One of the things that's essential when you have a chronic disease is your support netowrk. By this I mean the medical professionals who understand your condition so you don't have to explain why you take all these medications and who know what you have been through already. Acute care is rare and I strongly encourage to have the kind of documentation rcclive mentions on her blog with you wherever you go. You can't anticipate where you might be when you fall or need to see an out-of-town medico and having this kind of information on you saves you trying to remember things while you are stressed.

I also mean those people whom you rely on for understanding and who don't recommend the latest fad diet/medication/herbal treatment that they are sure will cure you. The type who are there no-questions-asked when you need help and understand when you are a bit distant but are clued in to depression. Unfortunately I left those people behind when I left the States for sunny Australia. My darling Bear is a tremendous support and I couldn't function without him but he does have a demanding job. He's not a workaholic like my ex, but he's not easily budged when he's working and he does travel, altho not again as much as my ex. Email is not a reliable source of support because you can't make somebody email you or even read your emails. I'm still working on a support network here. I have a wonderful boss who is totally understanding about my unreliability but determination to work. I have a lot of friends here, all originating from the work environment but I'm still working on having that rock I can count on for shoulder-crying, bucking up, and reliability (not quite) 24/7. I don't come high enough on anybody's list of priorities yet so still feel somewhat isolated.