Showing posts with label MEDICAL ORGANIZING. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MEDICAL ORGANIZING. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Favorite Organizing Tools
There are a lot of really great gadgets out there to get yourself organized. Some of them are really expensive. But spending more money on things doesn't mean that it will work better or keep you more organized.
Simplicity is the key. And so is being inventive!
My most favorite (and cheapest and most versatile) organizing tool is - ZIPLOC ! I love Ziploc bags - for everything!
We just got back from a camping trip and having to have every little detail (and every meal) organized - and planned out - Ziploc is your best friend!
I packed each meal in a Ziploc bag. All of the vitamins - in a Ziploc bag. All of the utensils, the napkins, the extra bags (always, always bring extra Ziploc bags when you go on a trip) - everything goes into a Ziploc bag.
Even the plastic containers of food - before they go into a cooler - go into a Ziploc bag.
Believe me - this will save you time in hunting for everything when you have everything in one easy to grab bag. The containers are protected from getting waterlogged in the cooler (one of mine had a leak).
I use Ziploc to capture all of the phone cords - so that we always have them in one place.
Then there are bags. Since everyone has gone to reusable bags there is an endless supply of bags. Use them to capture a 'grouping' of things. Snacks go in one bag. Cooking utensils in another.
You get the picture..... "like with like" !
Of course - another favorite tool is "the list" - it makes packing fast and easy - and you don't forget a thing!
There are many simple tools out there that can make your life just a little bit easier!
Happy Organizing !
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, August 23, 2010
INFORMATION ORGANIZING - MEDICAL AND LIFE
Most people don’t think about dying….or becoming seriously ill. It’s just too “real. Or “morbid”
But if you have kids…thinking about protecting them with a “will” is not only important…it’s down right necessary !!!!
Maybe you are only 22 or 28 or 35…and will live to be 80 ! Maybe you are in “perfect” health. But what if another driver falls asleep at the wheel and runs a red light and totals your car?
What if ???
What if you aren’t as lucky as I was and you don’t make it? And I had my baby daughter I the car.
We were beyond lucky. I saw the car…I had the right of way. I knew they weren’t going to stop. But I couldn’t do anything…. There was oncoming traffic in the other lane and I had nowhere to go.
I was lucky. My daughter and I survived. With no injuries.
But what if you aren’t so lucky. And your child is left with no parent?
Do you have a "wil"l ?
Do you have a “health care proxy” ?
Do you have a “living will” ?
Do you have a “power of attorney” ?
Does anyone know where these documents are ?
Do you have your medical history documented somewhere?
Do you have a list of your doctors ?
Do you have a list of your surgeries ?
Of your medications ?
Of your allergies ?
Stuff happens……
Are you ready ?
Do you really want to take that chance ?
If you have a family….is it fair to them ?
Be organized… get your affairs in order….. and go about your life knowing that if anything happened to you, your family would know what you wanted and your kids would be protected.
It’s time to be a “grown up”.
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/
But if you have kids…thinking about protecting them with a “will” is not only important…it’s down right necessary !!!!
Maybe you are only 22 or 28 or 35…and will live to be 80 ! Maybe you are in “perfect” health. But what if another driver falls asleep at the wheel and runs a red light and totals your car?
What if ???
What if you aren’t as lucky as I was and you don’t make it? And I had my baby daughter I the car.
We were beyond lucky. I saw the car…I had the right of way. I knew they weren’t going to stop. But I couldn’t do anything…. There was oncoming traffic in the other lane and I had nowhere to go.
I was lucky. My daughter and I survived. With no injuries.
But what if you aren’t so lucky. And your child is left with no parent?
Do you have a "wil"l ?
Do you have a “health care proxy” ?
Do you have a “living will” ?
Do you have a “power of attorney” ?
Does anyone know where these documents are ?
Do you have your medical history documented somewhere?
Do you have a list of your doctors ?
Do you have a list of your surgeries ?
Of your medications ?
Of your allergies ?
Stuff happens……
Are you ready ?
Do you really want to take that chance ?
If you have a family….is it fair to them ?
Be organized… get your affairs in order….. and go about your life knowing that if anything happened to you, your family would know what you wanted and your kids would be protected.
It’s time to be a “grown up”.
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/
Monday, February 1, 2010
DOCTORS VISIT – WHAT TO BRING
Going to the doctors, no matter if it's just a routine visit or if you are sick, seems to make most people very nervous. They feel intimidated because, well, they are a doctor after all.
So you get to the visit, the nurse comes in and asks you a few questions. Then the doctor comes in and before you even have time to ask your questions, he’s gone. And you are left wondering “what just happened?”.
It’s a typical scenario. And even the most educated and professional people seem to be intimidated by doctors. And they shouldn’t be.
A doctor works for you. Not the other way around. But with the constraints made on doctors to see as many patients as possible and the very limited time they are allowed per patient….it’s crucial that you come prepared to your visit. Don’t think that you will remember all of your questions during your visit, because you won’t.
Before your visit you will want to make a list of all of your symptoms and/or concerns.
Then, make a list of all of the medications that you are currently taking, including dosage. Don’t forget to include a list of all of the OTC (over the counter) medications, vitamins and supplements that you are taking. Some of these can interfere with your medications and your doctor needs to see a complete picture of what you are taking.
Bring a copy of your health history (include your history plus any relatives that you know of). This is especially important if you are seeing a doctor for the first time and have to fill out paperwork. Do not rely on your memory. This is too important.
In your families health history, be sure to include the dates of diagnosis and also what your relatives died from. Sounds morbid, but health history is very important and could be an indicator of what you have to look forward to.
If you are going to the doctor for a particular ailment that you have had in the past be sure to include information on medications that you took and if they worked for you or not. If they didn’t work or you had problems with the medication be sure to tell your doctor about it. A lot of people just stop taking the medication and don’t bother to tell the doctor and he never knows it didn’t agree with them. Then he will prescribe it again. And you’ve created a cycle.
Take a notepad and a pen with you and write down any information that the doctor gives you. If you get a diagnosis write it down. If you don’t understand it make him explain it to you. Don’t pretend that you know what it means if you don’t. You didn’t go to medical school. There is no need to be embarrassed that you don’t understand all of the medical terminology. If you write it down you can look it up later when you don’t feel rushed.
Make the doctor explain any treatment options and medications. Ask him about any side effects that you might experience.
If you forget any questions while you are at the doctors be sure to call the office back and ask your questions! Your health is too important to ignore. Don’t ever be embarrassed to ask your doctor anything. Don’t ever thing that you are wasting his time. It could be a matter of life and death.
Take control of your health. Take control of your life.
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/
So you get to the visit, the nurse comes in and asks you a few questions. Then the doctor comes in and before you even have time to ask your questions, he’s gone. And you are left wondering “what just happened?”.
It’s a typical scenario. And even the most educated and professional people seem to be intimidated by doctors. And they shouldn’t be.
A doctor works for you. Not the other way around. But with the constraints made on doctors to see as many patients as possible and the very limited time they are allowed per patient….it’s crucial that you come prepared to your visit. Don’t think that you will remember all of your questions during your visit, because you won’t.
Before your visit you will want to make a list of all of your symptoms and/or concerns.
Then, make a list of all of the medications that you are currently taking, including dosage. Don’t forget to include a list of all of the OTC (over the counter) medications, vitamins and supplements that you are taking. Some of these can interfere with your medications and your doctor needs to see a complete picture of what you are taking.
Bring a copy of your health history (include your history plus any relatives that you know of). This is especially important if you are seeing a doctor for the first time and have to fill out paperwork. Do not rely on your memory. This is too important.
In your families health history, be sure to include the dates of diagnosis and also what your relatives died from. Sounds morbid, but health history is very important and could be an indicator of what you have to look forward to.
If you are going to the doctor for a particular ailment that you have had in the past be sure to include information on medications that you took and if they worked for you or not. If they didn’t work or you had problems with the medication be sure to tell your doctor about it. A lot of people just stop taking the medication and don’t bother to tell the doctor and he never knows it didn’t agree with them. Then he will prescribe it again. And you’ve created a cycle.
Take a notepad and a pen with you and write down any information that the doctor gives you. If you get a diagnosis write it down. If you don’t understand it make him explain it to you. Don’t pretend that you know what it means if you don’t. You didn’t go to medical school. There is no need to be embarrassed that you don’t understand all of the medical terminology. If you write it down you can look it up later when you don’t feel rushed.
Make the doctor explain any treatment options and medications. Ask him about any side effects that you might experience.
If you forget any questions while you are at the doctors be sure to call the office back and ask your questions! Your health is too important to ignore. Don’t ever be embarrassed to ask your doctor anything. Don’t ever thing that you are wasting his time. It could be a matter of life and death.
Take control of your health. Take control of your life.
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/
Monday, December 21, 2009
ORGANIZING YOUR MEDICINE CABINET
Medicines expire:
Most people don’t pay attention to their medicines or their expiration date. But the dates are there for a reason. Medicines lose their potency. For example, if you have a prescription for an antibiotic that you didn’t finish, and a year later you have a re-occurrence of that same illness, the medicine that you saved is probably no longer any good. You are not saving any money by saving medications for future use if that medication is expired. You will not get better if you take expired medication.
Medicines can also lose their potency or become altered if they are not stored properly. Heat, humidity and sunlight can all affect medications. With the humidity of a bathroom, the medicine cabinet is really not the ideal place for medicine.
If you have children a medicine cabinet is not recommended because it is usually not a place that can lock and children get into everything. Use a locked box and put it on the top shelf of your closet so that little children can’t reach it (the lock should keep older children out). Accidental poisoning is a leading cause of death in children.
Get into the habit of going through your medicine cabinet and checking the expiration dates on your medication. You should do this at least twice a year. Or coordinate it with the change of seasons (for four times a year). Get rid of anything that is expired or damaged. Be sure to always keep medications in their original containers so that you know what the expiration date is.
Besides prescription medications you don’t want to forget “over-the-counter” medications such as aspirin, cold medications, antibiotic ointments and anything else in your cabinet. They all have expiration dates.
A very important detail: DO NOT FLUSH YOUR EXPIRED OR UNUSED MEDICATION DOWN THE TOILET !
The medications can contaminate groundwater. Even putting it into the garbage can contaminate the soil. Some cities have collection sites for expired or unused medications.
Makeup:
Women tend to forget that make-up also expires. When you buy a new cosmetic mark the date you purchased it (or opened it) directly on the cosmetic with a black marker. That way you won’t forget when you started using it.
Replace your makeup in the following manner:
Mascara & Eyeliner - every 3 months
Lipstick & Lip liner – once a year
Eye Shadow (powder) – every 2 years
Eye Shadow (cream) – every 1 year
Makeup sponges – every week
Makeup brushes – should be washed every week.
Don’t use mascara if you have an eye infection and never share makeup.
Placement of items in your medicine cabinet:
Group like items alike. Keep only one (1) of everything in your medicine cabinet so that it is not overcrowded. That means one deodorant, one dental floss, one eye drops, one toothpaste….. Keep the extra’s in a closet or under the sink (if you have room).
If you don’t have kids and you keep your medicines in your medicine cabinet, group all like medicines together. All pain reliever’s together, cold medicines together and so on….
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/
Most people don’t pay attention to their medicines or their expiration date. But the dates are there for a reason. Medicines lose their potency. For example, if you have a prescription for an antibiotic that you didn’t finish, and a year later you have a re-occurrence of that same illness, the medicine that you saved is probably no longer any good. You are not saving any money by saving medications for future use if that medication is expired. You will not get better if you take expired medication.
Medicines can also lose their potency or become altered if they are not stored properly. Heat, humidity and sunlight can all affect medications. With the humidity of a bathroom, the medicine cabinet is really not the ideal place for medicine.
If you have children a medicine cabinet is not recommended because it is usually not a place that can lock and children get into everything. Use a locked box and put it on the top shelf of your closet so that little children can’t reach it (the lock should keep older children out). Accidental poisoning is a leading cause of death in children.
Get into the habit of going through your medicine cabinet and checking the expiration dates on your medication. You should do this at least twice a year. Or coordinate it with the change of seasons (for four times a year). Get rid of anything that is expired or damaged. Be sure to always keep medications in their original containers so that you know what the expiration date is.
Besides prescription medications you don’t want to forget “over-the-counter” medications such as aspirin, cold medications, antibiotic ointments and anything else in your cabinet. They all have expiration dates.
A very important detail: DO NOT FLUSH YOUR EXPIRED OR UNUSED MEDICATION DOWN THE TOILET !
The medications can contaminate groundwater. Even putting it into the garbage can contaminate the soil. Some cities have collection sites for expired or unused medications.
Makeup:
Women tend to forget that make-up also expires. When you buy a new cosmetic mark the date you purchased it (or opened it) directly on the cosmetic with a black marker. That way you won’t forget when you started using it.
Replace your makeup in the following manner:
Mascara & Eyeliner - every 3 months
Lipstick & Lip liner – once a year
Eye Shadow (powder) – every 2 years
Eye Shadow (cream) – every 1 year
Makeup sponges – every week
Makeup brushes – should be washed every week.
Don’t use mascara if you have an eye infection and never share makeup.
Placement of items in your medicine cabinet:
Group like items alike. Keep only one (1) of everything in your medicine cabinet so that it is not overcrowded. That means one deodorant, one dental floss, one eye drops, one toothpaste….. Keep the extra’s in a closet or under the sink (if you have room).
If you don’t have kids and you keep your medicines in your medicine cabinet, group all like medicines together. All pain reliever’s together, cold medicines together and so on….
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/
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