HELOISE Medicine list, carried on you, prevents errors

Dear Heloise: As a nurse in an emergency room, I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep a current list of medications with you at all times.
This list should include drug name, dose, frequency you take it and why you take it, along with any allergies you have and any additional medical history.
It amazes me how many people do not have this information or forget to bring it with them. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me he or she has a list but left it at home, I would be wealthy.
Patients need to remember that clinics and pharmacies are often closed when we need the list, and medical records are kept at their clinics, not the emergency room. Even if clinics, pharmacies or medical records were available, it wastes a lot of time for us to find the info -- time patients could be receiving care. Guessing at the medications and doses is dangerous and provides an opportunity for making errors. Bradley J., via e-mail
You're so right, Bradley. One of my assistants said that she recently went to the doctor, and when asked about her medications, she couldn't name one of them, and she's been taking them for several years. So, a list might just save the day. Heloise
Dear Heloise: As an additional precaution to avoid identity theft when recycling catalogs, along with tearing off your name and address from the mailing label, know that many order forms in the center of the catalog have your name and address preprinted on them, so tear those out also. Ms. A.J. Goldsmith, Bryan
Dear Heloise: I don't like cold cereal for breakfast, but several times a week I have it for my evening meal. Here is an adaptable suggestion for all of your readers, no matter when they eat their cold cereal.
Use a single-serving size of fruit-flavored yogurt. Choose your favorite fruit (I prefer the ones with bits of fruit inside). Pour the yogurt into a bowl. Almost completely fill the yogurt container with milk and mix with the yogurt. Add your favorite cold cereal -- not frosted, and preferably whole grain. Yummy. Daily Reader from Huntsville, Ala.
Dear Heloise: This is in reference to the hint on already-read pet magazines. Due to great cutbacks in budgets all over the country for libraries and schools, I would suggest that readers wishing to dispose of magazines, books and the like should contact libraries and schools. Many libraries have used-book stores that sell magazines and books to help raise money for the library. Local schools might welcome these items as well for their libraries or for class projects. Linda L. Bankard, Simi Valley, Calif.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax to (210) HELOISE, or e-mail heloise@heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate