Jackie O epitomized elegance. She wore tweed suits, carried a Gucci bag, before Gucci became a household name, and topped it all off with her iconic pillbox hats. Growing up in suburbia, the adult women I knew all loved Jackie O. They worked tirelessly to embody her effortless style while juggling the chaos of a new suburban dream – kids, houses, husbands, at a relentless pace. Hats, for them, were reserved for church and funerals, but the dream of exuding Jackie O’s poise remained.
Fast forward 60 years, and I understand those women better. Beneath their brave facades, they were overwhelmed, navigating uncharted paths with a mixture of hope and exhaustion. For them, a pillbox hat symbolized grace amidst the storm. For me, post-heart attack, the pillbox became literal.
Reality Sets In
After my “heart incident,” I faced an unsettling new reality.
“For the rest of my life?” I gasped to the resident doctor, overwhelmed by the weight of what lay ahead.
He froze, visibly panicked, turning a whiter shade of pale. The attending physician stepped in, gently touching my arm with a knowing look. “Not the rest of your life, just the next 30 years or so.”
We laughed, the tension lifted and even the young residents managed to smile. It was a moment of clarity in the haze of uncertainty. I felt better.
On the drive home from the hospital, my daughter lovingly tried to mirror the care I’d given her over the years, listing meal plans and schedules. “We need to stop at the outlets,” I interrupted.
Exasperated, she said, “You just had a heart-attack, what could you possible need?”
“A pretty pill box,” I grinned.
Acceptance: A Bitter Pill to Swallow
Facing this chapter, I had to accept that the pills weren’t metaphorical – they are real, non-negotiable, and central to my routine. Trips to the pharmacy, prescription refills, and carefully organized morning and evening doses became my reality.
Let me tell you, this was a bitter pill going down. It got stuck in my throat. Although, I couldn’t ignore the worry etched on my daughter’s face and the gravity of my condition. I had to accept that I was changing. I couldn’t reduce the number of pills in my life anymore. And I had to find a way to be accountable to myself.
I needed to get organized in a way I didn’t know how to. I turned to technology. My phone’s Health app became my ally. Not only does it enter all the pills I am taking, it also has their color and picture next to them so if I accidently drop my pills and they get jumbled, I can easily reconstruct the AM and PM doses. This small feature offered unexpected peace of mind.
Building a Routine: Making Change Work for Me
Research on habit-building shows that change sticks when there’s a payoff – when it feels personal and meaningful. For me, that meant finding a pillbox I didn’t hate.
I was surprised by the options: circular plastic cases, cylinders, squares with compartments for days and times. In the end, I chose two solutions:
- A sleek, 7-day AM/PM pill organizer, perfect for a drawer in my bathroom.
- A Coach leather pencil case with heart designs (irony always amuses me), holding eight tiny, two-compartment boxes.
This system, a 15-day cycle, works for me. My routine settled at 9 AM and 9 PM daily. If life interrupts with an early appointment or an errand – I fine-tune my routine and take the pills as quickly after. I adjust slightly but stay consistent.
Body Scan: Stay Attuned to Subtle Changes
Adjusting to medication means staying vigilant to notice any side effects. Some can take months to emerge; others may mimic unrelated symptoms. My heart attack presented as back muscle pain that I thought was from downward dog pose. Symptoms can masquerade, so I remain attuned to:
- Monitor for Subtle Changes: Physical, emotional, or cognitive shifts might not seem medically related initially. Pay attention to them and keep track.
- Ask Questions: When in doubt, I reach out to my doctor or pharmacist. Googling symptoms was my first instinct, but I didn’t stop there. I asked a friend, then, I went further, I found an expert with professional knowledge.
- Trusting My Instincts: If something feels off, I treat it seriously – just as I would advise a friend. You would not say, Ignore it, to your friend. I learned to take my own advice.
The Health App and Your Emergency Contact
If you have a smart phone, I highly recommend using the heath app, at the very least for your emergency contact. If you are by yourself and unable to speak, even though they cannot bypass your password, they can press emergency contact – ONLY if you have put it in your phone and designated it as such.
My Health app has become invaluable, storing medication details and serving as a cheat sheet for doctor visits. It also holds my emergency contact information, accessible even when my phone is locked – a feature everyone should use.
Revise and Adjust
Every day, I reflect on what works, what doesn’t, and what needs adjusting. Some days are smoother than others, but the process of refining this routine has reminded me about how resilient I am. Through all the twists and turns my life has taken, I’ve learned to show up for myself.
The key is finding what serves you – whether it’s a high-tech solution, a touch of elegance, or simply staying consistent. And yes, it helps if it’s pretty. Because life’s changes, no matter how daunting, deserve to be faced with style.
So here I am, carrying my pillbox – both a necessity and a symbol of acceptance – and carving a new kind of elegance for myself. Jackie O would approve.
What’s Next
Use your smartphone to do some good. Be cognizant of what serves you and what no longer has a purpose. Keep trying till you get it right. And make sure it’s both pretty and pretty useful!
Let’s Reflect:
Have you had a health scare lately? How did you make the necessary become pretty? What is your most valuable health accessory? Have you found a pretty pillbox that you use every day?
