[maggie357]

I will be having foot surgery which will keep me in a cast for 3-12 weeks, non weight bearing for 3-6 weeks. What can I be doing during that time to prepare for 2-3 day hikes and SHTF? My income will be cut by 20%-40% so order goods will stop for awhile Some plans I have:

Learn Morse Code
Knot tying
Make cordage (if I can gather materials in advance
Brush up on first aid
Read "Patriots"
Study body language and non verbal communication


I feel fairly knowledgeable about wilderness survival. Urban survival, not so much. I'm fairly knowledgeable about natural health and remedies, homeopathy, etc. Hubby will be doing the cooking on a low carb diet so using most preps is out until we reach our weight goal (taking off a few pounds will be good for the foot during rehab). Docs and photos are already scanned to a thumb drive.

I would like to work on fire starting using my RAT tool but I fear getting up and down will be difficult and may endanger the surgical site.

Any ideas what I can be doing for these 6-12 weeks besides reading and web surfing?

 

[boldimagery]

Well I know what I like to with a cast. Make ART out of it! LOL!

Seriously, I'm sorry to hear that. Do take it easy though, so you have a good recovery. Sounds like to me you have a great list. Gunsmithing? Maybe? Going over your plans in a disaster situation. Creating a playbook of "if x happens then do y." Drive your bug out routes.

Thats tough.

 

[letsgetreal]

I had one........make a scratcher out of a hanger.........resist the temptation to walk on it( even tho it feels ok).....study up on solar energy and turbine energy, etc....read the entire Fox Fire series......read books on raising rabbits, chickens, goats, etc and how to make dairy products out of the milk and incubating the eggs.......Homebrewing.....Growing a 1 acre garden in a 1/4 acre lot( vertical layering)......CB and ham.......reloading......

 

[indjoe]

you could make snares,figure 4 traps try them out when you can move around.
practice knife skills carving tools from wood.try knapping no not sleep but try to make
arrowheads.go thru bob,ghb edc,whats in there why is it there have i used it.

 

[kev]

Write some really good articles and post them in this forum.

 

[maggie357]

All great ideas! Keep 'em coming-it's gonna be a long few weeks. I live 25 miles from town, so no one comes to visit, except one friend who will be on vacation the first month after surgery.



Already done:
Garden
Homebrew(actually beer making)
Have had a goat, currently have chickens
Cheesemaking

 

[MikeK]

I'm with Kev. Post articles here! :

If you're thinking about HAM, this might be a good time to study up. Sounds like you have some good ideas already. Hang in there and get well soon. Can you sharpen blades? That's a mandatory skill and it usually takes a bit of practice.

 

[barachomp]

bring out all your firearms, practise stripping and assembling, then clean them..

 

[Dwind]

All great ideas! Keep 'em coming-it's gonna be a long few weeks. I live 25 miles from town, so no one comes to visit, except one friend who will be on vacation the first month after surgery.



Already done:
Garden
Homebrew(actually beer making)
Have had a goat, currently have chickens
Cheesemaking

If there's one thing the world needs is MORE CHEESE! !!!1

 

[OLDWarrior64]

All good ideas, but as Kev said.....post what you learn here

Been there myself, I was laid up for 6 weeks after foot surgery...almost drove me nuts :

 

[rynosurf]

Try to stay in shape. I just got out of a cast, at about 4 weeks in I started back at the gym. I couldn't believe how weak I got in just four weeks. I'm glad I didn't wait the 9 weeks it took to get the cast off to start lifting weights and swimming (when I got a soft cast that I could take off).

 

[composter]

Sort your pre-1982 pure copper pennies from the more recent junk cents.

 

[SgtBooker44]

Inventory your preps and figure out what needs to be rotated.

Learn to reload, or do some of that.

Canning

Dehydrating

Just a couple of ideas.

 

[ackbob]

read - and then reread, and makes notes during all your reading for future reference

 

[TAKEZO]

Catch up on your reloading.

ST

 

[letsgetreal]

If there's one thing the world needs is MORE CHEESE! !!!1

Butter, cream cheese, soft cheese, Brie cheese, flavored( chives, mint, Italian, Mexican, Cajun, etc) cheese, hard cheese, colby cheese, cheddar cheese, smoked cheese, waxed cheese.:thumb:

 

[letsgetreal]

Catch up on your reloading.

ST

I already said that....can you walk and chew gum at the same time?

 

[Pixelguy]

Crack nuts with that heavy cast?

Just kidding.

Read the entire Foxfire series of books about traditional Appalachian ways - growing, cooking, slaughtering, building, homeopathic medicine, etc. They have taught me much and I am sure that they will do the same for you.

 

[Teslin]

Been there, done that. Being unable to bear weight on an injured leg/foot is more difficult and tiring than most people (who haven't gone through that) imagine. But, your other leg will get stronger as you hop along. I got very good at dancing long songs on only 1 leg (and no crutches).

Good luck with the surgery (in other words, I hope that it does what it is supposed to do and isn't too painful).

Take good care of yourself, and don't fall down getting into the shower!

Sounds as though you already have more than a few good projects to work on, which should fill your time quite adequately unless you get bored with them all - and they all sound worthy. I guess I could add .. make lists, do inventory, think .. dream .. pray for a reason NOT to have to use your prepped supplies.

 

[LiftRanger]

Try to get some exercise, without using the healing foot. If you don't the muscle loss will be considerable. If you have a stationary bike, ride it "one-footed." Doing that will actually help to minimize the muscle loss in the leg in the cast.