After reading this morning about "Mom Suffers", I wondered if using the method of keeping track of a person's health, the way we do, would have helped.

I have two hardbacked journals 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", one for my husband and one for me. I write everything pertaining to our health in the journals.

I list the year at the top of each page, the month and the date of the action at the left. If a doctor's visit is taken, I list the blood pressure, weight and temperature of the patient taken by the nurse. I list numerically the most important reason for seeing the doctor in a column. When visiting with the doctor, I ask questions about the first number, and list his answer, then go to the next. If a medicine is given, or changed, I list that also, and ask him how it should be taken, and any other thing I can think of. I write all of this down so I will always have a written record. (He has been known to ask me. "What does your book say?")

I keep track of dental appointments with their problems and results in the same manner. The same for any kind of medical or dental requirement.

I also keep track of any illness that may come along and what was done, or not done for it. Whether we see a doctor or not.

I also list every blood test that is taken. (We always get a paper copy of the results and the paper goes into the file cabinet.) But I write the results of the test in our journals.

In the back of the book, I list all of the surgeries that we have had and any x-rays, ultrasounds, or anything that might be forgotten and the health people seem to ask all the time.

In the front of the book, I list any shots that we have had, flu, pneumonia and tetanus.

I also list every few months a complete list of the medicines that we take and I always have a copy in my purse in case it is needed.

The journal fits nicely in my purse, and I take it every time we have a medical or dental appointment. That way I can always find anything pertaining to our health in a hurry.

I really enjoy your column and am glad that there is one that has so much information in it.