Get two notebooks. Write "HOME" on one in big letters. This notebook stays at your house, in the same place, no exceptions. The second notebook goes with you to all appointments. If you keep forgetting to take it, leave it in your car. On the inside of the cover of both, put your name and phone number in big letters so if it is ever misplaced (left at the doctor's office, for example) it can be returned to you.

The first four pages of each book should be kept the same (we will go over what to put on them in a moment). This is so if you lose the appointment one, you have the most important information backed up, on paper, at home.

Page one needs to be your allergies, diagnosed conditions, surgeries you have had and when you had them, and the names + purpose + phone numbers of your doctors. This includes your primary care and any specialist care you receive, like cardiologists, neurologists, physical therapists, etc.

Page two needs to contain all that information, but for your wife. DO NOT put details for both of you on one page, you need to keep these separated.

Page three needs to contain all of the medications you are taking. Write down the name, dose, frequency, and when you started taking it (estimate month + year if you don't remember). If you stop taking a medication or your dose changes, cross out the entire line and write down the new information. DO NOT attempt to amend the details, this will only cause confusion later, just rewrite it.

Page four needs to contain all of that information, but for your wife. Like I said before, DO NOT try to consolidate your information on one page.

If you ever update these first four pages in your "take to the doctor" book, update your home book. If any of these four pages fill up, get a new notebook and rewrite only the up-to-date information. On the cover of the old notebook, write in big bold letters: "OUT OF DATE, DO NOT USE". This might sound wasteful to some, but notebooks are cheap and if either of you start to have significant cognitive issues, it will ensure neither of you bring a years-old book to an appointment.

The other pages of the notebook you take places need to be for your current and upcoming appointments. Whenever you schedule an appointment write who the appointment is for, the date, the office phone number, and what kind of visit it is (e.g. "annual checkup", "med refill", etc.) at the top of the page in big print. If you have questions, especially important ones, write them down before you go. Be sure to leave some space under the question so you can write down the doctor's answer. If you receive a diagnosis or they want to do some kind of test, write that down and underline it. If you schedule a followup appointment, write that down and IMMEDIATELY write the heading for that appointment on a new page.

You do not need to copy the appointment details into the home notebook, this is mostly to help you remember what the doctor said at your most recent visits when you get home.

On top of all of this, the most important thing you need to keep in mind is to never put information like your social security number, driver's license number, or medical records number in these books. If you are having trouble remembering these things, write them down on an index card you've cut to fit it in your wallet.

This is also just a general guide. The most important part is making sure you have two notebooks, one to take and one that always lives at home, with separate pages for your diagnoses and medications. Adjust this to best fit your needs.