Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. One second everything is fine and then all a sudden someone is screaming in pain. Even if you know that the situation is not life threatening, the agony that your child or family member is in can be very stressful and worrisome. There are various reasons to be stressed besides the actual sentiment for your loved one. How you are going to pay, how long the recovery is, what limitations are going to be put on the person, what their mental state will be, how far the emergency room is, who is going to watch possible other children while you are at the emergency room or urgent care clinic; so many things to think about, in so little mind. So, here are a few tips to arm yourself in, in case you find yourself in that very situation.
Plan Ahead
There’s a few things that you can do to plan ahead.
- Know where the closest emergency room is. Usually, your local hospital will be your best bet. Then, find out where the nearest urgent care is. You’ll receive ER care without the wait at an urgent care so if the situation is not life threatening, that’s your best bet. By knowing where these places are, you’ll be better prepared on where to go depending on the situation.
- Have babysitters lined up. Having a plan A, B and C is crucial for times like these. You’ll need people who are okay with you calling in the middle of the night for an emergency. If you are going to being getting ER care without the wait, then it’ll be easier for find a babysitter but if you have to sit around all nice at the hospital, you’ll need someone who will keep the other kids overnight and possibly take them to school the next day.
- Having a bit of money stashed away for medical purposes is a good idea in case there are some things that are not covered by your insurance.
Keep Calm
You need to remember that your kids, and those who rely on you, feed off of your emotions. It’s important that you keep yourself calm and in check while everything is going on. Panicking and freaking out will not help yourself or anybody else. In fact, it will only make matters worse. If you need a moment to break down, lock yourself in a bathroom for a few minutes when you get a chance and freak out by yourself. Then, collect yourself and re-enter the world as if everything is perfectly alright.
Take it One Decision at a Time
You don’t have to decide everything right away. Don’t jump ahead or think about ‘what if’s.’ Simply wait to see what the doctors say and make the decisions as they come. Don’t try to think about the kinds of decisions that are ahead, just go one step at a time.
Trust Your Doctor
This is probably the most important thing that you can do. The unknown period can be frustrating. Even if you are receiving ER care without the wait, there is still going to be periods of time where you are waiting for a doctor to come in or for test results or something else. The best thing that you can do, is trust that the doctor has everything under control. If you can’t trust the doctor, then you really have no one to rely on. In these situations, the only person who can do anything is the one who went to school in order to find out exactly how to manage your situation. He’s the best person for the job so leave it in his hands.
If you can keep to all these things, then you’ll find that you are much more in control when an accident does occur. Cutting down on time by staying close to home or going to an urgent care, which is basically ER care without the wait, will be what keeps you sane. Trying to get emergency care when you are stressed out is hard enough but having to drive long distances or wait around for hours and hours will only make matters worse. Use these tips to make the whole experience a lot easier on everyone involved.