Wear It Well

I have a very important question to ask you: Are you wearing a medical alert bracelet that identifies your chronic diseases and/or allergies? My guess is that many of you who should wear one are not wearing a medical alert bracelet. According to an article by American Medical ID, the reasons for wearing a medical alert bracelet (or necklace) are as follows:

• Symptoms of common ailments can easily be misdiagnosed.
• Prompt diagnosis is critical to effective treatment.
• A brief description of vital medical facts engraved on your medical ID ensures appropriate and timely medical care.
• According to a published study, half of all medical errors occur because of mistakes made upon admission or discharge from the hospital.
• Wearing a medical ID protects against potentially harmful medical errors.

It’s reported that 95% of first responders look for a medical alert ID. In the past, medical alert IDs were not very fashionable and looked similar to the photo above. That is no longer the case. There are several companies who provide medical alert IDs that look like a fashionable piece of jewelry that will compliment your wardrobe. You can find these sites by simply doing a search on Google®.

Fashion sense aside; imagine what could happen if you are in an accident or need immediate medical attention and you are not wearing a medical alert ID. In my instance, medical personnel would not know that I’m diabetic. You may say, well that’s easy enough to figure out with a simple blood test. But there may not be enough time to wait for the results of a blood test. Wearing a medical alert ID – or not wearing one – can be the difference between life and death. Don’t allow vanity to dictate your future.

Do your due diligence and, if you haven’t already done so, get your medical alert ID or update the one that you have today. Your loved ones will thank you.

By Lorraine Castle

About Rev. Cynthia Jackson

Rev. Cynthia Jackson is the administrator of the Rhema4U Blog and Innovations Ministries Director. Rev. Jackson is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was licensed and ordained under the tutelage of Bishop David G. Evans. She is an associate minister at Bethany Baptist Church located in Lindenwold, New Jersey. Rev. Jackson founded Innovations Ministries in 2001. Innovations Ministries provides dynamic and innovative programs and services for individuals and families dealing with various health-related issues. She is a gifted teacher, preacher, conference speaker and writer. God has anointed Rev. Jackson to be a spiritual midwife with a passion to empower others to birth God's vision for their lives. Rev. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management from Eastern University, a Master of Science Degree in Health Administration from Saint Joseph's University and a Master of Science Degree in Christian Counseling from Cairn University.