A Girl Called Naomi: Stickman Communications and my Pocket Medical File

Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Stickman Communications and my Pocket Medical File

Stickman Communications © by Hannah Ensor

This is a fab company that I'd recommend to anyone with a chronic illness. Stickman Communications ©, run by Hannah Ensor who herself has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and PoTS - Potural orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome,

"Stickman Communications' Mission:To challenge the view that disability is a negative and scary thing, and to create a better understanding and acceptance of disability as a different normal instead."

Hannah has created a wide range of communication cards, badges, lanyards,stickers, clothing, zipper pulls, and other handy communication aids for a wide variety of illnesses and topics such as autism, diabetes, chronic pain, EDS and HSD, PoTS, seizures, mental illness, allergies, M.E./CFS, Dyslexia, Asthma, Tourettes, pacing, relaxations, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, sleep and much more.

Using my Communication Cards I have put together my own medical file. (You can buy the dividers and sticky tags from fthe shop). In mine I have all my essential information such as a Name and Emergency Contact Card, alert cards such as for moving and handling warning professionals that I have fragile joints, then I have a sections of illness info cards which explain my different illnesses to readers, I then have a section on mobility explaining things like "Sometimes I fall. Son't worry, this is normal. I will wait, rest and get up when I am ready." And about my use of different mobility aids and how mobility problems aren't alway obvious. My last section is on communication as I can suffer form speech problems due to migraines or M.E. and because of my dyslexia too, and how I find it hard to follow fast verbal instructions and can struggle with concentration due to fatigue.

Some cards I have made myself, such as the ones explaining, and my Pain Score card, medication card and emergency/clinical contacts card.

My little book has literally been a lifeline at times and speaks for me when I am unable to do so and every medical professional who I have shown it to so far has loved it, from my carers to paramedics to my district nurse.

I also own a pack of the Stickman Communications © status squares which I have on my 'Differently Normal' lanyard that also use to communicate. For example if I'm struggling or running low on energy. Each square is double sided and is a handy little communication aid that I'd also recommend to readers.
For Christmas I got my own "I'm recharging" hoodie which I love wearing.