Medical alert card

maestraz · Post by **maestraz** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:37 pm

Hello Folks,
I haven't posted for a while, but I've been looking at the board every day. Wow! we have a number of new members! And, several members I've been missing seeing on here.

I don't know why I haven't posted about this card before, or whether anyone else already has, but maybe it will provide some peace of mind for those who are just starting out with MC, or having management troubles.

If you go to www.myibd.org, you can get a (free) card that is supposed to give you bathroom access (such as to employee bathrooms) if no public bathroom is available. If any other MC'ers have this, and have used it, did it work? Thankfully, I haven't had to pull it out, but I like knowing it's there.

The card reads, MEDICAL ALERT RESTROOM ACCESS REQUIRED, then goes on to say, "The holder of this card has Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Colitis is painful and requires immediate access to a toilet facility. This patient cannot physically 'hold it.'. Please make
your restroom available."
OK, so we have MC instead, who cares? I don't think people will quibble the details. It will help to look very distressed, which, based on my experience, is easy to do.

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:49 pm

Hi Suze,

Huge, thanks for the tip, Brandy

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 9:49 pm

Good tip!

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:44 am

Hi Suze,

Have the card and needed to use it a couple of times. A big assest to carry in your wallet for this disease.

Maggie

DebE13 · Post by **DebE13** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:59 pm

Has anyone ever had problems gaining access to a bathroom? I can't imagine not allowing someone in need the use of facilities. I think if in a situation, I would give the place a choice of letting me use a toilet or the floor.

I guess people could be insensitive if they or someone they know have never dealt with the immediate need of a bathroom. My family will actually check with me before using the bathrooms themselves. It sounds pathetic and I laugh at times for granting them permission to use our bathroom but at the same time appreciate the thoughtfulness.

I was a frequent visitor in the bathroom to my 16 yr old son in the shower. He is a sweetheart and has never grumbled but no mom really wants to be making noise in the bathroom with thier child behind a curtain. It's like my body just waited for him to get up every morning - it's such a small window of time, you'd think I'd be able to wait.

Post by **tex** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:01 pm

DebE,

Have you ever seen this series of threads?

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8594

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8612

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8643

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8635

Tex

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:41 pm

I just read the first posts in those four threads. What an interesting story, and show how one person can change things for the good of many. Great job to both you and Jodi!

DebE13 · Post by **DebE13** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 4:00 pm

Wow- I can imagine exactly how she felt. I've been stopped dead in my tracks in the middle of the store knowing that I'd be done if I moved. My husband jokingly offered to stand me up in a shopping cart and wheel me to the restroom on several occassions. Sometimes humor is life saving. The look of someone in need of a toilet is universal- I still can't imagine saying no to someone in need. Thanks for pointing that story out to me Tex, it is an eye opener that I can't assume everyone would act as I would. I ordered the card and hope to never have to use it.

I used to exercise every morning in the basement. I finally gave it up after having difficulty getting to the bathroom without having a mess on a daily basis. I've felt humiliated to have to use the litter box on a few occassions. To be in a public place and feel that humiliation when a toilet is only a few steps away is almost unforgivable. All I can do now is laugh at what happened- my cat was on the stairs looking at me in disbelief

. Don't worry, I reassured her that she'd get all new litter after the box was bleached.

Post by **tex** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 4:29 pm

I can't help but wonder what was going through that cat's head.

Tex

kristinef · Post by **kristinef** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:23 pm

Jodi's story is very eye opening. It had never occurred to me that someone might refuse me access to a bathroom like that.

Hey Tex - why is Jodi and angel instead of a penguin?

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 6:22 pm

I ordered the card as well. Thank you for the link, Suze!

I wonder why this bathroom access law, Ally's law, is not on the books in California? That seems odd, as CA is usually one of the first states with new legislation.

Post by **tex** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:24 pm

kristinef wrote:Hey Tex - why is Jodi and angel instead of a penguin?

Those are called "rank" icons, and they represent rough approximations of the number of posts written by each member.

Jodi is really into angels, and she requested that change, so I located some code for angel rank icons, and substituted them for her.

Tex

humbird753 · Post by **humbird753** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:46 pm

Suze - Thank you for this information.

I experienced explosive D for over 2 years. I have gone into gas stations, Walmart stores, and other stores and have been told the bathrooms were not available because they were being cleaned

And, of course, left and ended up having to go home to clean up and change.

I have more control now that I am GF/DF/SF. Looking back (and even at those times) it angered me that they didn't allow me access to a bathroom when I was in obvious distress.

I have ordered the card also, but hoping that with this diet I will not need to use it. But just in case....

Paula

maestraz · Post by **maestraz** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:03 pm

WOW, just got home from a trip and read the 2008 posts that Tex gave links to. SO SAD that anyone should have had to go through that. Thankfully, that never happened to me, though I ditched a shopping cart and ran for the ladies' room more than once in the early days of MC. The feeling of panic was almost unbearable.

I have a new, semi-related dilemma, and I'm wondering how others have dealt with this: jury duty. I am already in a panic over having to sit in a jury box, unable to control my access to a bathroom. And, as so many of you know, anxiety is not our friend.

I welcome all suggestions. And, I'm happy to know that others have ordered "the card" as a result of my post.

maestraz · Post by **maestraz** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:06 pm

Just so you know, I don't have a clue why that posted twice. Or, at first it looked like it did. ?????