A bag for all of my potential daily needs (No, I don't have children. Nor do I wear diapers.)
My sisters both had children (3 altogether) in the last couple of years and so suddenly my life has gone from adventures to diapers. The little crazies are worth it, though, often in surprising ways.
For example, I was recently helping my eldest sister pack her diaper bag when suddenly I realized, that’s what I need! I have so many uh-oh moments on a daily basis when my body does something unexpected and I’m not prepared (curious? See Reasons my friends think I’m boring). My sisters rarely have this problem, because they always have a bag packed and are ready for the unexpected.
So, I grabbed the free bag sent to me by an environmental conservation group, and went to work. I thought about every time I’d felt stranded without whatever I needed to combat a sudden symptom. After weeks of thinking and planning, I now have a “diaper bag” packed with:
Sunglasses in a durable case (for light sensitivity and headaches)
A hat (I react to too much sun)
A small stick of deodorant (for hot flashes)
A lunch bag with a list of packable foods I can tolerate
A bag of potato chips
A tupperware with Himalayan pink salt (I need salt but react to extra iodine)
Aromatherapy and pain killers for migraines
An extra pill box with a day’s dose of my daily meds
A pack of my liquid Cromolyn (medicine) plus a cup to dilute it in
A water bottle or two
Period supplies (duh)
Warm socks (for bad circulation)
T-shirt and shorts (I react when I get too hot)
Electrolyte tablets
Imodium and benadryl (for if I trigger MCAS or my vagus nerve)
Eye mask (extreme light sensitivity)
This hasn’t been fool proof. I have already left this bag multiple places and had to retrieve it; it can’t be left in a cold/hot car; sometimes I convince myself I don't need it and then react and wish I had it; some situations call for other needs... you get the point. It has, however, already saved me a few migraines and one over-heating, so I’ll call that a success!