Portable Health Aids

by blackspanielgallery

What medical aids should you have to bring with you when leaving home?

Health aids can be found, often inexpensively, for use by the general public. These health aids can be used by individuals. While it is sometimes necessary to get professional assistance, home or portable devices serve well on a daily basis in a supplemental manner..

Whether one is traveling a great distance, or simply out for a meal at a restaurant, it is sometimes necessary to bring certain health aids along. Depending on what one is monitoring or treating, having quality personal medical devices can be invaluable.

Heart Monitoring with Kardia

Some years back I had to have surgery, and during the hospital stay it was determined I need to occasionally monitor my heart.  I was told to obtain a Kardia device. 


A Kardia device works via an app.  Physically, it is a flat device just a few inches long, and about an inch high.  Once the app is activated it is operated by placing two fingers from each hand on the small metal surfaces, one hand on each metal surface.  It takes about thirty seconds to get ready, then a clock counts down another thirty seconds.  An ekg graph appears on the screen of your smart phone.  This can later be downloaded by your physician, or the output can be emailed to your physician.  The device gives a short analysis, and also records the heart rate.  It is limited, and cannot detect a heart attack, but it can be helpful as a portable heart monitor.  It easily fits in a pocket or purse.


There is also a service, for a fee, to have a physician read the output.


Now, a more elaborate version is available.  As with most things, newer versions have improvements over the older ones.

Blood Pressure Monitoring

Many people need to keep track of blood pressure.  Devices for home use are available.  It might be deemed necessary to take such devices along when traveling.  Finding space in luggage is often difficult, so small wrist devices might be a better idea. 


Regardless of which type of device one chooses, it may be necessary to be able to manipulate the cup with one hand.  Be certain the device can be manipulated without assistance if no assistance is likely to be available.


Since this is a battery device make certain the batteries are good before traveling.

Diabetic Insulin Cooling

Insulin needs to be cool.  Keeping insulin cool is important.  Frio makes an assortment of cooling devices.


In my case I use insulin pens.  A small cooling device, activated by water, is available, and fits easily in a pocket.  In addition to the pens it can hold the needles that go with the pens.


For those not using the handy pens, larger cases can be used for insulin vials.


Some Frio devices can keep insulin cool for many hours, which can be important in long flights.

Pill Box Pill Organizers

Pill box organizers can keep track of whether or not medication was taken.  Some have daily partitions, and others have both morning and night daily partitions.  However, if traveling for a prolonged period, it might be worth bringing several pill organizers, one for each week of the trip.  This prevents the cumbersome task of carrying the bottles and refilling the pill organizer weekly.


Remember to include any vitamins or supplements.  They can also be included in a pill box.  Just make certain the partitions are large enough to accompany everything.


A Fitbit looks like a watch, and can give the time, but it is so much more.  It can keep track of the number of steps, minutes of exercise, calories burned, and even the number of flights of stairs one has climbed.  Some models do much more.  Yes, there are different models, and not every Fitbit does all the things other models do.  And they can give false readings.  The number of steps, for example, will count the times the arm moves, so if you are waving the arm with the Fitbit it will count extra steps.  And as for flights of stairs, I found my Fitbit counts many extra flights when I wear it on a certain, bumpy road.  But, it is helpful in monitoring your activity. 



Having the right medical devices can be an enormous advantage, whether traveling a great distance or just a short way from home.  And do not forget any important medical history or your insurance cards.  Finally, a card to contact your clergy in case of an accident is important.

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Updated: 06/25/2021, blackspanielgallery
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blackspanielgallery on 06/26/2021

Since one great fear is that the government will microchip vaccinations, which is why too many opt to avoid being vaccinated, it is ulikely tr who here will be a microchip effort in the U. S. We are so polarized that no matter which party controls the government there would be so many people fearful of being kept track of by government. But my dog has a microchip, as do many others.

I believe Fitbit is useful as long as we understand it is based on motion, and probably change of direction of that motion. To avoid this would mean too costly of a change. However, walking slowly without arms swinging does not register steps, nor does holding onto a grocery cart while walking. At least my Fitbit ignores such steps.

DerdriuMarriner on 06/26/2021

blackspanielgallery, Thank you for all the practical information and pictures and all the product lines.
Are the manufacturers aware of the false readings from Fitbits?
It's helpful to have the gentle reminder about not only insurance cards -- so easy to remember along with driver's licenses and house keys -- but also clergy contacts and medical history since, as you conclude, one never knows 100 percent what unexpected events occur once one leaves one's residence.
An article from National Public Radio Oct. 22, 2018, "Thousands of Swedes Are Inserting Microchips Under Their Skin", mentioned microchips syringed into the thumb area as hugely popular with Swedish society. The subcutaneous microchips release such information as keyless access to one's residence and personal information.
Would that be a technologically logical step after medical alert bracelets to medical monitoring bracelets here in the United States?

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