These are things you’re going to want to build for yourself if you’re chronically ill. When you go out, you need to be prepared in case something goes wrong, to at least help yourself until professional help arrives or you can get to a safe space.
If you are a regular hospital visitor, you need to make an emergency overnight bag. You either grab it as the ambulance is arriving or you tell a loved one “I need X bag in X location” so that nobody has to scramble around for things and wasting time.
If I leave the house, this bag does not leave my side.
It is big enough to contain (aside from my keys, wallet, and phone)
First Aid kit (grey cosmetics bag)
Water
Umbrella
Deodorant
Wheelchair gloves
eReader
Emergency phone charger
That charger lives with you. It does not leave your bag. If you need help and your phone is dead, you’re probably not gonna be able to easily get to a working phone or remember numbers, or potentially know your location if you need to call an ambulance. Make sure your phone is charged.
Pack old clothes. Hospitals can be gross. I’ve bled all over mine, sweated etc. Not a fashion show. Old clothes you don’t mind getting ruined.
Things need to be loose. My jeans are jeggings (stretchy waist) because if I can’t wear normal pants from pain. You need things that allow doctors access (shirts easily moved for needles or what have you.)
Pack shoes for the shower (if you can shower.) Floors can be unsanitary and the last thing you want is a fungal infection.
Toiletries – tiny shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, toothbrush/toothpaste, baby wipes and hair treatment (if you can’t shower), moisturiser (cold hospital air dries out your skin), and lipbalm
Apps
ICE (In Case of Emergency) Card – lists your name, weight, height, emergency contacts, diseases, allergies, medication, and personal notes for paramedics. Can send out alarm calls or messages and is available on your home screen (if you want to set it up that way)
Medisafe – track your medication and set reminders. You can set it up to automatically text someone if you skip a dose.
FibroMapp – tracks chronic pain and sleep, and helps you illustrate pain levels, times, triggers, and relief
Emergency+ (Australian) – gives your exact location and surrounding streets to give to paramedics. You can call from this app.
First Aid (Australian) – gives you step by step instructions to help yourself or someone else
Even if you’re not disabled yourself, please rb this because it can genuinely help people who are
u know what’s weird.. that i’m going to like.. keep getting older.. and like i’m going to change.. experience personal growth and character development and shit.. like that’s wild
please make sure that wherever you’re at in life, you don’t treat it like a transitory period. don’t waste your college years wishing to already be graduated & have a job. don’t waste your single years wishing for someone to be in love with. if/when those things come, they will come in due time and they will be good. but there is nothing like looking back and feeling empty because you wasted literal years ignoring what you had because you were hoping for something better. while it’s important to better yourself and reach for your goals, don’t neglect the present because that’s where you are now and it’s your now that determines your future.
softcore-genji 