.png "English"){kind=small}
I will be turning 40 59 soon. Most days, I don't think of myself as being more than 35. The truth is, I am getting older. I also have a medical condition that has been flaring up more these recent months.
A few weeks ago, I accompanied a neighbor on a walk down to the lake. We strolled for around 3 miles and back, taking our time, people- and house-watching. My doctors are always after me to get more fresh air and exercise. I have a stationary bike but I figured why not get outside while I was feeling well (and social) enough.
I did just fine and so did my neighbor (who is almost 80) but we did see a lady who seemed to be having trouble on her outdoor stroll. A passerby noticed her looking a little wobbly and stopped to help her get seated on a bench in the shade. That night, my hypochondriac self dreamed that I had passed out on a solo walk.
Yall know me and my imagination, phobias, and tendency to fret. When I woke up, all I could think about is how all this COVID is taking people out. What if I passed out somewhere. I'm one of only a few black people around here so I do stand out but I'm highly antisocial so how would anyone know me? If I got to a hospital and was given some kind of treatment that triggered my-
Scratch all that. What if I got to a hospital and for some reason, they had to put me through an MRI? I've been warned about what an MRI could do to me since I have a piece of mysterious metal lodged somewhere in my head. True story.
Anyway...
Long story slightly shorter, I worked myself up into an anxiety attack about all the nightmarish possibilities of being incapacitated and maybe getting pinged to death by this BB in my head. I was never going to be able to calm down until I did something about the potential hazards, real or imagined.
Yup. I got myself one of those bracelets that I always thought were only for the help-I-can't-get-up crowd. (Save your jokes, people.)
It was hard to find a suitable (and affordable and not-ugly) bracelet. There are a lot of choices if you search for Medic Alert or In Case of Emergency (ICE) jewelry. Some of them are very generic and cover only common medical issues - diabetes, heart problems, allergies - and didn't get anywhere near the weirdness that is my life. It's the same situation when I try finding a souvenir cup or keychain. There are a lot of Andys and Amys but not many Trudys. So I was excited when I found a seller to customize a bracelet and not charge me like I was buying something in precious metal. I thought about getting this one but the one I chose is more affordable and I never wear gold-toned jewelry. Also, mine is easier to take off/put on. But I really do like that other one.
I really like that the bracelet looks kind of like another piece of casual jewelry, sort of like a friendship bracelet. I didn't want anything loud or dressy. I do like that the customized metal piece is attention-grabbing - at least for anyone trained to look for a Medic Alert.
The printing is clear and much more legible than the photo shows. The most important thing is that it will, hopefully, protect me from any MRI machines when I can't speak up for myself.
All kidding aside, I really do encourage everyone to get a bracelet. If you want an extra layer of safety, there are ICE phone apps for Android and iPhone. But the bracelet should be your other layer of protection. What if something happens and no one can access your phone - mine stays locked - or they can't locate your wallet and ID? Why not just be prepared? With this COVID going around, who knows what could happen?
So, yeah, it's not enough that I worry for myself. I am going to worry about you too! Get a bracelet - or a necklace. I am sure that emergency workers love it when they can ID patients and get a little bit of medical history.
By the way, I did not get my bracelet in exchange for this review, but I wanted to share the link since they did such a great job. (If you want a smile, one reviewer on the page has a photo of her engraving: "I'm good, water my plants." I'm stealing that!)
Stay safe, people.
Peace
--Free
A few weeks ago, I accompanied a neighbor on a walk down to the lake. We strolled for around 3 miles and back, taking our time, people- and house-watching. My doctors are always after me to get more fresh air and exercise. I have a stationary bike but I figured why not get outside while I was feeling well (and social) enough.
I did just fine and so did my neighbor (who is almost 80) but we did see a lady who seemed to be having trouble on her outdoor stroll. A passerby noticed her looking a little wobbly and stopped to help her get seated on a bench in the shade. That night, my hypochondriac self dreamed that I had passed out on a solo walk.
Yall know me and my imagination, phobias, and tendency to fret. When I woke up, all I could think about is how all this COVID is taking people out. What if I passed out somewhere. I'm one of only a few black people around here so I do stand out but I'm highly antisocial so how would anyone know me? If I got to a hospital and was given some kind of treatment that triggered my-
Scratch all that. What if I got to a hospital and for some reason, they had to put me through an MRI? I've been warned about what an MRI could do to me since I have a piece of mysterious metal lodged somewhere in my head. True story.
Anyway...
Long story slightly shorter, I worked myself up into an anxiety attack about all the nightmarish possibilities of being incapacitated and maybe getting pinged to death by this BB in my head. I was never going to be able to calm down until I did something about the potential hazards, real or imagined.
Introducing my new Medic Alert bracelet.
Yup. I got myself one of those bracelets that I always thought were only for the help-I-can't-get-up crowd. (Save your jokes, people.)
It was hard to find a suitable (and affordable and not-ugly) bracelet. There are a lot of choices if you search for Medic Alert or In Case of Emergency (ICE) jewelry. Some of them are very generic and cover only common medical issues - diabetes, heart problems, allergies - and didn't get anywhere near the weirdness that is my life. It's the same situation when I try finding a souvenir cup or keychain. There are a lot of Andys and Amys but not many Trudys. So I was excited when I found a seller to customize a bracelet and not charge me like I was buying something in precious metal. I thought about getting this one but the one I chose is more affordable and I never wear gold-toned jewelry. Also, mine is easier to take off/put on. But I really do like that other one.
I really like that the bracelet looks kind of like another piece of casual jewelry, sort of like a friendship bracelet. I didn't want anything loud or dressy. I do like that the customized metal piece is attention-grabbing - at least for anyone trained to look for a Medic Alert.The printing is clear and much more legible than the photo shows. The most important thing is that it will, hopefully, protect me from any MRI machines when I can't speak up for myself.
There are other sellers who customize so I am lucky that I got one who did a great job for a reasonable price. I also got a couple extra bands in the package. I am not thinking of having another customized piece done with another Bible verse. It looks as though I can place another metal piece onto the bracelet so...
All kidding aside, I really do encourage everyone to get a bracelet. If you want an extra layer of safety, there are ICE phone apps for Android and iPhone. But the bracelet should be your other layer of protection. What if something happens and no one can access your phone - mine stays locked - or they can't locate your wallet and ID? Why not just be prepared? With this COVID going around, who knows what could happen?So, yeah, it's not enough that I worry for myself. I am going to worry about you too! Get a bracelet - or a necklace. I am sure that emergency workers love it when they can ID patients and get a little bit of medical history.
By the way, I did not get my bracelet in exchange for this review, but I wanted to share the link since they did such a great job. (If you want a smile, one reviewer on the page has a photo of her engraving: "I'm good, water my plants." I'm stealing that!)
Stay safe, people.
Peace
--Free
