My Bracelet

Carolyn Thomas at Heart Sisters wrote an excellent blog about medical i.d. today called Why aren’t you wearing your medical I.D?

I'll have to admit that I went until just last month--a full 20 months without wearing any kind of  medical i.d.  I really never thought much about it until I traveled to Ohio on business with my co-worker, Claudia.  While we were there I realized if something happened to me, all she would be able to tell them is that I'd suffered a previous heart attack.  She would never be able to tell them I have 5 stents in my LAD and that I am taking carvedilol, plavix, simvistatin and asprin..  She would never be able to tell them that I am allergic to penicillin and latex.  She would never be able to give them a contact number of someone back home. Actually, if something happened to me at home, I am quite sure even my husband and children would never be able to rattle all of that off!

When we got home, I started looking for a bracelet.  Most places they are so sporty and I was looking for something that was not quite so sporty.  I found this great website called Lauren's Hope and I ordered the one called Cambay Cuff Stainless Steel Medical ID.  The total cost with shipping was around $63.00. Check them out, they have great products and, I was pleasantly surprised to find out they are just north of the river in Riverside, MO.  I really love their products!

I still intend to subscribe to Medical Alert Services as Carolyn highlighted in her blog so that I can have a more complete medical history on file.  While my Lauren's Hope bracelet is wonderful and I love it, Medical Alert Services allows  for a complete medical history to be available to emergency responders.  It is basically your own version of an electronic medical record that they use in doctors offices and hospitals.


I know that no one ever expects to be in an emergency situation.  Trust me that I couldn't believe it when I was in the ambulance.  Lucky for me, I was conscious and could talk to the paramedics and to the nurses and docs on the fabulous cardiac team that was waiting for me when I arrived at the hospital.   If I hadn't been, they would not have known I was allergic to latex or penicillin.

There are a whole host of diseases and reasons why you should consider medical id.

If you have never checked out Carolyn's blog, go check her out at http://myheartsisters.org/. She has great heart information!