8/24/09

Family Medical Logs:: Keeping Valuable Records at the Risk of Looking Like a Dork.

Family Medical Log




Okay- so with 8 people in the family I dread the doctors question, "When was the last time your daughter had strep throat?" ...or any other ailment for that matter. How the heck am I supposed to remember with 6 kids... THEY ALL GET IT! One starts it off and then the rest are sick for weeks. It's a month before I can surface again and resume normal life. If it's stomach flu.... don't get me started.

We had to treat our entire family for scabies one time (contracted from our pet rat ... who is no longer our pet... animal rights people, hate me). I took an entire household of linens and clothes to the Laundromat... $65 later and $300 worth of medicine for 3 weeks x 8 people... we were cured. I decided years ago that I needed a better system.

Here's the log.


I won't show the pages because you'd fall over dead to see how many times we go to the doctor in 1 year.

This was done very quickly and I'm still using it... it's one of my not so Pretty Organizers.
  • I divide the notebook into sections.
  • Every family member gets their own page.
  • Every time my kids get a prescription or have a major event, I write the date and a short note of what it was for.
  • I use the stickers that Walgreen's or CVS gives you with your prescription and stick them to the entry so I know exactly what was prescribed and in what dose... this helps if the medication needs to be changed.
  • After several years we have a pretty comprehensive medical history that I can proudly recite when a doctor asks me... I can even tell him what he prescribed!

Now when I go to the doctor I take my log... at the risk of looking like the worlds biggest dorker. When the doctor asks his questions I flip to the correct kid and watch him gasp. Then I wait for his eyes to pop back in his head and give him the full medical history of my child's ailments. Without fail I walk out of the doctors office a model maternal patient... too bad they don't hand chocolate out to the moms for keeping good records. And, Do you think he wonders if I KNOW what I'm talking about? Ever? Nope. Can't argue with a mama that has years worth of correct diagnosis and evidence in front of her...

10 comments:

Pam said...

That is one of the most simple, yet, most brilliant things I've seen in a long time!

Sarah said...

I just started one of these for my own family. Thank you for such a wonderful idea! I can't keep up with all that information and I only have 2 kids!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

Whoa, I am impressed!!! My problem would be forgetting to take the log. ;) I keep forgetting to take their immunization records with me. :s You are brilliant! :)

Kelly said...

As everyone else has already said... brilliant! This is not only a valuable resource now, but will be for their entire life! I am going to make my own Family Medical Log!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Hey - if it works! I think it's great you keep any kind of log at all, but I'm sure it helps not only the doctor, but you too.

ness said...

WOW! That is a GREAT idea!! I used to work at a doctors office and loved it when people would bring lists of medications they are on in with them-it makes things so much easier-I bet the nurses there love you;)

Jen said...

Super idea...I have trouble with just a family of 3....so as we grow...I will remember your idea!

Myrnie said...

What a fabulous idea!!

Amy said...

Great idea! I'm definitely starting one of these!!

Nicol said...

I have been thinking about this since you wrote about it over a month ago. Today I decided to finally purchase some notebooks and keep track of everything. It's right up my alley of being a little too organized at times. I decided to do one notebook (a little smaller than the size you have) for each person. I think I would get too frustrated if I started heading into someone else's section. Thanks for the great idea!

 
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