Attn Bariatric Surgery Patients – In Case of Emergency…

We never want to think about emergency situations. Trust me. I really don’t like “going there.”

As the surviver of a horrific car accident, I’m painfully aware that emergency situations can happen in the blink of an eye. To anyone. Anywhere.

While we shouldn’t live in fear of what might happen, we should live prepared. It’s the reason we have medical insurance, car insurance, life insurance…and in Oklahoma…tornado shelters :)

I recently discovered how to put my medical information into my iPhone so in the event of an emergency, medical staff could see my medical history including the stent in my carotid artery and the fact that I take baby aspirin daily. They can see my blood type and any other notes I might have.

If you’ve had a bariatric surgery – you need to know about this.

How else would it be known immediately that you had a Gastric Bypass or Gastric Sleeve? While it may get discovered during the time of your care, for a doctor to know this about you immediately may change the course of HOW he or she cares of you.

So, if you haven’t already…here’s what you need to do. (I’m afraid I only know about this on the iPhone. I’m certain other phones have this feature and would love for you to share if you have another phone!)

• Go to the “Health” app that comes with your phone

• Select “Medical ID” on the bottom right hand corner
• Input all the information you’d like someone to know in an emergency situation
  • Ex: Medical Conditions “Gastric Bypass Patient”
• Medical workers know how to access this information and you can practice:
  • On the bottom of the locked screen tap on “Emergency”
  • In the same location on the bottom of the screen tap on “Medical ID”

Isn’t this great peace of mind? Sure, sometimes they don’t have your phone (my phone was still in the car when I was saved from the car and med-flighted to the hospital) however they just might. Medical ID bracelets are still a great idea especially if you have diabetes, heart disease or other illnesses in addition to your surgery. For me, the more places you can find important information in a crisis…the better!

You can read more about my car accident here.

Stay safe and all my best!

Steph :)