We Have To Get Organized

[Razbry]

This is how I am organized. I think it helps me stay on track. Maybe it will give someone ideas or inspiration!

First thing...take all your papers and put them in binders!

Track your labs...no one else is going to do it for you...or will care as much as you do!

Computerize your schedule for your vits/minerals/meds. It's easy to change, and easy to print off every time you see your MD. It's essential for me when I pack my pill organizers.

I pack my pill organizers every four weeks. It makes life so much more simple to grab a days worth and go! I down about 40 pills/day, so these organizers can really pack the pills in.

I keep about a three month supply of all my supplements on hand. Back orders happen, and I don't like to skip anything. Once every 4 weeks I haul this baby out of my closet and start packing my pill organizers.

I keep a list of all the supplements I routinely buy. When it comes time to re-order I don't have to fumble around looking for bottles to make sure I get my order right.

I've figured out how many bottles of the supplement equals my monthly supply needs. When I order, it is for a three month supply.

That's it...hope it helps!

 

[Razbry]

Sorry for the large photos...my photo uploading knowledge is limited!

 

[southernlady]

I have most of that information in my dropbox and can grab it on my smartphone. I use the Favorites feature for those places that have limited cell reception (like the bowels of the ER) and you don't want to scramble to get on the hospital wifi.

My medical file is always listed as a favorite and so is the diagram of the DS.
I keep my medical history updated...I do a word document and every year, I do a save AS not just a save and put a new file name on it. I have a written history of most of my stuff back to 2008.

Every page:
Date (auto updated with Word)
Name
SS#

List of Medications
Prescriptions
OTC
Drug Allergies
Other Allergies
Sensitivities

Second page:
Personal Medical history
Surgeries:
(oldest first)

Other info: Last physical, last bloodwork, last A1C, Mammogram, DEXA scan, Infusions

Diagnoses:
Examples here include my diabetes diagnose, etc. Date and which doctor made the diagnosis.

Common diseases/immunizations

Last Tetanus shot

Page 3 & 4
Family history:
(use to list this by person, but it got too confused so I list it by disease)
Each section has all known family members (I do include my parents siblings and my grandparents) This gets added to every time I find out a new piece of my family medical history.
Each person listed, age at diagnosis, and if they have died of that particular disease.

(This is my heart disease section right now
Heart disease:

Mother, angioplasty & HBP, BP ongoing, angioplasty (heart issues not cause of death) May 2000, died 5/14/02 (age 76)
Father, angioplasty Feb 2001, heart attack March 2010, high cholesterol & high blood pressure 2012, Arterialstenosis died 5/17/2014, age 86
Maternal Uncle, died 1973 of heart attack at age 52
AFib, paternal uncle

Stroke
Cancer (and type)
Diabetes

And so on...my current copy is 4 pages long.

________________________________

I do this cause I HATE trying to remember all this and because I have Essential Tremors and writing LONG pages of medical history is a ROYAL PITA.

For any paperwork I get from a doctor/dentist/etc, I fill out all the parts they need that is not on the list such as my address..but if it comes to a section such as prescriptions, I just write "See List".

The whole list goes for initial visit and any time something changes. Typically I just print the first page for any other visits.

 

[Barbara]

@southernlady Where/how do I put a diagram of the DS on my phone? Practically tech illiterate but trying to learn.

 

[southernlady]

@southernlady Where/how do I put a diagram of the DS on my phone? Practically tech illiterate but trying to learn.

http://www.dsfacts.com/ds-emergency-card.php Is the one I got.

 

[robs477]

Great post! That is so helpfull for someone not yet, but soon to be, (hopefully) doing all that, thxs for posting!

 

[southernlady]

Oh, and my husband and I both know how/where to access each others files in case we need to. We both have iPhone's and know each others pass code.

We actually upgraded our dropbox to a larger amount and now share it...so we can also get into each others files from our own phone. Makes it easier on both of us...he has a vast majority of his apps just there, all mine are tucked neatly in folders. I can't find his on his phone very fast and he is lost on mine, LOL.

 

[Barbara]

@southernlady Where/how do I put a diagram of the DS on my phone? Practically tech illiterate but trying to learn.

@southernlady Thanks for the link. I just have to figure out how to get it in my phone!

 

[southernlady]

@southernlady Thanks for the link. I just have to figure out how to get it in my phone!

Either take a picture of it or have an app like dropbox or box and upload it there.

 

[Barbara]

@southernlady

 

[Barbara]

[QUOTE="Barbara, post: 37140, member:

@southernlady Will do. Thanks!

 

[Charris]

Omg you guys are way organized. I was organized like that for my mother. All med, surgeries, alergies, family history, hospitalizations and what docs she saw for what. It made it so much easier when we went to see doctors or hospital.

I really need to get that done for myself, my family had no clue what to tell my doctors regarding anything with me. I'm going to make that my business to get done by friday.

 

[Razbry]

Charris, you bring up a really important issue...who has your information. I started to think if for some reason I could not speak for myself, who would know about my "revised" insides and special supplemental needs. My surgeon is long retired, the closest surgeon with this knowledge is two hours away. In the last 13 years (since my surgery) family and friends have repeatedly asked me what I had done. They really have no clue. So I decided to make it my mission to get my information to medical professionals who would need to know and understand. My PCP is the primary holder of my information. He has a transcript of the surgeons summary of my surgery, my current supplement schedule, and all the information I've given him over the years. When I had a hernia repair, the surgeon got all the same information. When I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy, the gastroenterologist got all the same information. Electronic records are getting more helpful, but I'm finding that even if the providers are in the same medical system, they don't access and look at what another provider ordered or scanned into the system. I even have a special form on my refrigerator that spells out my special needs in the event of a medical emergency. If anyone else has found other ways to get their information to the right people, I'd like to hear it!

 

[southernlady]

While a medical alert ID is not necessary with the DS since the issues that require one for a RNY aren't part of our system, IF YOU already have one...and I did before my DS, I simply added that information needed to the file I keep with MedicAlert.

I had already been a member of MedicAlert since 1980 due to OTHER issues, like an allergy to a common pain medication. I use a necklace not a bracelet as I hate/DESPISE the clatter of a bracelet on a laptop or computer keyboard. The necklace I use is this one: Necklace My first necklace was stainless steel with the red but the red flaked off after a few years. So I switched to one without the red...and since I wear gold jewelry, gold was my choice. I like the fact that first responders are trained to look for that type ID and there was 24/7 access for them to my information. I did not bother changing it from the one I wore before the DS...but I DID add the DS and the contact number to my surgeon.

 

[LorettaLynn]

Hi, what does your medical alert necklace say specifically? I’ll be traveling in a couple months and think I’d better get one just in case.