What do you do?

[mizdeb]

I was reading my new Trailblazer magazine from Thousand Trails today and saw an ad for Skymed service and the thought process started. This may sound a little morbid, but living in the situation I am in right now I have tons of time to think.

What do those of you who are full timers do in situations of medical emergencies? How do you let people know when things happen? I know that many try to keep quiet the fact that you are traveling alone, but how do you deal with it? Do you carry emergency information to contact your families? Do you keep information with someone close by? Do you have a system in place to stay in contact with your families?

Just wondering.

DH is still slowly declining and Hospice Nurses are still telling me there is not much time left, but he is alert much of the day and is eating more than he was for awhile. They are increasing his meds almost daily now so he seems comfortable.

[JudyJB]

I am not full-timing quite yet, but I have lived alone for 14 years. My kids live out of state, so they are not always physically checking on me. What I have done is put together a sheet that summarizes my medical history and includes the names of doctors and family members to contact in case of an emergency. I put a copy in a little thing that attaches with magnets to the refrigerator (where I am told EMS people will look for it) and keep another copy in my purse and glove compartment. Ditto for any suitcases I use.

If I am injured or sick and not able to answer thoughtfully, hopefully emergency medical personnel will be able to find one of my multiple copies. When I get my motorhome, I will be sure to put one on the refrigerator. Another is to put names of contacts in your cell phone address book under 911.

You can get these little emergency magnet things from your pharmacy. They also have containers for you to put inside your refrigerator, but these are a little harder to find. A friend of mine who lives alone, had breathing problems and passed out right after she called 911. She woke up in intensive care. Scary, so this is a good thing to thinnk about.

[Bethers]

I don't do much - but - I have the ICE emergency contact in my cell phone. That's more than I had living alone before I went full time. And I'm a member of a singles group where some of us have provided our contact info to the group for "if we disappear unexpectedly" so that we'll check on each other.

[Sprinter]

My parents have skymed, so they can be life-flighted back to their home state if something should happen to my Dad so my Mom won't have to drive the rig home. Although she could if she had to. She has taken a driving course, but I think she would be to upset to do so.

The Escapees have put out a "Vial of Life" kit with your medical info and a sticker for on your fridge. The emergency responders pretty much know to look for that with RVers.

There is also your "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) contacts in your cell phone.

[gypsysuzy]

The emergency care clinics that have become so popular are wonderful for the little emergencies that pop up. They don't require appointments or detailed histories. I kept a journal of any medical calls we made while on the road, who we saw, what they did, any meds, etc. I also kept our health info in a plastic box in the freezer, and have my kids contacts listed under ICE (in case of emergency) on my cell phone. They also have a "bracelet" that you download your medical history onto and then it can be accessed by medical personnel. I first saw that at the Escapees Escapade, but saw them again at a drugstore the other day - $20. Not sure I would want to wear the bracelet, but thought it could be attached to my keys. My DH had knee surgery in Mississippi one year; I was in the hospital with food poisoning in WV another; and we had numerous other doctor's visits over the years but always found good care. Bloodwork and other tests can be handled through various labs and the reports sent to your primary care physician. Oh, and always carry your medical directive and medical power of attorney.

Now, finding a good haircut - that's a whole other story!! Seriously, I am glad you brought this subject up because after DH became too ill to travel, I got rather lax about all this stuff. Now that I am on my own I need to make some updates.

[Sprinter]

LOL Sue! I agree with the haircut!

But seriously, I think this would be a good time to set up a network between all of us. Especially with those of us on facebook. If you don't see me on for a day or two, there is something really wrong! Or at least have a check in spot as to where we are. What do you think?

[Colliemom]

that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm alone here. Have a couple of cousin's in the area and neighbors close by, but I don't see the neighbors much and unless I am able to contact them, I could take a fall and nobody would even know. I do have a Power of Attorney with my best friends husband and also another friend who can handle thing for me if I am not able. This was something that my best friends and I said we would do for each other after my dad passed away. My best friend has since passed away and her husband is remarried, but still will help me out if I need it.

I don't have it right now, but when I am ready to do some serious traveling on the road, I intend to get Good Sam's Emergency Medical service. They will take care of everything for you and I think that a person who is traveling alone, should have some kind of service like that. I don't carry it now, cause I only travel about 50 mies from home and have all my emergency numbers with me in my walled. I need to sit down though and write out my medical prescription, emergency contacrs, wishes etc. though and do like
Judy does. That sounds like an excellent idea.

[Bethers]

If we want to do a network, I could set up a password protected room here - where people can share contact info - and how long before you should be seen. I couldn't integrate it with FB - so you'd have to make sure to post on here at least in the frequency that you say or post that you might be offline - like when I travel through Canada - won't promise to be online posting.

If there's enought interest, I'll make that room - and then pm out the password to it to those interested.

[mitch5252]

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[bluepinecones]

Thanks for the offer, Beth. Another YES vote here even tho I don't plan to full time.

[bertnspike]

Yes x 2

[Sandersmr]

While I don't have the need a lot of you ladies do since I live with someone, I would be glad to be a checker.

[mizdeb]

Thank you for the replies. It is interesting to see how everyone deals with this kind of issue.Yes I would like to be included in system of check in later. For right now I am essentially housebound with DH so it is thoughts for later that I was thinking, but glad I brought up the subject.

[BirdbyBird]

My mother-in-law was a widow for the last 28 years of her life and remained in her own home up until the last few months. She passed at the age of 93. She and a good friend of hers from church (she was not longer able to get to church comfortable those last years) had a system that one or the other of them would call each other by 10 am each morning. If some one was going to be out to a doctor's appt. they just told each other ahead of time.

There is also something called SPOT I think that tracks were you are so that your family can find you out on the wilderness roads and haven't checked in.....

[JudyJB]

This is an excellent discussion. It reminds me that I need to take some medical records with me when I full-time (hopefully in four months, assuming i sell my condo and get my motorhome by then). It would be helpful for EMS or an emergency room to have a copy of my most recent blood tests and cat-scans so they don't have to repeat things. Should leave copies with my son, also. As soon as I change my legal domicile, I am also going to have a new power of attorney made up for my sons.

Don't know the status, but there is a push for a national medical records database.

When I do things like riding my bike, or climbing up on a ladder, I do make sure I have my cell phone in my pocket just in case I fall. I also take it to bed with me if I am not feeling well. Course, none of this will help if I am unconscious.