Just when you think life is going to get easier… your orthodontist informs you that you “get to” wear a retainer all the time. Not just at night, but all the time (except when eating) until the teeth remember where they are supposed to stay.
<sigh>
I already have this list of accessories I can’t leave home without.
There’s my glasses. I’m near-sighted so I can run around the house without having to wear them but I have to have them on to drive. Or to watch the TV. OK, the near vision is going and I need them to read with now, too.
Two inhalers: the inhaled steroid I use twice a day to strengthen my lungs and prevent asthma attacks and the emergency inhaler I have to carry at all times in case I have an asthma attack. I hate the emergency inhaler. Albuterol makes me shaky and cranky. Fortunately because of the first inhaler, I rarely ever actually need the second inhaler. But I have to carry it around, anyway.
The eye drops to treat and prevent glaucoma. The pressure in my eyes has been creeping up there. I don’t want to forget the eye drops. I only have the one vial; many glaucoma sufferers have to use two vials twice a day. I count myself fortunate that it’s once a day. But I can’t leave home without it.
Blood pressure meds. Well, isn’t that a fun one? I have hyper-tension. I don’t even look at risk but it runs in the family and I’m the one who inherited it. I’m so excited about that. Can’t leave home without it.
The SAMe. I could probably leave home without it. I was on Zoloft for years after my little sister died but I weaned off of it about 2 years ago and started looking into herbal remedies. I discovered SAMe on my own and started with half a dose. It makes a difference, especially in the dark winter months. If I go three or four days without it, I can feel myself tipping over the edge. (And, yes, my doctor knows I am using it. he knows I quit taking Zoloft.) Clinical depression not only sucks, it hurts. So while I could probably leave home without it, I don’t want to leave home without it. I’m not pretty when I’m sad.
And now the retainers. Expensive little suckers that I have to keep away from inquiring noses. Expensive suckers that I do not dare toss away with a napkin after eating lunch out. I probably should include a travel toothbrush and toothpaste and floss in my photo because I’m not going to want to put retainers back on after eating without brushing & flossing my teeth. That just sounds gross.
I count myself lucky that I don’t have one of those little pill cases with several compartments with the days on each cap and a load of pills inside each cap specific to the day. I don’t take vitamin supplements (other than the SAMe). I do carry a vial of Arnica pills, however. I bruise easily.
Yep, the things I can’t leave the house without.
Me, Mom. You can’t leave the house without ME. Love, Harvey Albert.
What can I say?
Jaci Dawn 
LOVE
That IS a lot of stuff to have to carry around. But, we do what we must, I guess. For myself, it’s headache medication—I can’t go anywhere without that. Any little thing can give me a headache; a whiff of vehicle exhaust, too much cologne fragrance, cigarette smoke, air that’s dusty or very dry, fluctuations in barometric pressure…are a few. I hate it, but that’s just the way it is. Thank goodness for pain meds.
Harvey Albert (I didn’t know he had a middle name!) is so cute. I think he might be even cuter than Murphy! But don’t tell Donald I said that. 🙂
My coworker has the headaches & I can empathize. I’m so thankful I don’t have those… OWIE. 😦
Yep, I think Harvey is cuter than Murphy, too. He makes Murphy cute, too, tho. They’re so much like brothers. Long story on the middle name – I had a little “contest” to name Harvey on a homeschooling list I am on. One of the moms is a Canadian named Kelly Smith (we have a joke that all Canadians are named Smith at some point in time). Kelly just lost her dog, Chance, maybe a month before I got Harvey? Anyway, she suggested Albert. Was very insistent on Albert. 🙂 So I named him Harvey Albert for Kelly. (About half of my friends on Facebook are from that online homeschooling community.)
Yeah, I understand. I always have my inhaler, EpiPen and Benedryl. Asthma and allergies suck, don’t they? I also carry a little pill container with a couple of Singulair (for asthma) and recently – blood pressure medication. Yet another example of how much we have in common.
Oh – you haven’t been on ccu! My doctor said I can go off the BP meds, Deanna. 🙂 My BP is so low (once again). I’m really excited. 🙂