I am a single parent with no emergency plan should I land in the hospital due to some medical issue. This is a scary thought, but I am inching closer to fifty and I need to take into consideration that no one will be able to find all the pertinent files as they are in various cabinets throughout the house.
I have those files dispersed because we live in California, otherwise known as earthquake country, plus fire season strikes in different areas of the state.
We are prepared for an event with three small suitcases that contain the following:
- health and beauty aides
- clothing for all seasons
- photos and negatives
- canned food
- medical supplies
- extra medications
- school memorabilia
- important papers
- insurance info
- birth certificates, SSI cards
- baby books
- award letters from SSI
- diagnosis letters
- copy of last IEP
I figured we’d have one suitcase for each of us to grab on our way out, although they are stored in different rooms on ground level and not in a cabinet.
However, there is no plan in place for the unexpected - if something happens to me. But there are nurse hotline cards posted on the refrigerator and phone numbers to a relative in New Jersey neither of my kids know. Their father is paranoid schizophrenic, living nearby but unable to care for them for any period of time. He is also on an antipsychotic and so is my nonverbal severely autistic son who is twelve years old.
I have decided, here and now, that before my next birthday in April I must have a plan in place. Folders in file cabinets need to be labeled. I should write down in a notebook what files are in which cabinets since I have four filing cabinets in various places in the house.
I might have to update my Life Insurance Beneficiary, write out a will and try to get a special needs trust in order. This is the year to stop procrastinating and make sure my children’s needs are written down.
I feel it is most necessary to document a weekday and weekend day for each kid. I might even label cabinets in the kitchen so that anyone coming in here would be able to assist my children if any such emergency were to arise.
This post was inspired by recent pain I felt in my right arm that I thought for a moment was shooting pain. I also realized this is a possibility since I am 48. I decided to hold myself accountable by writing this post to help me get over the hump and put a plan together for my family.
Is your family prepared?
Bonnie is both a homeschool Mom and home health care worker having Autism Family Adventures and writing about Autism Spectrum Disorders. Bonnie is also the Feeding Teens Editor at Foodie Mama. Feel free to follow Bonnie on twitter.
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