organizing for wellness

I was in need of an emergency root canal in 1999 soon after moving to New York City. This was in the olden days and I didn’t have access to the Internet. Nor did I know many people in the city that could provide me with a recommendation. Nor did I have insurance. I found a dentist through the good ol’ yellow pages. I will spare you the details and simply say that the root canal did not go well.

Keeping the important aspects of one’s health & wellness organized can be incredibly helpful, particularly in an emergency situation. Some suggestions:

  • Know which hospitals in your area take your insurance.
  • Have a fully stocked first aid kit at home that is easy to access. Include clove oil. It’s a great balm for a toothache!
  • Have your preferred remedies for the common cold/flu in your cabinet so that there aren’t any miserable trips to the drug store in your pajamas.
  • Set your task manager or calendar to remind you annually or biannually to schedule check-up appointments for the dentist, gynecologist, dermatologist, pediatrician, etc. If possible, go ahead and schedule those appointments far in advance. You can always reschedule if necessary as an appointment gets near.
  • Have contact numbers for your health care providers, your insurance reps, or anyone you’d need to call in the event of an emergency already programmed into your phone.

Do you have any additional suggestions for how to stay organized for wellness?