Travel Tip: Helping Medicos

In a unexpected twist I got a couple compliments today. I had to go to Pittsburgh for the first of a two day battery of tests at one of the country’s leading hospitals. While I’m lying on the table a doctor comes in and asks how much I weigh. I said I didn’t know because the truck scales were closed when I went by this morning. Then I told him how much I thought I weighed and he said “What?”, and said what he thought I weighed. I swear that if he’d had been a women doctor and I wouldn’t have had what looked like a wiring harness from an Ultra taped to my chest I would have jumped up off that table and kissed her. Instead I said “thank you, thank you very much!” The one nurse said it sounded like I’d just gotten a big compliment, yes indeed.

The other compliment came from the nurse who was doing my paperwork. When she started asking the standard questions I handed her a sheet that had all my meds and as much of my medical history that I can remember. She looked kind of surprised. I said that as much traveling as I do I carry a copy with me just in case. If something happened and they couldn’t get a hold of my relatives this would save valuable time.  She said that was pretty smart thing to do and wished more patients did that. The only trouble is that even though the record is single spaced on the page, I’m going to have to change the type size I use.

by S. Wallick with Associated Content:

Take Important Health Care Information with You. Prepare a list of important health care information for yourself and for any health-care professionals who treat you while traveling. The list should contain contact information including names, addresses and telephone numbers for your primary-care physician and for any specialists that you see for chronic conditions; your chronic medical conditions; any recent illnesses; a complete list of both prescription and nonprescription medications that you take regularly; your health insurance coverage information; and the name and telephone number for a contact individual such as a spouse or close friend. Keep copies of this list in your wallet, purse or travel bag and in your luggage. Also, be sure to take your health insurance card with you.

I’m not going through all of that—I’d be carrying around a book, but it’s worth considering keeping your basic information on hand for that next road trip.

Photo: Screen capture, film Motorcycle Diaries Google Image Search