AI Awareness: Medic Alert Bracelets

I'll be honest with you, 

(if you haven't noticed yet, I usually am)

I first thought getting a medical alert bracelet was going overboard. Here's what went through my head. 

I was all like, what? No, medical alert bracelets are for people with life-threatening illnesses or allergies, like that boy in My Girl. Why didn't he have a bracelet? Why did he go back and get stung by all those bees. Ugh, that is the saddest movie EVER. Anyway, I'm good. I just have Addison's Disease...and a tendency to go into adrenal crisis, which is, oh yeah, a life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical care. Hmmm,ok, well, maybe it's not a bad idea. After all, I don't want to end up like that poor boy stung to death by bees. 

Yes, that is how my mind works. Fascinating, huh? 

After posting on a few Addison's support groups online and looking at various websites, the majority of the advice was to YES, absolutely, get a medical alert bracelet and right away.

The main thing that convinced me was thinking that I could easily be in a car accident and be found unconscious and unable to communicate my diagnosis and needs. Without a steroid injection, I could die and the medics would just be sitting there, scratching their junk, like, huh, what the hell just happened? 

There are a number of places online where you can order medical ID bracelets. Depending on where you live, it can be difficult to find the one you need. I've seen some people even get their medic alert done as a tattoo! 

If you'd like something a little less permanent, Karen Zeall, of the awesome Facebook page "Addison's Disease-Rare+Life Threatening Illness" had bracelets made up for us! How cool is that!?!? And they are purple, my favorite color!

The bracelet's read "Addison's Disease" on one side and "steroid dependent" on the other. Karen found it very difficult to find a medic alert bracelet. Knowing she probably wasn't alone, Karen was kind enough to have a bunch of these bracelets made and is willing to ship them around the world. 

She is charging just 2.99 English pounds (I am on an American keyboard and don't know how to make the pound sign???) with free postage in the UK! If you aren't in the UK, she will still ship to you, all you have to do is Paypal her the cost for shipping. Easy peasy and a waterproof, long lasting bracelet will be on its way to you. 

For the cherry on top, Karen is donating 50 pence of every purchase to the UK Addison's Disease Self Help Group. Pretty great, right?

I'm ordering mine today and you probably should too. Just comment below or message Karen through her Facebook group online. 

Love, 

an Addison alien

who thinks medic alert bracelets get you better treatment at ERs too