Monday, March 12, 2012

The "Go Bag" for POTSies

I've been having extremely low blood pressure, low heart rate and bad dizziness since Saturday night. Talked to the doctor and he wants me to stop my Atenolol and Norvasc and stay in bed until Thursday when I can see him. This sucks! I am so sick of being in beds and not out. I really would love to see my friends, but I honestly don't even feel up to getting on WoW or watching movies. While I hate that I'm stuck in bed, the alternative is going back to the hospital. We're hoping that being in bed will prevent that.
Just in case, we're going to pack a bag just in case I need to go in. When I went in last week I hadn't felt well enough to clean my room or put away laundry in a while, so it was hard for my Mom and sister to find the things I needed in the hospital. One thing I've learned about being in the hospital is that some little things can make a big difference.
I like to have shorts or pj bottoms (who wants their butts hanging out of gowns? Since me going to the hospital usually means getting heart monitors on, I like to bring a sports bra or tank top to wear under the gown (if allowed) since the wires poke out of the pocket in the front and expose you (but make it one that you're okay with losing since they will cut it off in an emergency). Slippers and warm socks are both good to add as well since you will probably be getting in and out of bed a lot for the potty. It sounds silly, but I like to bring a cute hair bow or flower or something, it makes me and the nurses smile which is always good. Hand sanitizer is good too since most POTSies in the hospital aren't able to get out of bed without help, so hand washing is not as easy to do.
My iPhone and charger are a must! Computers are big, bulky and more likely to get stolen in my opinion, and an iPhone can do everything a computer can. I make sure to always have a few movies, games, photos, and music always on my phone just in case. If you know you'll have a private room, a few small bottles of nail polish can keep you busy for a little bit, but I love painting my nails so maybe thats just me. I like to have coloring books in the hospital because its something to do that is quiet and mindless. When I'm not feeling well, reading, watching tv, and other things like that are too mind intensive and actually can tire me out. I also keep a few printed photos in my purse, when in the hospital, I stick them on the tv and they make me feel a little more at home.
Another thing that is always good to keep on you is a "med sheet". A med sheet consists of a list of conditions, allergies, meds (including doses and schedule), doctors (with numbers), emergency contacts, and any other info that is important if you are unconscious and need medical assistance. If you wear a medic alert charm then emergency responders will look for a sheet like this if you're unable to speak.

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