One Friday per month, I’ll write about my favorite diabetes products. These items make the cut because they’re functional, fashionable, or fun – but usually, all three at once!

I’d been meaning to replace my medical ID for ages.

It was in rough shape. The medical snake symbol (a quick search on Google told me that the technical term for it is “Caduceus”) was scarcely recognizable, for the red paint that once made it stand out had peeled off a few years ago. The etching on the charm was nearly illegible due to age, and the bracelet itself was a Frankenstein creation: The original clasp it came with broke last year, so I had to transplant a mismatched clasp from an old bracelet onto it to be able to continue to wear it. All things considered…it’d seen better days.

Fortunately, I knew exactly where I should look for a new one: the Lauren’s Hope website. I’d heard about Lauren’s Hope a few years ago at a diabetes conference, and made a mental note to check it out some point down the road. Fast forward to the present and I’ve finally had a chance to shop on the site.

I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that there was a wide variety of medical IDs available. There were bracelets, charms, tags, and necklaces that ranged in style from fancy to simple. The choices were so varied that I decided to cut to the chase and check out bracelets only, since I knew that was the kind of ID I wanted.

But there was still quite a selection under that subcategory: I could choose from different metal tones, bracelet styles (cuff, stretch, woven, wrap, beaded, etc.), material types, and colors. Rather than go with something loud and flashy, I decided to stick with a basic silver link bracelet that came with an ID tag that allowed up to six lines of text to be engraved on it. I was thrilled that the space on the tag permitted so much information – I was even able to put a line on it about where I keep my glucose tablets stored.

And the part that’s really cool? The fact that the ID tag is interchangeable. This means I can go back to Lauren’s Hope whenever I want, order a new bracelet, and swap the tag from the old bracelet to the new one. It’s really refreshing to see a company understand the wants and needs of its customers so well; obviously, Lauren’s Hope gets that customization and options are important to people with medical conditions.

I’m loving my shiny, high-quality bracelet from Lauren’s Hope. It feels good to finally wear a piece of medical equipment (yes, I consider it medically necessary) that is both stylish and practical.