Info on medic alert bracelets

[Riki]

I've decided to get a medic alert tattoo on the inside of my fistula arm instead, and hope to have it before Vegas.

is it a good idea to have a tattoo on your fistula arm?  I would think that would be a nono, you know, in case the tattoo got infected

[Chris]

jbeany, no ICE on mine, you can't program it with ICE, just has a favorites section that I put Emergency contacts in. My other phonces had the ICE functionality, but apparently Apple didn't think it was a good idea even though they put accessability functions on it.
 
riki, one thought I have is will the EMS even look for that tattoo. Bracelets and necklesses are the norm and then there is what if something changes that you need to either add or remove information besides the risk.

[Desert Dancer]

I've decided to get a medic alert tattoo on the inside of my fistula arm instead, and hope to have it before Vegas.

is it a good idea to have a tattoo on your fistula arm?  I would think that would be a nono, you know, in case the tattoo got infected

That's why you need to go to a reputable shop and ask good questions. This is from the home page of my shop:

In order to provide our clients an environment free of possible exposure to blood borne pathogens, Divinity Tattoo participates in OSHA inspections conducted by a certified occupational safety consultant. Additionally, all employees receive annual blood borne pathogen training, which includes, but is not limited to, information on sterilization of instruments, proper handling of disposable sharps, and disinfection procedures for all work and sterilization areas. Divinity Tattoo uses hospital grade Mid Mark M7 Speed Clave, which is monitored monthly by an independent biological monitoring service. All bio hazardous waste is picked up bi-weekly and disposed of by a certified bio hazard waste removal company. Divinity Tattoo adheres to the highest level of professional industry standards, and strictly follow universal precautions set by OSHA and the Red Cross.

Any shop worth their salt will let you see the autoclave and will provide current spore test results. They'll also open the autoclaved instruments in front of you. And I think Paolo (the artist who did Andy's sleeve) probably changed gloves more often than I do!

I'm a little more concerned about the initial swelling, but I think it will be far enough away from my fistula not to interfere. It's only 4" x 1".

Chris, if they can miss this tattoo then they'd have to have their eyes closed! I think it's general enough that it will never need to be changed:

DO NOT use this arm for any reason!
NO BPs - NO IVs - NO Draws
Dialysis Access In Use

One of my big concerns is that the bracelet I DO have can't be worn on my fistula arm because it rides up onto my fistula.

[Chris]

Instead of using "this", I would be more technical in using Lt, Lft, Left, or Rt, Right. In an emergency situation being technical is better due to the mindset that EMS is in when they have to call in information about patient anatomy. While we may know this means that...... or maybe I justhave to many trips in the ambulance along with technical writing class, anatomy classes, or a combination of all...

[Desert Dancer]

Instead of using "this", I would be more technical in using Lt, Lft, Left, or Rt, Right. In an emergency situation being technical is better due to the mindset that EMS is in when they have to call in information about patient anatomy. While we may know this means that...... or maybe I justhave to many trips in the ambulance along with technical writing class, oanatomy classes, or a combination of all...

That's a much better idea, Chris, thanks! Although I hope they don't take it to mean THEIR left, as happened to someone else here!

[pagandialysis]

That's a much better idea, Chris, thanks! Although I hope they don't take it to mean THEIR left, as happened to someone else here!

Wait, there is a story here and for the sake of my amusement it must be told.

[Riki]

I thought there were was to be nothing done to that arm at all.  My dialysis nurses got mad when I told them that my cat bit me on the wrist of my fistula arm, and I have an upper arm fistula.  I don't think I would feel comfortable letting anyone do anything to my fistula arm, no matter what their hygiene standards are