What do you folks do to prepare in terms of healthcare?

Not to get too personal in each of your lives, but this sort of hit home recently.  I've recently been taking care of someone in the family through some serious health issues.  Even before then, he needed multiple medications that needed to be taken multiple times a day, but mostly morning and night.  He usually has a good supply on hand that would last him many months as he tends to get refills in bunches.  Then there are more serious conditions like insulin, many of which need to be refrigerated.  Or even people who need dialysis. 

Anyways, I don't take any medications on a daily basis.  I have one prescription that I use maybe once every so often and even then, I could live without.  I try to live healthy and avoid depending on medication, but I also understand that for many, it's unavoidable and is what is required due to whatever reason, condition, etc.  I am just wondering that that is another live essential that one needs to factor into in terms or preparedness and survival.

Again, the intent is not to get too personal and into anyone's medical history.  Just what the conversations tend to focus on guns, food, water, shelter, etc.  But I do see stuff like medications as being just as important, maybe even more so than food in many cases. 

Other than meds, I wear contact lenses.  I have actually never really done much shooting with glasses.  I've thought about getting prescription shooting glasses, but they can be pretty pricey.  I've heard of people getting Lasik as a preparation, but I haven't heard of anyone stocking up on contact lenses. 

Honestly if you need medication to live if there is ever a real survival situation and shit hits the fan you will die.  You can stock pile some stuff to lengthen how long you will last but in the end there isn't much hope.  Its why taking care of your health is very important. 

If we go beyond SHTF and into prolonged event and social decay, anyone that relies on modern medicine or machines to help sustain life will not last long.  Simple illness, simple wounds would be life threatening.  The amount of disease will make the black plague look like a sneeze.  Clean dressings, topical antiseptics and antibiotics will be scarce and worth killing over.

If you are very interested, please read "One Second After" by W. Forstchen which is part 1 of a 3 part series.  The book goes into this topic in accurate detail which is chilling.  The book was cited on the floor of Congress, in the Pentagon as a "realistic" look into this topic.  Newt Gingrich also supports the premise and look into life in this type of scenario and references this book on more than one occasion.  Highly worthwhile read.  There are many others that cover or heavily touch on this topic.  If you are not into these types of books, this one may set you in motion for others. 

If we go beyond SHTF and into prolonged event and social decay, anyone that relies on modern medicine or machines to help sustain life will not last long.  Simple illness, simple wounds would be life threatening.  The amount of disease will make the black plague look like a sneeze.  Clean dressings, topical antiseptics and antibiotics will be scarce and worth killing over.

If you are very interested, please read "One Second After" by W. Forstchen which is part 1 of a 3 part series.  The book goes into this topic in accurate detail which is chilling.  The book was cited on the floor of Congress, in the Pentagon as a "realistic" look into this topic.  Newt Gingrich also supports the premise and look into life in this type of scenario and references this book on more than one occasion.  Highly worthwhile read.  There are many others that cover or heavily touch on this topic.  If you are not into these types of books, this one may set you in motion for others.

Fuck that read them all, (the last one is a little out there but still good)

If we go beyond SHTF and into prolonged event and social decay, anyone that relies on modern medicine or machines to help sustain life will not last long.  Simple illness, simple wounds would be life threatening.  The amount of disease will make the black plague look like a sneeze.  Clean dressings, topical antiseptics and antibiotics will be scarce and worth killing over.

If you are very interested, please read "One Second After" by W. Forstchen which is part 1 of a 3 part series.  The book goes into this topic in accurate detail which is chilling.  The book was cited on the floor of Congress, in the Pentagon as a "realistic" look into this topic.  Newt Gingrich also supports the premise and look into life in this type of scenario and references this book on more than one occasion.  Highly worthwhile read.  There are many others that cover or heavily touch on this topic.  If you are not into these types of books, this one may set you in motion for others.

Yeah, I was thinking that those needing medicine to maintain their health or even survive would be in jeopardy in any sort of SHTF event, or even say something like a big hurricane that knocked off power for say even just a week, maybe even less.  The American population is aging as well as chronic diseases as well.  Wasn't even considering simple clean dressings for "simple" cuts and wounds.  On the show Alone, there are those that know how to make stuff like poultice and other natural medicines that seem to have helped at least a few contestants. 

Thanks for the info.  Ordered a sample online last night to read on my iPad (via Kindle).  Strange it would only let me download the sample when browsing on my iPhone.  One of my best friends was telling me about books like this.  Think he's been reading ones about what happened after an EMP.  I've read some books here and there, but not quite what this one seems to be. 

Fuck that read them all, (the last one is a little out there but still good)

I see "One Year After" and "The Final Day".  All seem interesting just reading the 2-3 paragraph synopsis.  Will definitely keep those in mind as I read the first one.   

Read the first chapter. Can already see many things set up for what I was thinking about when I started this thread. And didn't take too long for things to "get started".


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"One Second After' is good   Online articles about the 90's civil war in Sarajevo,  Ferfal's Surviving in Argentina and Shane's experiences during Katrina are good reads also.
I take prescription meds and during a prolonged incident, well face it don't have to worry about gaining too much weight, LOL.  I try to look for homeopathic or natural supplements that can help with whatever medical condition you have.  At least these you can stockpile unlike prescription meds.   Basic items that can help with many issues such as natural honey, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, elderberry etc. are relatively affordable and available locally.   Also keep a decent supply of liquor for reasons other than getting loaded.
Last year I concentrated on putting together a small group med kit and refurbishing my supply of OTC meds.

Read a bunch more of "One Second After" last night.  I can "see" lots of those situations unfolding in many different ways.  Like that whole "mob" mentality where people start asking questions, gathering attention from others who are around, many who are confused or even already on verge of panic, etc.  Very interesting so far and good reading.  Good as in wake-up call into a possible or even eventual future history situation.  It is amazing how dependent people are on technology and how fragile that system is and how vulnerable it can leave people. 

The start of the book sort of reminded me of Fear the Walking Dead.  In the beginning, many aren't going to know what is going on.  People are just going to know that something isn't right.  Some may assume that things will return to normal, just like they always do.  While probably too late to prepare for much at that point, whatever is available will be quickly snatched up, just like every time we have a hurricane or tsunami warning. 

"One Second After' is good   Online articles about the 90's civil war in Sarajevo,  Ferfal's Surviving in Argentina and Shane's experiences during Katrina are good reads also.
I take prescription meds and during a prolonged incident, well face it don't have to worry about gaining too much weight, LOL.  I try to look for homeopathic or natural supplements that can help with whatever medical condition you have.  At least these you can stockpile unlike prescription meds.   Basic items that can help with many issues such as natural honey, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, elderberry etc. are relatively affordable and available locally.   Also keep a decent supply of liquor for reasons other than getting loaded.
Last year I concentrated on putting together a small group med kit and refurbishing my supply of OTC meds.

A while back, I bought a bunch of med supplies to build or update med kits around the house, car, range bag etc.  That allowed me to build a good amount of stuff, but they are really for the boo-boo level stuff. Yeah, I have tourniquets and large bandages for wound dressing, but all of that assumes care until EMS arrives.  I could see how a seemingly simple cut could fester without clean bandages, ointment, etc. 

About the liquor, yeah, I've got some stuff around the place that will definitely be great for anticeptic! 

In a real prolonged STHF situation, I think its about surviving the initial fallout, which I estimate would be around 6 months-1 year. After 6 months, all of the unprepared will have starved or died of sickness, and between 2 months and 1 year all of the dead, sewage, lack of medicine, etc. will cause illnesses that will be widespread.

For that, a bunch of the standard antibiotics (need to be stored somewhere cool and dry, difficult here)
plenty of dressing materials
plenty of stitches/staples
possibly some tooth removal tools (if you crack a tooth or something and it gets infected, its going to have to come out at that point)
painkillers (both strong and weak)

After that point, at least here on the islands, people are all going to have the same immunities anyhow from lack of outsiders.  Plus keeping antibiotics in a Hawaiian climate (unless you're on the Big Island and take them up the mountain and bury them) is not going to happen after a year or two. After that initial fallout, the survivors will need to keep themselves healthy through eating well (the most important), taking care of sewage, etc. in a proper manner, and avoiding things like severe cuts, bad insect/animal bits and falls which lead to infection.

+ A lot of luck. Real life survival would be frankly an awful mess, but better than the alternative. You can see in shows like "Alone" that even survival experts starve or injure themselves relatively quickly. A few months (even with a firearm) is the most that most people can survive.

In a real prolonged STHF situation, I think its about surviving the initial fallout, which I estimate would be around 6 months-1 year. After 6 months, all of the unprepared will have starved or died of sickness, and between 2 months and 1 year all of the dead, sewage, lack of medicine, etc. will cause illnesses that will be widespread.

For that, a bunch of the standard antibiotics (need to be stored somewhere cool and dry, difficult here)
plenty of dressing materials
plenty of stitches/staples
possibly some tooth removal tools (if you crack a tooth or something and it gets infected, its going to have to come out at that point)
painkillers (both strong and weak)

After that point, at least here on the islands, people are all going to have the same immunities anyhow from lack of outsiders.  Plus keeping antibiotics in a Hawaiian climate (unless you're on the Big Island and take them up the mountain and bury them) is not going to happen after a year or two. After that initial fallout, the survivors will need to keep themselves healthy through eating well (the most important), taking care of sewage, etc. in a proper manner, and avoiding things like severe cuts, bad insect/animal bits and falls which lead to infection.

+ A lot of luck. Real life survival would be frankly an awful mess, but better than the alternative. You can see in shows like "Alone" that even survival experts starve or injure themselves relatively quickly. A few months (even with a firearm) is the most that most people can survive.

A former boss once told me "90% of the times, it's what you don't see coming that with kick your ass".  It was certainly true for that job and my profession, and I've found that that saying is true for life in general.  Most of the time, the stuff that you are aware about and plan for are often taken care of and it's when things to awry, not as planned, things come up, etc that often force the issue.  The show "Alone" is a great example of that.  People who had all the skills, had a great setup, etc didn't last very long.  Some got injured or tried to store too much food for later and ended up super malnourished.  Then others found that they just couldn't bare to be alone or away from their family.  They seemed VERY prepared for the survival skills aspect of things, but in many cases, it even surprised them about how they felt when they were truly alone. 

Unfortunately, those who require medications to live would be the first to die in a SHTF situation.  Like you mentioned, insulin needs to be refrigerated and ice last only so long.  Also would you be allowed to stock pile medications?  Most times the answer is no.

So you would have to look into herbal substitutes that you can grow yourself.  But those may not be as good as the synthetic stuff.

So with the above being said, staying healthy in general should also be in your preparedness readiness.  So exercise often, eat some what healthy, so you can avoid serious illnesses that can be avoidable.

My uncle needed insulin (diabetic).  He started running.  At first he couldn't run to the end of the block.  Then once he made it there without stopping, he ran to the next block.  Fast forward and now he's done 5 marathons and no longer requires insulin.  He can also eat cake or other sugars with no issues.

Unfortunately, those who require medications to live would be the first to die in a SHTF situation.  Like you mentioned, insulin needs to be refrigerated and ice last only so long.  Also would you be allowed to stock pile medications?  Most times the answer is no.

So you would have to look into herbal substitutes that you can grow yourself.  But those may not be as good as the synthetic stuff.

So with the above being said, staying healthy in general should also be in your preparedness readiness.  So exercise often, eat some what healthy, so you can avoid serious illnesses that can be avoidable.

My uncle needed insulin (diabetic).  He started running.  At first he couldn't run to the end of the block.  Then once he made it there without stopping, he ran to the next block.  Fast forward and now he's done 5 marathons and no longer requires insulin.  He can also eat cake or other sugars with no issues.

Well, there are many more that will die before those that require medication.  But yeah, some medications are more fragile than others in terms of shelf life.  Insulin being one as my sister and dad are diabetic.  Even for stuff like heart meds, a decent stockpile is a few months and that is usually limited by how far out your drug plan will allow for refills.  At least from what I've heard from others since I don't have any regular prescription meds. 

That's awesome that your uncle got off his dependency on insulin.  Seems like he got the wakeup call and took the lifestyle change to heart.  After going through all of these health related issues with a family member, my thinking is "better take care of your body before your body makes you take care". 

What is sad is that majority of illnesses out there are preventable, but people don't listen when their doctor tells them to eat better or don't do X.  Then by the time medication is needed, its to late most of the time.  Or people are lazy and want the easy way out (meds).  I get the response all the time "oh, they make a pill for that".

So I asked my uncle if his doc ever warned him about diabetes.  He said for 20 years, his doctor has been warning him and stuff, but he never listened.  IDK what made him all of a sudden want to run, but its working.

What is sad is that majority of illnesses out there are preventable, but people don't listen when their doctor tells them to eat better or don't do X.  Then by the time medication is needed, its to late most of the time.  Or people are lazy and want the easy way out (meds).  I get the response all the time "oh, they make a pill for that".

So I asked my uncle if his doc ever warned him about diabetes.  He said for 20 years, his doctor has been warning him and stuff, but he never listened.  IDK what made him all of a sudden want to run, but its working.

That is very true and in the case of my family member, VERY much the case.  Yeah, there are some conditions that you can't prevent, but I do try to avoid dependence on meds as much as possible and luckily have been able to avoid having to do so.  I'm lucky that I inherited low (or good) blood pressure from my mother's side, but diabetes and high cholesterol runs in my father's side and those are what I have to watch. 

I'm about 85% through One Second After.   Will definitely be moving onto the next.  I think One Year After. 

Was talking to one of my best friends about this book and it was one that he had mentioned to me previously, but I had it on my list to read later.  He is one that I got into guns and he's sort of been a "prepper" of convenience.  Meaning he like buying gadgets and is interested in prepping, but more as a side hobby than super serious.  Basically somewhat like me.  Between the two of us, we would be pretty well prepared if we pool things.   

While One Second After is in a very different part of the US, I can definitely see most of that happening, or even all of it in variations of it, even in Hawaii. 

I'm about 85% through One Second After.   Will definitely be moving onto the next.  I think One Year After. 

Was talking to one of my best friends about this book and it was one that he had mentioned to me previously, but I had it on my list to read later.  He is one that I got into guns and he's sort of been a "prepper" of convenience.  Meaning he like buying gadgets and is interested in prepping, but more as a side hobby than super serious.  Basically somewhat like me.  Between the two of us, we would be pretty well prepared if we pool things.   

While One Second After is in a very different part of the US, I can definitely see most of that happening, or even all of it in variations of it, even in Hawaii.

If 1 second after dosent scare a non believer into believing they are beyond help,

If 1 second after dosent scare a non believer into believing they are beyond help,

He's more of a believer, but also as matter of prioritizing resources as he has two young children.  Yeah, one could say that that makes preparations even a higher priority, but he needs to find the right balance for him.  And that includes taking some calculated risks, or willful ignoring of them.

One thing that I am trying to get him to do is at least try some of the foods like Wise and Mountain (something, can't think of it right now).  I have tried some of the Wise foods and while I think I could certainly stomach many of them, the ones that I've tried weren't all that great.  I've ordered more Mountain ones to try recently. 

Finished up Once Second After last night.  It was pretty quick reading.  Bought One Year After and will start on that. 

There was another series that my buddy mentioned as well.  Think there was three in the series.  Will have to ask him about that. 

I would say the first was more than a wake up call for me.  I mean I was aware of most of the vulnerabilities on their own, but not really the interdependencies and human nature aspects that come along with the "new reality" of a given situation.  Similar to the start of Fear The Walking Dead, I can totally see a period at the start of any plague or attack situation where the masses aren't aware of what is going on and will be caught unawares.  There will be some opportunity to secure needed things in that short window.  Yes, it would be best to already have all that stuff ready, but reality is that 95%+ of the population aren't.  Even if you have all the water and food you will need, will you have other things like people with medical training or other old world type craftsman skills, farming, etc. 

I have a pretty extensive collection of books on this genre.  Another book that should be on the top of your list is Lights Out by David Crawford.

I have a pretty extensive collection of books on this genre.  Another book that should be on the top of your list is Lights Out by David Crawford.

Cool. Will check it out.

The series that my friend recommended is by G. Michael Hopf. There's 4 in the series.


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