Decluttering Saved my Life

Hi FlyLady

I am a new fly baby since mid-December.  I am decluttering 40 bags for lent and my husband has joined the effort too.  We have made astonishing inroads into our mess and already feel a lot of peace descending on our home so we are highly motivated to continue.

Last night I woke up gasping for breath with my lungs filling with fluid.  I was in the middle of my worst ever asthma attack.  As I listened to myself it sounded like I had the death rattles.  I was a nurse in my past and have heard that sound before.  I was dying if I did not do something.

It’s amazing how calm I can be in the middle of a crisis.  I am skilled at dissociating myself from the trauma of life so I simply took charge and took action.  I rang the emergency department and took medical advice.  When asked questions I went to my brand new notice board I installed last Thursday as a direct result of what I learned shining my sink and decluttering.

While decluttering I had found my doctor’s card in the mess and recognized I would never have found it in an emergency.  I took action as soon as I noticed this was a serious issue hence the notice board where it is now located so my husband could find it if I got sick and could not tell him what was wrong.  We had a briefing on its use Friday so our knowledge was very fresh and at the top of our mind.

While I was on the phone to the emergency department last night I was asked my doctor’s name and address.  Hey presto – in less than a the blink of an eye I reached out and there was the card so I gave a clear and accurate answer to the question when asked and this was such a relief.  I knew my breathing was also compromising my ability to think clearly as I was unable to get my breath.

In that moment I gave an immediate and deep prayer of thanks for the FLY LADY program.  My waning energy levels for keeping up my efforts at doing something new were recharged and I awoke today able to make my doctors appointment without a frantic search for the phone number.  I have put the time on the mini white board as soon as it was made so I can check on myself as my memory is not working so well just now.

On my launch pad I now have a folder holder also installed last Thursday so my control journal is upright and easy to find in its own special place.  Beside it I have my brand new red emergency clip board while I am waiting for my red office in a bag to come from your store.  I have health concerns and realized we needed a dedicated emergency medical office in a bag that could go with me in an ambulance.

I wanted to share that the FLYLADY routines influence my thinking in a very positive way I am deeply grateful for.  Following the routine of decluttering and shining my sink has helped me put in place systems to manage my failing health, even though they are very rudimentary.  These systems are already helping my husband and myself manage when my health takes a sudden turn for the worse.  I certainly had a wake up call last night that I am mortal and will die one day.  I will be ready for that day 15 minutes at a time and my son and husband will not have to clean up the worst of the mess when I am gone.

Bad as things got yesterday – I can honestly say its was a good day for me.  I am very grateful I can still have a productive if failing life 15 minutes at a time.  The FLYLADY routines give hope for those with failing health as well so keep up the wonderful work you and the team are doing.

Love
Dianne

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FlyLady here: I believe that you are the one who saved your life. Your calmness in the face of being unable to breathe is what did it. Anytime we get upset our mind shuts off. You remained calm! I am so proud of you!

ofb coj
Contents Not Included

Putting together a Medical Control Journal is a great idea! I have one that I take with me everywhere! It has all my current medical reports.

Have you been decluttering? Putting your medical history items together as you run across them is a great idea!

Red Office in a Bag

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