Emergency medical buttons, they aren't just for the elderly

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travel bug

travel bug

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It's been a month since I awoke having a focal seizure that was so strong it threw me out of bed. I hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't had my emergency button. (I'm not endorsing any particular brand, there are many with different pros and cons)

Please bear with me just a bit while I explain. :? I have a bad leg because of two brain tumor surgeries and am a bit of a fall risk, but at the time I bought my emergency button I did it mostly to make my dad, for whom I was a full-time caregiver, feel better. I still had the potential for seizures but I thought they were pretty well a thing of the past, at least for a while. After my dad passed, I kept the button just because I felt a little scared and alone at night and the button can be used for other emergencies as well.

Anyway, on that early morning a month ago, I really hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't had that button. I didn't have the physical or mental wherewithal to grab my phone, but I was able to crawl around my bed, grab the lanyard attached to my button, and push that one button. The operator had all my info so all I had to say was that I was having a seizure and needed help. I don't remember much after that, but I remember that she was very calming and reassuring. And most importantly was that I didn't feel alone and knew that help was on its way.

Again, I don't remember much, but I know that I had seizure after worsening seizure that morning. If I hadn't been able to get help, I shudder to think what would have happened. My mom wouldn't have called for her usual check-in until 9:00 or 10:00 later that night. :eek:

:flowers:Okay, so here's the point: If you live alone or are alone a lot of the time, it is well worth considering one of these buttons. They are not just for the elderly and you DO NOT have to have an ambulance come. You can have the names and numbers of friends and family on file and the operator can call one of them to check on you if something happens. Or the operator can just stay on the line with you until your situation stabilizes a bit.

Again, there are different kinds with different advantages and disadvantages and prices, but none of them are *too* expensive, and, to me anyway, well worth the money.

Okay, off the :soap: for me now.:lol:
 
Just to clarify,

In an earlier post about that night and how it gave me a little better understanding of what many of you have to deal with, I called the button my "I've fallen and I can't get up" button. However, the brand I use is not the one associated with that slogan. Nothing against them, just want to make it clear that I'm not pushing one brand or another.

:)
 
That's ok because if you hadn't said "I've fallen and can't get up" I may not have known what you were talking about!
 
travel bug said:
:flowers:Okay, so here's the point: If you live alone or are alone a lot of the time, it is well worth considering one of these buttons. They are not just for the elderly and you DO NOT have to have an ambulance come. You can have the names and numbers of friends and family on file and the operator can call one of them to check on you if something happens. Or the operator can just stay on the line with you until your situation stabilizes a bit.
Click to expand...

:agree: I've had one for years because I've had bad seizures for years and was married to a pilot, so we lived far away from family. Plus, we had two young kids and they knew when to push the button if their momma went into a bad seizure.
It has helped us out one several occasions. I was in my 30's when I first had the ADT put in my home. It also has a full menu of services, good for carbon monoxide testing and as a smoke alarm, plus, it can have a burglary alarm. So NO, these things aren't just for the elderly!
 
Are the American...my sister inlaw wears alert call round her neck it heavy and causing problems but a button to pin on dress be better idea but not seen one like that but like get her one
 
Cint said:
:agree: I've had one for years because I've had bad seizures for years and was married to a pilot, so we lived far away from family. Plus, we had two young kids and they knew when to push the button if their momma went into a bad seizure.
Click to expand...

That's great! I'd never thought of someone else pushing the button to help you, just you pushing it on your own. It would be great for young children to use. They may be too scared to leave you and call 911 and they might not be able to give the operator the info they need.
 
Cint said:
:agree: I've had one for years because I've had bad seizures for years and was married to a pilot, so we lived far away from family. Plus, we had two young kids and they knew when to push the button if their momma went into a bad seizure.
It has helped us out one several occasions. I was in my 30's when I first had the ADT put in my home. It also has a full menu of services, good for carbon monoxide testing and as a smoke alarm, plus, it can have a burglary alarm. So NO, these things aren't just for the elderly!
Click to expand...

That must have been some peace of mind for you and you children. I got my call button mainly to reassure my dad for whom I was full-time caregiver. He was bed-bound the last couple of years and he worried about me getting in and out of the tub and such in addition to the prospect of seizures which, like I said earlier, I wrongly thought wasn't a problem anymore.

I didn't even think of ADT and companies like it. I guess they've been doing health monitoring for a while now. Even more choices.
 
seagull said:
Are the American...my sister inlaw wears alert call round her neck it heavy and causing problems but a button to pin on dress be better idea but not seen one like that but like get her one
Click to expand...

There are some that have all of the heavy equipment in a console you set on a counter; the button you wear around your neck is lightweight. But from what I've read, the signal doesn't always go very far and doesn't work at all if you go outside. The kind I have is almost like a cell phone (mobile in the UK?). It's self contained and gets a signal anywhere there's a cell tower, but, unfortunately, it is fairly heavy and uncomfortable to wear around the neck. But now that I know that I have the potential again to have seizures, I make sure to wear it if I'm alone.
 
valeriedl said:
That's great! I'd never thought of someone else pushing the button to help you, just you pushing it on your own. It would be great for young children to use. They may be too scared to leave you and call 911 and they might not be able to give the operator the info they need.
Click to expand...

That is why educating youngsters about your illness(es) is important. Yes, my kids were SCARED, but one has to do what they have to do. They saw their momma being taken away in an ambulance several times.

Plus, if I was already in a TC seizure, how in the world could I push the button? I had to teach someone what to do.
 
I press button or pulled the cord some people have cords you pull.A voice asked what matter gets ambulance not always go hospital often just put someone back to bed.Not sure in America you have pay for everything including ambulance appauling system sorry but it is
 
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