Positive ID!
About a year ago this time I was newly married and making the rounds in the world of “changing your name.” There was the Social Security office, the DMV, my credit card, my bank, my gym membership, my Facebook….the list went on and on. Turns out when you’ve been known by a particular name for 30 years, it’s recorded in quite a few places.
One thing I had not bothered to change during my initial sweep of my identity was my medic alert bracelet. I’d had the same one for several years. I’m funny about medic alert bracelets. I know there are tons of companies that make super-cute ones, and sporty ones and ones with pretty beads that don’t look all medical. But I have this fear that if I was really in trouble and unconscious that an EMT would look at my wrist for a medical tag, see a decorated bracelet next to a few other bangles and a watch and not notice that one of those happens to be a medical ID.
So although the stainless steel bracelet I wore for the past few years is…um…not cute to say the least, I felt like it was necessary to truly do the job. I really disliked it when I switched to gold-tone jewelry for a different day or outfit, because then the stainless steel ruined the whole “look” (Side note: HA!! Like I have a “look…” My “look” these days involves: 1. appear like you’ve showered and 2. no {visible} coffee stains…which is why I wear a lot of black…anywho…) For the past year, my bracelet has read “Alexis Pollak-Type 1 Diabetes,” which is my maiden name. I think I finally just tapped out on the whole name change thing by the time I realized it…so there it stayed.
And then the other day a friend posted a link to a medic alert jewelry website and I clicked on it. It was about 11 o’clock at night and for whatever reason I said “seriously, I’ve got to get a new bracelet with my new name on it” and I grabbed my wallet. And then, my friends, I did some serious late-night shopping, diabetes-style. Oh yeah. I got ’em all:
New stainless steel bracelet, new gold-plated bracelet (so I don’t ruin any more of the aforementioned “looks”!), new earthy-Portlander-rustic leather with a steel plate and medic ID symbol and one stretchy black rubber bracelet that’s perfect for long, sweaty workouts. All now bearing my official, social security sanctioned new(er) last name of Hauptman. 
Damn it feels good to upgrade. And if we have to deal with this stupid disease, we might as well get the cool accessories to match, right? (Note to self: do not wear all four new bracelets at the same time, no matter how tempted to do so….)
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Comments
Jamie I got them here: http://www.oneida-medical-jewelry.com/ and it looks like they have a Promo going on today too!
Where’d you get these? That leather one looks awesome!!