What being sick has taught me:

[momto14]

1. Without your health, you have nothing.

2. I need to double...maybe even triple...our OTC meds. We used alot more than I would have anticipated. I mean ALOT more. Total rethinking our our preps here.

3. I need to add alot more Lysol etc...

4. Need a plan for defense if we are stricken with the flu. Our defense would have been pitiful had we been in a SHTF event.

5. Need written plans for all events. Had it been a SHTF event, I would not have been able to recall everything that needed to be done etc..

6. Need to teach my dog how to take care of us..lol..just half-way kidding here.

7. in 2013, my main prepping goal is to improve my health.

What has having the flu or crude taught you?

[Catnphx]

The past 30 days, my youngest (15 years old) has been in the hospital on 2 occassions for a total of 4 nights, emergency room 2-3 times (can't remember), and 4-5 doctor's office visits ... all with cold mixed with asthma and then flu mixed with asthma. None of our family has ever been in the hospital.

I learned that the right meds are critical. In the first visit, once they got the right meds into her things improved. We are screwed if infection ever sets in during a SHTF scenario.

[Mels thinkingitover]

So glad you are feeling better now. My entire family had pneumonia together a few years ago.
1. I re-evaluated the number of boxes of facial tissues you should keep on hand. It is far more than you think you'd need. All the "well we'd just use handkerchiefs" ideas are wonderful unless the laundrywoman is sick too. It's also nice to be able to just throw away, untouched, the nine million tissues it takes to get through such an event.
2. Plain lemon drops do every bit as much to stop coughing as cough drops and actually more because everyone doesn't fight the taste. And you need lots of them.
3. Those "dried/dehydrated ingredient soup in a jar recipes" are a lifesaver if they are sitting on the shelf. If the meat needed was canned and taped to the jar, or pre-cooked, measured, frozen and labeled to match the jar, I could just about get a hot, nutritious meal we could stand to eat, before falling over again.
4. There aren't enough little mix packages of hot drinks in the world for you to have too many on hand.

[extremejoy9]

My DD was recently in the hospital for 4 days with an infection and I thought the same thing. I looked at all the supplies they went through and thought I'd never be able to prep all that stuff.

I am so very grateful for what we have today.

[extremejoy9]

and as for the flu: I've thought very much the same thing. I was sick recently (still getting over it) and was amazed by how much sleep I needed. It took all I had to get the kids off to school and then I needed to sleep all day!

[Karnus]

This is a great post! Christmas day my brother and I were struck down with the flu. He ended up going to the hospital. It was pretty bad. It is definitely a game changer, and I'll be watching this thread for solutions. I was down and out! Hallucinating and the whole 9.

[10 Bears]

Originally Posted by momto14

1. Without your health, you have nothing.

2. I need to double...maybe even triple...our OTC meds. We used alot more than I would have anticipated. I mean ALOT more. Total rethinking our our preps here.

3. I need to add alot more Lysol etc...

4. Need a plan for defense if we are stricken with the flu. Our defense would have been pitiful had we been in a SHTF event.

5. Need written plans for all events. Had it been a SHTF event, I would not have been able to recall everything that needed to be done etc..

6. Need to teach my dog how to take care of us..lol..just half-way kidding here.

7. in 2013, my main prepping goal is to improve my health.

What has having the flu or crude taught you?

Even with my wife a teacher until two years ago who got exposure to illness all of the time and who has been a Type One Diabetic for 49yrs and smokes and is 53 and me..smokes and is 59 we have not had any flu since around 1997 and rarely get any colds. No flu shots for either of us in decades.

Not everyone gets sick. Lifestyle dictates health. You are what you eat and what you do.

[Mels thinkingitover]

Originally Posted by 10 Bears

Not everyone gets sick. Lifestyle dictates health. You are what you eat and what you do.

Not completely, but it is a goal and a wish. There are many other things that contribute to getting sick from time to time or to having a life-threatening illness. I do find it funny as all get out to get "you are what you eat" advice from a chronic smoker. That was good.

[MissJudged]

I had an upper respiratory infection and it was murder. Shortness of breath, dizziness, and a headache from hell due to all of the coughing. I think I may have even broken a rib after an especially bad coughing spell.
The thing that saved me (I think) was Mucinex decongestant. I will be stocking plenty of that.
And lots of Kleenex of course! Thanks Mels thinkingitover for the reminder

[mythreesons]

Ive learned from experience and having children to stockpile the following...Ive been doing this faithfully for 4 yrs now.

Gingerale
Canned chicken noodle soup
Crackers
Tea bags
Raw honey
Apple cider vinegar
Whiskey
Already made freezer meals....for the non sick family members.
Lysol
Kleenex
Nyquil
Cough drops
Tylenol
Wipes...use after blowing nose while in bed!
I use my homemade rice packs that is heated up in the microwave to help me stay warm...you can also take a tube stock by putting a couple cups of rice inside then tie into a knot..

My latest prep is antibiotics of coarse you need to have knowledge on how to use them.

[Catnphx]

Originally Posted by mythreesons

My latest prep is antibiotics of coarse you need to have knowledge on how to use them.

Our latest lesson on these is not all antibiotics are created equal and certain meds handle certain illnesses. Stock what you can but avoidance is the best medicine.

[Prepared Mom]

Everywhere I look people are going through this. Of course, many of them think prepping is crazy and I keep saying, THIS is what prepping is for on its most basic level. I have so many friends scrambling trying to get through the flu that I actually wrote about it yesterday! What I didn't think of was the freezer meals. I may go add that to my advice if you don't mind. Great tip!

[LadyFenix]

This thread is a timely and very appropriate reminder about preps to stock up on.

Lots of Winter still left to go..........and flu season is far from over.

Thank you for posting this. We always learn the most from real life experiences.

[mythreesons]

Originally Posted by Catnphx

Our latest lesson on these is not all antibiotics are created equal and certain meds handle certain illnesses. Stock what you can but avoidance is the best medicine.

thats why I said you need to have knowledge on how to treat sickness....obviously you aren't going to take antibiotics just for any kind of virus..I meant sickness like bronchitis or strep throat.

[ForestBeekeeper]

Most of herbal remedies and naturopathic medicine focuses on boosting health and immune response. Whereas conventional medicine focuses on treating the symptoms of disease.

I suggest that everyone look closer at boosting health and immune response.

[Klaatu]

I had a type "A" influenza back in the mid-80's. After 4 days I thought I was going to die & finally went to the doctor. Fever of 104, aching joints & back, cough, headache, sore throat. I never want that again! Wife was sick a couple of weeks ago---glad I had my flu shot.

[Mels thinkingitover]

Originally Posted by Prepared Mom

Everywhere I look people are going through this. Of course, many of them think prepping is crazy and I keep saying, THIS is what prepping is for on its most basic level. I have so many friends scrambling trying to get through the flu that I actually wrote about it yesterday! What I didn't think of was the freezer meals. I may go add that to my advice if you don't mind. Great tip!

Nice article by the way.

[TDFbound]

Haven't been sick in quite some time. I only go to a hospital for injuries too bad to treat at home, never for illness. Last time I was at a doctor's office for being sick was about 15 years ago when I was in middle school and my mom made me go. I even managed to get through boot camp on Parris Island without catching anything worse than a basic upper respiratory infection, and that went away as soon as I graduated and got away from all those bugs and germs brought down there.

Keep your immune system strong with regular exercise, good diet, and proper sleep.

Also, living in sterile environments is, I believe, a main contributor to kids and people nowadays having such high rates of allergies and illness- their immune systems were never exposed to anything and were never given the opportunity to develop. The overuse of many cleaners is probably building stronger and stronger strains of the "common" germs, and when combining that with weak immune systems, you get a bunch of whiny sick people that probably don't deserve treatment anyways.

[Vectorwoman]

Because of some medical treatments that I am undergoing; I have a very low white blood cell count meaning I do not have much of an immune system against germs right now.

I take more than normal, precautions because of it.

I wear a surgical mask at the clinic, Walmart or any other place that has lots of people.

I wipe the handle on my shopping cart w/ an antibacterial wipe. I wash my hands often.

The flu and whooping cough is going around in our area and so far, I have not even caught a cold.

I realize people do not want to walk around Walmart w/ a surgical mask on. I do get lots of looks because of it. LOL

If the shtf, and no hospitals are available I would suggest it though. If it can prevent someone w/ a very low wbc, from getting sick; it would most certainly help with people whom have normal immune systems.

[Ricekila]

Were all to fragile --