I have had Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) since March 2002. Both of my sons also got ME/CFS at ages 6 and 10. Our younger son fully recovered after 10 years of mild illness. Our older son still has ME/CFS and also has Lyme disease plus two other tick infections. This blog is about how our family lives with chronic illness, with a focus on improving our conditions and enjoying our lives in spite of these challenges.
Thursday, November 07, 2013
WEGO Post #6: Mary Poppins Carpet Bag
Did you know that November is National Health Blog Post Month? No? I didn't, either. To celebrate, WEGO Health is hosting a 30 Days, 30 Posts Challenge for health-related bloggers. Each day, they have a different topic for a short blog post, with a Facebook page for posting links. I thought I'd try participating as much as I can manage.
So, I am jumping in at Day 7 - today's topic is Mary Poppins Carpet Bag: what do you carry in your purse/bag/backpack?
First and foremost, I never go anywhere without food and my water bottle! My bottle doesn't actually fit in my purse but I always carry it, and there are always little snacks in my purse in case I go too long between meals and hypoglycemia hits! My water bottle contains lots of ice (I like my water icy cold, even in winter), water, and lately, a quarter teaspoon of Elete, an electrolyte solution (the extra salt helps keep me upright). For food, I often have a mini baggie with a handful of almonds or peanuts or cashews. Sometimes I also have a granola bar, though most of those contain dairy and/or are high in sugar. I love KIND bars, but they are 200 calories each, so I only indulge in them rarely.
I also carry a wide range of medications and supplements - the zipper pocket in my purse is full! There is a baggie of ibuprofen, a baggie of Valerian (in case I need to take a nap in the car), Sudafed and aspirin in case of headache, Immodium, Gas-X, and lots of Lact-Aid.
Oh, and I always carry with me copies of medication lists for myself and each of my sons. My older son and I each have a list that is a full page long, showing all medications and supplements. It is in table format, with columns for Medication, Strength, Dosing (i.e. time of day and number of times per day), Reason, and for Social Security, I had to add Start Date and Prescribing Doctor. I wish I could include a copy here, but I don't know how to do that! I carry these with me in case of emergency, but they are also VERY useful when one of us sees a new doctor - there's no way I could write all these down every time! I just attach the list to the forms and print a new one when I get home.
Otherwise, it's the normal stuff in my purse - my wallet, sunglasses, phone, lip balm, and lately, reading glasses.
How about you, Mary Poppins? What do you carry with you?
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3 comments:
I have a foldable walking stick that lives in my bag when I'm not using it. The other day it happened to unfold while I was pulling it out, so to people near me it looked like I was pulling a full-size stick out of my bag. I felt very Mary Poppins like!
I would love to have one of those, Sally! Or one of the mini seats that folds up - that would be handy, instead of jumping around like I have to pee anytime I need to wait in line.
Loved the image of you pulling a full-sized stick out of your bag like Mary Poppins! lol
Sue
That would be crazy to see!! And hilarious. A mini-seat is something I still plan on getting and keeping in my car at ALL TIME. Luckily my little sis is done with high school sports for now.. but talks of doing college and then I will definitely buy one. Also great idea on the medication form Sue. I love the idea of just handing it over to doctors and printing out a new one. Very organized!
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