors couldn't be kicked in,windows too small for hands/arms to fit in. I don't want just anybody having access to my house keys,like jailers,janitors,lawyers and so on and to put it on LE to have to remember to always have them on their person isn't part of their jobs or fair to them. How do I have a set of keys always available to LE and medical staff that they're ALL aware of while private citizens do not? The police here are always the first responders with minutes passing before ambulance would get here so it'd be more important for all LEOs to know the situation over the EMTs.

I've worried about this since I was found to have this disease. It's been easier to just kind of ignore it the last 20 months instead of driving myself crazy coming up with a solution I'm unable to find. Maybe someone "outside the box" will be able to see the very simple solution and make me feel like a fool,which I'll gladly take credit for. No price too big to pay for the feeling of security!

What is that "Life Alert" system about? Are the necklaces and wrist straps waterproof? If not,it'd be in the bathroom while I was in the kitchen and can't breathe. Remember,you're not dealing with the brightest bulb in a housefull of lamps! In reality,the restriction of being able to get the needed amount of oxygen to my brain all the time and the side effects of my medications are already noticeable to me and my family members,so my bulb will only get dimmer as time goes on so I need those guys in blue with their spotlights (if they don't fall off! LOL!) to be behind me when I suffer a small,short power outage and wander around in the kitchen for 15 minutes trying to figure out why I was in there! I guess I could google that part for myself,huh? I'll do so.

Anyway,thanks for any ideas that will cause LE,medical staff and myself the least amount of trouble!

[cgravines]

Lock problem- I'd suggest possibly getting one of those punch key boxes that Realtors use or something more fancy and a coded entry on your garage or something of the like. My county dispatch has premise information with contact numbers and sometimes key code entry to premises.

Latex gloves- I'd say short of everybody in the area knowing you, you're gonna come in contact with the gloves unless the standard gloves your first responders use are non latex. We take serious the phrase, "Scene safe, gloves on" before we give any treatment to anybody.

Medical Alert- short of knowing exactly what you're allergic to, I can't offer specific advice. I have a watch with a nylon strap that completely surrounds my wrist. In place of the time piece you could have a dog tag style alert with your information. I'm not sure if they make this but a quick google search for medical alert offered me tons of options so I'm sure you could talk to someone that could offer you assistance somewhere. Similar to our premise information for buildings, we have alerts for people in our dispatch information. If you are the one calling 911 before you are completely incapacitated, when they put your name in the system your information history will come up. They'll also offer medical history to us as we are enroute.

[Nikk]

Also,another question pertaining to this medical deal......I'm home alone a lot and all my doors and windows are locked at all times,24/7. If I had to call 9-1-1 my condition would make it impossible to get up and unlock doors and most likely speech will be affected also as it has been the couple of times I needed the ER. I had someone here then though. The back part has 3 doors to get through,the front only one but it's a door made back when doors couldn't be kicked in,windows too small for hands/arms to fit in. I don't want just anybody having access to my house keys,like jailers,janitors,lawyers and so on and to put it on LE to have to remember to always have them on their person isn't part of their jobs or fair to them. How do I have a set of keys always available to LE and medical staff that they're ALL aware of while private citizens do not? The police here are always the first responders with minutes passing before ambulance would get here so it'd be more important for all LEOs to know the situation over the EMTs.

To the key question, I have a key in one of those lock boxes that Realtors use. It's made to hang on a door knob and has a combination lock on it. It's not on the door I use all the time, it's on the door that leads from the backyard to the attached garage (the same key would open the garage and the house.) My purpose for having it is not for emergencies, but it occurred to me that if I was able to call 911, I'd be able to tell them the combo to the lock and where it's located.

[Nikk]

http://www.vitalid.ca/store/Scripts/prodView_medical.asp?idProduct=16

One quick search I found this non-metal medic alert bracelet. I'm sure there are more stylish plastic ones!

[wyofirebirdbaby]

Lock problem- I'd suggest possibly getting one of those punch key boxes that Realtors use or something more fancy and a coded entry on your garage or something of the like. My county dispatch has premise information with contact numbers and sometimes key code entry to premises.

Latex gloves- I'd say short of everybody in the area knowing you, you're gonna come in contact with the gloves unless the standard gloves your first responders use are non latex. We take serious the phrase, "Scene safe, gloves on" before we give any treatment to anybody.

Medical Alert- short of knowing exactly what you're allergic to, I can't offer specific advice. I have a watch with a nylon strap that completely surrounds my wrist. In place of the time piece you could have a dog tag style alert with your information. I'm not sure if they make this but a quick google search for medical alert offered me tons of options so I'm sure you could talk to someone that could offer you assistance somewhere. Similar to our premise information for buildings, we have alerts for people in our dispatch information. If you are the one calling 911 before you are completely incapacitated, when they put your name in the system your information history will come up. They'll also offer medical history to us as we are enroute.

See,I knew that answers would come and be good ones as long as they didn't come from me! Punch key boxes are one good suggestion.

The one ambulance ride I've ever had didn't involve my medical condition so I was able to immediately inform EMTs of latex allergy and they had non-latex gloves handy and available but that may not always be the case.

I'm allergic to gold,silver,brass,copper and some forms of aluminum. I'm able to wear rings on my fingers and earrings as long as they don't touch my neck in any way! Odd,huh? Leather,nylon,plastic and cloth are all fine. I've never been able to wear a bracelet or watch in my life time and missed what all the other girls and women could wear so much that I finally had a wrist band tattooed on my left wrist!

I'll bet they have that same service here with our dispatchers and I'll go Monday in person and talk to the one on duty. Even if I'm unable to speak I'll bet I could still text as long as we're all knowed up on how to text 9-1-1! Keys could even be stashed outside and moved every few days as a single location may be easier to text than a sequence of numbers. From experience I tend to freak out a little when I'm unable to breathe and a sequence of numbers may be too much for me to remember when in panic mode "In BBQ" may be easier.

I believe I will check with our hospital first about the medic alert option best fitted for my situation and then to dispatch.

Thank you so VERY much for the suggestions! Not ones I'd thought of! I truly feel much better now!

[Nikk]

I'll bet they have that same service here with our dispatchers and I'll go Monday in person and talk to the one on duty. Even if I'm unable to speak I'll bet I could still text as long as we're all knowed up on how to text 9-1-1! Keys could even be stashed outside and moved every few days as a single location may be easier to text than a sequence of numbers. From experience I tend to freak out a little when I'm unable to breathe and a sequence of numbers may be too much for me to remember when in panic mode "In BBQ" may be easier.

My combo (where my spare key is kept) is actually letters, not numbers, and the combo spells a word. When I give it to someone I say "the combo is BIRD" and when they see it, they figure out what I meant! (that's not really it, , of course! lol) If it's a number keypad you can usually set the code to be your birth date, wedding date, etc. - numbers you'd always remember. I've used my race car number, repeated twice! It seems in the heat of the moment that would be easier to remember than where you last stashed your secret key! But again - my key lock box was not obtained by me for the same purpose as yours, so your local responders having the code would be more suited to your situation.

[wyofirebirdbaby]

http://www.vitalid.ca/store/Scripts/...p?idProduct=16

One quick search I found this non-metal medic alert bracelet. I'm sure there are more stylish plastic ones!

Now see,when I googled them and looked at numerous sites I never saw that one! And I paid more for this one! I'm going to order one of those and when I feel like being "girly" I'll wear this one! Oh yeah,I'm NOT allergic to surgical steel!

Thank you so much,Nikk! You've helped me immensely! I'm eternally grateful!

[deputy x 2]

Medical bracelets- good idea. A generic one is the best as EMT's aren't going to look behind every piece of fancy looking bracelet. EMT's do a quick check and are "trained" to spot them.

Use a Sharpie or label maker on the back of your DL. FD and EMT have to fill out pre hospital reports so they will be looking for your ID.

A lock box is the best...however moving it periodically is a bad idea. Dispatch can input your access code in the computer for reference. That is how they do it for apartment gates and doors.

Life Alert is a good sense of security....at least they can speak for you.

But really in a dire situation..one they are just going to break down your door. FD has "special" keys! And two..allergic reaction to latex gloves is secondary to your primary illness...which can be deadly if not attended to.

[Zeitgeist]

Medical bracelets- good idea. A generic one is the best as EMT's aren't going to look behind every piece of fancy looking bracelet. EMT's do a quick check and are "trained" to spot them.

Use a Sharpie or label maker on the back of your DL. FD and EMT have to fill out pre hospital reports so they will be looking for your ID.

But really in a dire situation..one they are just going to break down your door. FD has "special" keys! And two..allergic reaction to latex gloves is secondary to your primary illness...which can be deadly if not attended to.

+1
In a medical emergency, I promise, paramedics and firefighters will get in.

[wyofirebirdbaby]

Medical bracelets- good idea. A generic one is the best as EMT's aren't going to look behind every piece of fancy looking bracelet. EMT's do a quick check and are "trained" to spot them.

Use a Sharpie or label maker on the back of your DL. FD and EMT have to fill out pre hospital reports so they will be looking for your ID.

A lock box is the best...however moving it periodically is a bad idea. Dispatch can input your access code in the computer for reference. That is how they do it for apartment gates and doors.

Life Alert is a good sense of security....at least they can speak for you.

But really in a dire situation..one they are just going to break down your door. FD has "special" keys! And two..allergic reaction to latex gloves is secondary to your primary illness...which can be deadly if not attended to.

What an excellent idea on the sharpie and my DL! In my wallet they'll see my DL before they will the medical card. (Going to get a new wallet,too.)

If dispatch has the code then no need to move box.

Yes,I believe Life Alert is something I need. I get dizzy a lot and tend to fall more often than I'm comfortable with. (Last time one of my stupid cats ran off with my glasses when I fell! It was funny later!)

I not only want to stay independent and safe as long as possible but I don't want to bother LE and EMTs needlessly or more than absolutely necessary! I never was a boy scout (LOL!) but the motto "Be prepared" is a pretty good one for everybody.

Yes,a big healthy dose of Benadryl administered quickly with the allergic reaction to latex works very well while it takes a little more to get me breathing normal again.

You too, had excellent ideas and I will use them also. Thank you,deputy x 2!