Friday, August 3, 2012

How To Manage Your Stockpile


One time we had trouble with our refrigerator and I was worried that the insulin went bad.  It was a terrible feeling.  Up until that point, I'd started building a stockpile, but wasn't managing it well.  I made changes immediately.  Perhaps these tips will help you.

(If you missed my tips on how to build a stockpile, you can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.)


1.  Keep an eye on expiration dates. 

This sounds like a no-brainer, but it's easy to overlook.  When you get new supplies, move any leftover supplies in your cabinet to the front and put the new supplies in the back.

At least once a year, check those items you rarely use.  Glucagon, Ketostix and such.  I think it's pretty easy to keep up with the daily supplies.  It's those I rarely use that are in risk of expiring.


2. Give some supplies to a friend.

One of your friends should have some supplies on hand in case of an emergency.  Things do happen and you can't afford to be without supplies.

My friend has several bottles of insulin, a few pods, syringes and a couple boxes of test strips.

3.  Put all prescription information in one place.

I always take care of any reordering, but I do have everything written down for Kevin, should something happen to me.  No one likes to think about these things, but I certainly want him to be prepared just in case.

We get medical supplies from several places.  Pods are ordered from a mail order pharmacy. Insulin and test strips come from a different company. Skintac and Unisolve are bought online.

It's a lot to keep up with!  Kevin would have a terrible time figuring it all out if I didn't have it organized.

Get Prepared
I hope this series has helped you.  If you're newly diagnosed, dealing with medical supplies can be overwhelming, but you'll get the hang of it in no time!


Related Posts
Should You Stockpile Medical Supplies?
How to Stockpile Medical Supplies Part 1
How to Stockpile Medical Supplies Part 2



3 comments:

Stephanie said...

Another great idea!!! I don't think Jason would have a clue if something happened to me. I am going to write it all down today!

Bethany said...

Just curious how you have the prescriptions organized?

Tracy1918 said...

Bethany,

I just have them typed up on one sheet of paper.

1. Name of medication (or syringes, pods, etc)
2. Prescription number
3. Where we get it from
4. Phone number and/or website
(If it's a website, I have my user name and password written down as well.)