Chiari Blogs: The "emergency"/hospital bag.

Hey everyone,
Here I am again continuing my month of hospital related posts.
I decided to spend this month writing about all things hospital related because I am raising awareness for the Arnold Chiari and Syringomyelia UK Awareness Month in association with The Ann Conroy Trust. Please visit my other posts by clicking here, here and here.

Having had a fair few emergency trips or last minute admissions to hospital, experience has proven that it is useful to have a small bag packed with some essentials for the event of a last minute stay. It eases the stress for your loved one(s) having to go through your stuff trying to find the items that they think you will need.

Here’s what I have in mine.

Important information.

• A file that contains: 
• A copy of any important documents related to your medical situation.
• An up to date list of medication including doses and times taken.
• A list of contacts.
• Note pad and pen – make notes! ALWAYS make notes when you can or get someone to. It’s a good idea to have important numbers written into the book too just in case. Also helpful for you to make a list of things that you need if you have to stay in for any length of time. I.e. phone charger, hair brush, extra clothes etc etc

Toiletries

• Travel sized shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. (hospital lockers/drawers are usually quite small).  Empty travel bottles (so you can decant your own regular products) are available from most drugstores, some supermarkets and online but Matalan and Primark also sell them.
• Face / hand wipes
• Deodorant
• Tissues
• Toothbrush in a case and toothpaste. (yep, I have a “spare” one – just a cheapo one. At home we have an electric toothbrush with interchangeable heads... obviously this set up doesn’t work if we’re separated so having a separate cheap one is very useful in an emergency situation)!
• Hand towel and flannel

Clothes

• Comfy pyjamas. Much, much better than hospital issued nightwear!
• Cheap slippers (mine cost £2/£3 from Primark).
• 2 pairs thin socks (better to layer them up than one thick pair – I get really bad cold feet and thin socks keep my feet warmer for longer). 
• Underwear (not on pic)

Miscellaneous

• Small purse with a few pounds in change in (useful for the pre payed tv systems and to buy a newspaper or magazine) –  If possible DO NOT take a full purse with bank cards etc – everything you have in hospital is your responsibility and unfortunately not EVERYONE in a hospital can be trusted! Lots of people have had money/bags/other personal belongings taken from them so it’s only worth having a small purse that you can hide somewhere with a small amount of money in.
• Puzzle book/colouring book/ Pens, crayons
• Empty carrier bag to put dirty clothes in.

I am raising money for The Ann Conroy Trust. Please visit my justgiving page and make a donation if you would like to win Juno the elephant or a miniature version named Junior. Both hand made by me!

Thank you for all of the lovely messages that I have had. I hope that this post is helpful.

Lots of love and hugs.

Chiari Blogs: The Ann Conroy Trust. Who are they?

Hello everyone!

If you read my first post this month, you will already know that I have decided to write about my “experience” living with a brain condition. (If you haven’t seen that post, you can read it here). Today I want to take some time to tell you about the charity that I am supporting on my JustGiving page. 

Who are they?
The Ann Conroy Trust is the only charity in the UK that offers support, training and education to medical professionals to broaden their knowledge and understanding of Arnold Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia. (Visit their website for more info on this).
Further to their research and professional training, they offer support to people with the conditions and their families too.

How did I find them?
I had been diagnosed for over a year before I had heard about The Ann Conroy Trust. I was visiting a relative in a hospital regularly and his nurse happened to mention the trust to me as if I should have known about them. It took me a little bit of time to give the helpline a call because I didn’t exactly know what to say. I knew very little about the condition, I knew how I was affected but that was it. I had worries, I had questions and quite frankly I was scared of the unknown. A really soft, friendly voice answered the call and within minutes I knew that I was talking to a wonderful lady and that some of my questions could be answered. More than anything, she was an understanding ear, someone that has heard pretty much everything I had said over and over before but still had the patience to let me flood it all out. She offered advice of how I can help myself and where to go medically. (They have affiliated surgeons with the trust). Since that first call with Lynn, I have joined the group on Facebook. From this group I have met up with someone local to where I live who has become a friend and an inspiration. She really does help me “cope” and I would have always felt lost had I not found the Ann Conroy Trust!

They deserve every single bit of support. The conditions are rare and easily over looked or not even recognised. (In my case I was apparently suffering with “typical migraine” until I had MRI scans)!
Awareness is needed!

How can you help them?
If you would like the chance to win a special hand-made (by me) cuddly Elephant (it was the most popular choice when I asked on the trust forum and my family and friends). Please visit my just giving page and make a donation. (Every penny will help) and for every donation made, I will be making a small heart – these will be stuffed into the Elephant.  In the comment section please state that you would like to be in with the chance to win. *please note that anyone that wishes to remain anonymous will unfortunately NOT be entered into the draw*. The draw will be made on Wednesday 1st July 2015 at 7pm GMT. REMEMBER, YOU MUST LEAVE YOUR NAME IN ORDER TO BE IN FOR A CHANCE OF WINNING!  (if possible leave twitter/facebook/instagram details too so I can easily contact you if you win).
Disclaimer: I have not been asked to write this post. All views are my own and that is why I would like to spread awareness and hopefully raise some money for this wonderful charity.

Chiari Blogs: It's all gone wrong - but not for long! Back to blogging.

Hello everyone!

I scheduled some posts to come on here this month as I have had quite a lot of things happening AND a small matter of a charity crochet elephant to make (read about it here) but stupidly I did it wrong so the easier thing was to just cancel them all on my phone and I didn't get round to sorting it properly until now!

I have finished the elephant (aptly named Juno) apart from the final stuffing and stitching which I will be doing at the last minute as I am using all of the little hearts that I am also making for each donation as part of the stuffing (I have lots more to make).

Over the next couple of weeks, well, the remainder of June, I will be sharing more hospital related posts, advice on how I "cope" with stressful hospital situations, a list of things for a hospital bag and other things related to dealing with being in and out of hospital. And living with a chronic condition.

I'm so sorry for the huge gap between posts this month. This has been the first time that I have turned on the laptop to have a proper look.

Please, please take a look at my other posts this month here and here

Love and hugs, as always.