What I Carry With Me as Someone With Asthma and Diabetes

There is so much stuff I need to carry with me now. Stuff for diabetes, stuff for asthma! I now need a much bigger bag, one I can put over my shoulder as I am also on crutches at the moment.

My diabetes stuff includes a testing kit, wipes for cleaning my hands and a supply of jelly beans for “just in case.” And then there is my pen and record book. My asthma supplies include my puffers, all four of them, a spacer, a bottle with prednisone tablets for “just in case,” a copy of my asthma plan, an oxygen saturation meter and my peak flow meter. I also need tissues in a packet as, if the asthma starts up, I will start coughing and coughing and need to cover my mouth!

My asthma supplies have their own waterproof bag. I need a water bottle too as you are supposed to always rinse your mouth after using the puffers. To help manage type 2 diabetes, I need to drink two to three liters of water every day. My diabetes gear is kept in its own orange floral zippered bag.

That totals quite a bit of stuff to lug around all the time. If I go for a walk, I have a water bottle carrier in which I can just fit my phone and one reliever puffer. I also seem to have reliever puffers stashed all over the place. There is a bag in the car with a reliever and a spacer. I have another set in my swimming bag. I have them in the living area as well as in the bedroom. My husband also has a supply too! I find half-used relievers all around the house.

Diabetes test strips seem to multiply! I find them down the sides of my recliner chair, on the floor under the chair, on the table!

So, this is one of the more minor changes that chronic illness has brought into my life. Now I need much bigger handbags to stash all of this stuff! I love handbags and I have quite a multicolored collection. Most of them won’t fit all this gear in but so far, I just can’t part with these handbags! I have just needed to acquire a few more larger ones!

How does everyone else manage to carry all the paraphernalia that accompanies chronic illness?