Guest post by Judah Hamilton, who blogs at Post Apocalyptic Survival.

image by familymwr

Many of you read TheSurvivalMom blog may be familiar with the program on National Geographic, called “Doomsday Preppers”. This show is an examination of the lives of real “preppers” who are all trying to get their preparations in order before the inevitable apocalypse.

The show has survival experts that rate the preparations of the featured survivalists and then they are rated based on their particular preparedness level. If you have ever watched this program, you will surely know that the majority of these “preppers” as they are called, are physically out of shape and not physically in any condition to tackle something as grandiose as surviving doomsday.

How do these people expect to survive some sort of apocalyptic doomsday scenario when they look like they are one doughnut away from a quadruple bypass?

While some of them may have extensive preparations, they often overlook the very real importance of being in peak physical condition. If the apocalypse really were to occur and these severely out of shape people were actually forced to leave their homes, how could they really expect to, “head for the hills”?

Could these out of shape doomsday preppers really hack it if they needed to march miles into the wilderness and live off the land?

image by Mr. T in DC

If you were really forced to abandon your home because of some disaster of apocalyptic proportions, the reality is you will be essentially reduced to the role of a refugee. Your days would be consumed by your constant wandering, searching for supplies, resources and whatever food you could be lucky enough to come across. To survive in these conditions the reality is that you will be forced to hunt and gather your food which requires you to be physically fit.

How could you be severely out of shape and expect to sow crops, defend yourself from external threats and perform the intensely physical tasks that are required for survival, like chopping firewood or walking extremely long distances.

Most of the people on “Doomsday Preppers” would surprise me if they could jog a full mile, so hiking out into the wilderness to sustain themselves off the land appears to be a long shot for these portly survivalists. If you were seriously concerned about “doomsday prepping,” wouldn’t you naturally consider your own physical fitness to be the pinnacle of your preparations? At the end of the day, the only gear you always have with you is your mind and your body, so it is the most important gear in your survival preparations.

While many survivalists are obsessed with building a home fortress, it would benefit them to be spending some of that time and effort on preparing their bodies as much as they have prepared their home defenses.

After all, you cannot only be prepared to be fortified in your home.  You will surely be forced to head out in search of supplies no matter how well stocked your preparations are.

Making a daily workout routine part of your preparations should be a top priority of people who are preparing for doomsday. The reality is that your physical body is your best defense and if you are in abysmal physical shape, then how do you expect to survive the harsh conditions after the apocalypse?

I think that most of these “doomsday preppers” (and all survivalists for that matter) would benefit by spending a little more time running on a treadmill and lifting weights. That combined with constantly honing survival skills and reading sites like TheSurvivalMom will go a long way in terms of increasing their chances of survival.

You can read more from Judah at his site, Post Apocalyptic Survival, including this article, “How to Survive the Apocalypse on a Budget”.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by tgolf_69

Whenever worst case scenarios are discussed, sooner or later someone brings up a health related issue, such as stocking up on prescription meds or what to do with a family member who has a chronic health problem.

A couple of weeks ago, a reader raised the question of having a diabetic in the family.  If someone is insulin-dependent, is there any way to prepare for the possibility that insulin might, someday, be difficult or impossible to find?

I posed this question on Facebook and wanted to share some of the answers with you.  Of course, before trying anything you read on the internet, always talk with your doctor first.

• Buy a small fridge or electric camping cooler and a dedicated power supply to keep your stock of insulin from going bad, and stock up. Also look into ways with diet and lifestyle to mitigate and/or lessen the amount of insulin needed.
• I only have a diabetic dog but when there are chances of losing power I always stock up on those cold packs you put on sports injuries. you know the ones you break and shake. They will keep the insulin cold for quite a while.
• Check out the you tube videos of The Patriot Nurse.  She recommends Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes and There is a Cure for Diabetes.
• Cinnamon is a natural way to lower blood glucose levels, as is cranberry. There is an over-the-counter supplement called Cinnergen. It works really well. Mother and I have used it as a quicker way to lower levels, as we’re both non-insulin dependent but use pills.
• Check out Raw for 30 Days.
• As a diabetic and a nurse, I can tell you that with most diabetics if fat to muscle body ratio is decreased, regular exercise is performed, and a diabetic diet is adhered to, most diabetics can get off insulin and or pills, and maintain a normal blood sugar with diet. Sometimes cinnamon or Vitamin D supplement is needed. I am living proof this works. 15 years of non-medicine controlled diabetes
• Look for a meter that uses test strips that don’t expire. Stock up on testing supplies and batteries for the testers. Also, insulin needles. Testing blood sugar can be important for non-diabetics too, e.g. hypoglycemia, pregnant women, etc. I also keep lots of those frozen bags in case of power failure or traveling. Artificial sweetener is helpful.
• 

  image by Joel Washing

  Perhaps stockpiling some of the fast acting and slow acting pills. They don’t replace insulin but could keep a coma at bay. They are not as fragile as insulin.

• I use the insulin pen. Once taken out of the refrigerator, they can be kept at room temp for up to 28 days, though 14 is preferred. I use them daily, though you could ask your doctor about ordering them for just the winter months if cost is a factor. And the insulin is right in the pen and does not have to be drawn up into a needle.
• Not all diabetes can be controlled by diet. Type 1 diabetics get NO insulin from their pancreas, thus having to receive the shots. Type 2 diabetics have an under-functioning pancreas and sometimes they can be controlled by diet alone (but not all).
• If you have juvenile diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t produce the insulin, therefore you have to take shots to regulate. We did try the zeer pot, (see this article, also) but it did not get down to 55. We were able to stock up on insulin from a Canadian pharmacy without a prescription. My husband is in great shape. He runs and does strength training. He eats good, too. It still doesn’t make his pancreas work.
• My son is Type 1. I have 1 year supply of insulin and am currently looking into getting this solar generator. It is 1800 watts and is strong enough to run a small refrigerator and other appliances. It is completely run on sun power, is portable and is plug and go out of the box. I would enjoy hearing other ideas too. Maybe we can start our own group.
• Look into growing stevia… not sure if it helps with Type 1 or not, but it has been used in Japan and South America to help with diabetes. If nothing else, maybe it could help to stretch your insulin supply.
• I am a pharmacy tech, and I can tell you it will be next to impossible to come up with homemade insulin. Best advice that I can give:
• Stock up on insulin pens, but be aware! They too have a shelf life with a window. They do not require refrigeration.
• If your family members are not on an insulin pen, they must change BEFORE any disaster hits. It is extremely dangerous to switch insulin without a medical doctor monitoring the changes.
• Insulin dependent family members must maintain a routine, even if it is SHTF time. So prepare, prepare, prepare. Going too long without insulin, or taking it too early is a disaster waiting to happen! Start right now, using a schedule that can be kept to in case an emergency strikes.
• Watch those carbs! And carbs are any starch or sugar. Plan on having more dried jerkys, more dried or canned meats, etc. Beans and rice make a complete protein, but you will have a carb price to pay. So, your meal needs will be different from other preppers.
• Unless an atomic bomb hits or something totally decimates society-SOME pharmacies and hospitals will still be open. Don’t go in saying that you only have 12 insulin pens left and need to buy up their supplies. The pharmacist will simply sell you one. But, if you say that you are out, most pharmacists can get you resupplied for a week, maybe more. Just remember, when SHTF, we are trying to take care of everyone with very limited supplies. And-no ETA of more supplies arriving.
• Don’t be afraid to discuss this with your medical doctor, your pharmacist, and your local hospital. I wouldn’t necessarily go down the prepper road-that can lead to questions about your sanity! I would phrase it as, “I want to know, if an earthquake like LA’s in 1993 hits, what are my options?” (Or hurricane, or tornado, or whatever is in your area.) That will make you seem prudent, not nutso.

Great advice!  Hope it helps with your prepper planning.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

QuikClot, the product, seems almost too good to be true.  Even the slowest prepper on earth can stop a deep wound gushing with blood by simply opening a packet of QuikClot an slapping it  into place.  Who wouldn’t want this miraculous product in their first-aid kit?

image by tedeytan

Well, doctors and nurses, for one!  As it turns out, QuikClot can cause more harm than good, sometimes, and makes life more difficult for the medical professionals who have to deal with the injured patient.

Here is what two professionals told me about this product.

First, from Courtney, an E.R. nurse:

Next, I asked James Hubbard, The Survival Doctor, for his opinion, and here is his response:

“First there’s the mess that comes with QuikClot.

My experience has been seeing fairly minor wounds treated with QuikClot. If the patient has used the older version of the product, I have to clean and scrub, and still I’m not certain I’ve gotten all the granules out.  When this has happened, I can’t help but think that if they had simply applied direct pressure on the wound, I wouldn’t be forced to traumatize the fragile tissue so much more. I understand this is a complaint with emergency-room physicians and trauma surgeons also, except the wounds they see can be much worse, and time can be precious.

image by Parker Michael Knight

Prior to 2008, QuikClot also produced a lot of heat when it reacted with blood, and this can be very painful—even burn flesh. If a granule flew into an eye, ouch!

The more recent version uses a chemical that doesn’t cause as much of a burn reaction, although it can still get hot when it comes in contact with plain water.  They’ve also encased it in gauze. Hallelujah!”

QuikClot isn’t a cure-all

He goes on, “But my main concern about QuikClot is that some people think it’s a cure-all.

Certainly it can be a lifesaver in battles, where the wounds are large and potential blood loss is severe. It stops the bleeding long enough for these injured victims to get to surgical care. But the key is getting them the surgical care.

Lay people tend to use QuikClot first-line for every wound. They forget the basics, like direct pressure. If anyone pulls off the QuikClot to actually treat the wound, the clot comes with it, and you’re back to stage one unless there are granules, and then the situation has been made worse.

Remember, QuikClot does nothing to repair the wound. You put this stuff in, and that’s only the beginning. You can’t keep it in forever. It will stop working at some point, and because it’s a foreign body, it will increase the risk for a bad infection.  When it’s removed, the bleeding begins anew.

A wound often includes an artery that supplies vital blood to an extremity. If the artery is not surgically repaired fairly quickly, the extremity will die. Gangrene will set in. The QuikClot may have been a lifesaver, but only short-term.

The bottom line is QuikClot in your bug-out-bag is not enough. You need to know when and how to use it. Start by learning how to stop bleeding with direct pressure. Know your pulse points in the arms and legs, and how you can press on them to stop the bleeding. Know how to use a tourniquet for extreme injuries.

Then, watch a few instructional videos on how to properly use QuikClot.”

When would QuikClot be an acceptable remedy?

The Survival Doctor continues, “Okay, I’d use QuikClot in a flash if blood were pouring, and direct pressure or pressure on pulse points wasn’t going to stop the bleeding, and using QuikClot was the only thing I knew to do to save a life—like if a femoral artery were cut so close to the groin a tourniquet wasn’t feasible. Or if I were facing a gusher on the neck and pressure wasn’t helping. I’d try it on a badly bleeding chest or abdominal wound if I couldn’t do anything else, even though I know if the QuikClot doesn’t come in contact with the bleeding blood vessel, it’s not going to help.

After the bleeding had stopped, I’d apply a pressure dressing on the wound and figure out how I was going to get this person some definitive medical help ASAP.

Oh, and if you have the old granule type of QuikClot, replace it with the new gauze type. Whoever ends up repairing the wound will thank you.”

Bottom line:

Only use QuikClot if:

1. Direct pressure over several minutes isn’t stopping the bleeding.
2. The compress becomes saturated with blood quickly and repeatedly.  (A sanitary pad is helpful for these types of injury and provides an idea of the level of injury that would cause several of these pads to be soaked through in a matter of minutes.)
3. You are miles and miles from any medical assistance.

The best action to take now is to become better informed and trained in the areas of first aid and medical care.  Visit The Survival Doctor’s blog, watch videos on YouTube and locate classes that teach these skills.  Someday you might save the life of a friend or loved one.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Guest post by Dr. Bones, aka Joe Alton, M.D., co-author of The Doom and Bloom Survival Medical Handbook.

image by clevercupcakes

We spend a lot of time on my blog talking about medical issues in times of trouble, from storms to a complete societal breakdown. However, times of trouble can be very personal, such as when you find yourself or a loved one battling a debilitating medical condition.

This has happened to one of my sons, Daniel. Daniel is a 30 year old who has had severe diabetes since he was nine years old. Due to his disease, he has developed kidney failure and partial blindness, and has been on dialysis for the last year. He has been on a kidney and pancreas transplant list since that time.

After a number of false alarms, a kidney and pancreas became available as a result of a drunk driver taking the life of a young father of two as he was riding his bicycle. He underwent the surgery at a large hospital, one of the few in the state that performed this type of procedure. The good news is that the new organs functioned well from the very start, producing urine and lowering his blood sugars to almost normal levels within 24 hours.

Several days after the operation, he was deemed fit enough to leave the Intensive Care Unit and go to a regular floor. This means that, instead of having a nurse specifically for him, he shared a nurse with several other patients. This is standard operating procedure and usually has no ominous implications.

However, when I went to see him that day, he wasn’t looking well. He seemed pale to me, and his abdomen seemed more distended than it did before. There was a drain coming out of his belly, and it was full of, what seemed to me, frank blood. He was getting vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, etc.) taken every 4 hours, and the chart appeared to show that he was stable and doing fine.

image by striatic

Seeing the blood draining out of his abdomen concerned me. I took his vitals myself earlier than scheduled; he was tachycardic (pulse very fast) and his blood pressure had dropped. As I was unable to find medical staff, I emptied the bloody drain and it filled up again (and again) within 2-3 minutes. It was clear to me that he was bleeding internally, and it was a significant amount. He was heavily sedated and wasn’t complaining; I doubt , since he is nearly blind, he could find the button to push to notify the nurse even if he was awake.

This was late at night, and most visitors had left. Staffing was light, also, and it took some time to find his nurse, who was attending to another patient. My surgeon’s hackles were raised, and I (not ashamed to say) raised a ruckus which led to an overworked resident to take a look at him. To her credit, it was clear that something was wrong, and he returned to surgery. They wound up removing 3000-4000 cc of free blood from his abdomen and stopping the hemorrhage.

He is back in the ICU and, thankfully, his kidney and pancreas are still functioning. However, thinking about this episode, it was clear to me that it could have ended very badly. If not identified in time, it’s very likely that I would have received a call in the morning notifying me that he passed away during the night.

Patient Advocacy

I’m telling you this story not to gain sympathy or a pat on the back, but to convince you of the importance of being a patient advocate for your loved ones who are experiencing a medical TEOTWAWKI. If, like many of our readers, you are working to become a better medical asset to your people in hard times, then you must take patient advocacy as serious as learning first aid.

image by salimfadhley

Most healthcare providers see themselves as advocates for their patients, but they are limited by their workload and many other duties, especially in public or university settings. Having an outside person who is invested in protecting their loved ones is important; it’s too easy to get lost in the system, and a hospital patient is often in too weakened a state to fend for themselves. You don’t have to be a medical professional to be a patient advocate. Most are just friends and family who offer their time and support to help the patient communicate with their doctors and cope with a process that is often confusing and, frequently, just plain scary.

Nurses are often excellent choices as patient advocates, as are any of you who have taken on the responsibility of survival medic. Ethically, you are honor-bound to be committed to the medical welfare of those in your family or group. Part of this duty is to protect the rights of the patient. You will be required to be inquisitive regarding the care given, as well as courageous and vocal in your dealings with healthcare providers. It helps a little to be a diplomat, as well, but I’ll take the first two requirements over that.

Many consider a hospitalization a time to heal quietly, but the patient is best served by participating in their medical process. This means steering their providers to a course of action that is best for them, not the system. If the patient is too weak to take on this burden, then someone else must. Some hospitals, to their credit, have patient advocates on staff; better, though, to have a dedicated and supportive friend or family member to run the gauntlet for them. That person must follow Ol’ Dr. Bones’ Three A’s of Advocacy:

Accept the importance of a patient’s rights.
Advise the patient so that they can be a full partner in the therapeutic process.
Act to run interference between patients and their caregivers to ensure that the patient receives the best care possible for their condition.

My son is still in a fragile state, and I can’t tell you how he will end up. I CAN tell you that he is still alive, and he has advocates that will fight for him. Pick up the flag, and protect those who might not be able to protect themselves. It’s up to you.

Listen to Dr. Bones and his wife, Nurse Amy on their radio program, The Doom and Bloom Hour Show.  Read their blog here, and buy their medical handbook, The Doom and Bloom Survival Medicine Handbook here.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Update:  I’m posting this again because the Survival Mom discount expires on January 31.  If you want the $100 discount on the kit, be sure to enter survivalmom as the coupon code!

Disclaimer: I am not associated with MedCallAssist in any way, nor do I receive commissions on purchases or ad revenues.  They provided me with a kit for this review.

It’s no coincidence that people in third world countries have shorter life spans, higher infant mortality rates, and poorer health in general.  Top-notch, timely health care is a luxury for the wealthy and for most of us living in first world countries.  However, if you believe, as I do, that treacherous and uncertain times lie ahead for America, then you’ll be glad to know about the MedCallAssist Kit.  This medical kit, along with the 24/7 medical consultation included, may be just what you or a loved one needs someday in the future when medical care is hard to come by.

MedCallAssist is a company that started out with the goal of providing fully equipped medical kits to people and companies who do business far from any sort of medical care, such as commercial fishermen, loggers and adventure travelers.  Recently, they’ve seen the need of branching out and making the kits available to people in the survival and preparedness community.

Bottom line:  On January 1, the kit prices will be $350 for the contents only and $375 for the contents and a sturdy canvas bag.  However, when you use coupon code survivalmom on checkout, you’ll receive a discount of $100 per kit.  This discount is exclusive to Survival Mom readers and is good through January 31, 2012.

Now, on to my review.

Beyond “just” first aid

The MedCallAssist Kit is far more than just a first aid kit.  Although it contains a supply of products typically found in the average first aid kit, it goes far beyond those basics.  (See complete list of contents here.)  Because the kit comes with an assortment of prescription medications, I asked a nurse friend to review it with me.  Patrice spent many years as a nurse in a California emergency room and now has a business teaching first aid, wilderness first aid, and CPR.

A nurse’s review

image by Lower Columbia College

Patrice was pleasantly surprised by the assortment of antibiotics and other drugs that are included in the kit.  You’ll find azithromycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, loperamide, cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, cephalexin, and epinephrine, among others.  Worried that you won’t know what to use and when?  With the purchase of a kit, you’ll have access to medical advice 24/7, along with an impressive instruction booklet that comes with the kit.  Patrice was very impressed by the information in the book and the color photos.

She liked the quality of the medical non-latex gloves that are included and the disposable skin stapler to use in lieu of suturing a wound.  She recommends Lidocaine to numb any area that needs a suture/staple.  Lidocaine is available through MedCallAssist as an add-on to the kit.

The kit also contains loads of OTC (over the counter) products and tools such as scissors and tweezers.

Patrice noticed the brand names of the different supplies and mentioned that she buys hers’ from the same source.  Overall, she gave the kit a big thumbs up and has been telling others about it.  At the Survival Mom discounted price, $250/275, it’s a great deal.

Is there anything to add?

Some injuries will require large amounts of bandaging supplies, and Patrice recommended adding many more rolls of gauze and other trauma dressings.  From her experiences in ER, she knows what she’s talking about!  She also recommended adding saline to flush out wounds, and I suggest adding packets of rehydrating solution for cases of diarrhea and vomiting.

MedCallAssist offers additional products, such as a defibrillator, oximeter (to measure the oxygen level in the body), splints, and a blood pressure cuff.  You can read the entire list of add-ons at the bottom of this page.

The future of medicine in America?

image by Jose Goulao

Already Americans are feeling the effects of changes that have been made in our system of medical care and insurance.  Companies are dropping health care as a benefit or increasing the amount of money employees must contribute.  Insurance companies are raising rates, and everyone is waiting for the other thousand or so shoes to drop if/when “Obamacare” goes into full effect.  What will medical care look like ten years from now?  The answer is, no one knows.

The MedCallAssist Kit can be an important stopgap between hoping something goes away because the funds aren’t available for a doctor’s appointment and a trip to the hospital because a condition has become life-threatening.  Many preppers, homesteaders, and survivalists live long distances from medical care.  This kit fills a need for these families as well.  Even hunters would be smart to have something this well-equipped.

With the availability of medical advice on a 24/7 phone line, a medical professional will be able to advise you if the medications and supplies in the kit are enough for a particular situation or if a face-to-face visit with a doctor is required.  Either way, the kit and phone service will provide a lot of peace of mind.

Q&A

I thought you might have more questions about the MedCallAssist Kit and the company, so I asked some of them for you!  Jathan Nalls, one of the medical professionals with the company answered them.

Survival Mom:  The kit comes with prescription medicines.  How is that possible without a prescription?

Jathan:  Our company is headed by an emergency physician and there are three more on staff.  Each kit is “prescribed” to an individual or family based on their medical history, anticipated needs, and other factors that we take into consideration.  Our kits do not contain any controlled medications nor will we prescribe them.  Additional meds are available upon consultation, on a case-by-case basis.

Survival Mom:  Will this kit take the place of actual visits to a doctor or hospital?

Jathan:  We want this service to be helpful to clients who want to control healthcare costs and get quality medical consultation and access to treatment during difficult times.  However, we definitely do not want to take the place of their local physician.  If a family has a sick child in the middle of the night and the nearest ER is an hour away, we’ll talk with the family and advise them how they should proceed.  If our physician feels that an ER visit is warranted, that will be advised.  As you know, nothing compares to a face-to-face visit with a physician who can do a hands-on exam and order more testing.

Again, the bottom line

Even at $350 and $375, these kits are well-priced.  Add to that, the availability of a 24/7 phone line for medical consultation, and it’s a pretty awesome package.  Currently, the MedCallAssist website lists kit prices of $250/275, but these are scheduled to increase on January 1.  As a Survival Mom reader, your price will continue to be $250/275 if you use coupon code survivalmom upon checkout through January 31, 2012.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Visit The Outback Doc’s website, Outback Medicine.  Look for more, “Ask The Outback Doc” columns here on The Survival Mom.

image by TimmyGUNZ

What can people do to prepare if they do not have a medical background?  Find someone who does!  Try to make connections with people in the medical field now while there is still time.  Go learn as much as you can about how to take care of each other.  I’ll be hosting occasional, “Outback Medicine” Conferences.  (Teaching medical skills is the focus and passion of this ole’ doc!)

The level of knowledge needed to treat other humans in crisis is quite astounding!  Yet, in a collapse situation, there won’t be much choice as to how much training your present “caretaker” will have.

In our present modern society, it’s one of the things that frustrates good Doctors everywhere, the fact we see lesser informed “providers” all around us, treating patients so cavalierly and wrongly!  We literally have to “clean up their mistakes” (which can be fatal at worst!) and see the bad results of these “wrong treatment” situations right here in our emergency room!

This is one of the reasons many doctors who are aware of the coming collapse wish to provide for lay persons the skills and knowledge of how to care for others, using properly taught medical care and skills.  At least whatever we can teach others, will be a jump ahead if the world does collapse.  However, due to our licenses and necessary alignments with today’s government, along with its’ regulators who will take away medical licenses if we speak out on issues like this today, literally, providing training and information is something doctors can’t speak out about it!

The point is, you should be able to learn as much as possible now about how to care for each other if a time comes when there is no Doctor around to provide the best care.

Suggestions:

• Take an EMT class from a community college.
• Acquire basic medical books as listed here (#5 on the list).
• Take a wilderness first aid and wilderness first responder course.
• Research the chronic illnesses and diseases your own family suffer from and begin acquiring the medicines and equipment for treatment, if possible.

Related articles:

• Thoughts on Medical Training for TEOTWAWKI
• Medical Planning and Training for Uncertain Times
• Book review: The Prepared Family Guide to Uncommon Diseases

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Cholera, typhoid, and malaria may not exactly be on your medical radar, but over and over again these diseases, and others, raise their ugly heads when civilization collapses.  Poor sanitation, dirty water, rodents, insect infestation and crowded living quarters are facts of life in the poorest parts of the world and may become a fact of life for Americans in a worst case scenario.

The Prepared Family Guide to Uncommon Diseases by the editor of the insightful Paratus Familia blog is one of the few books that I grew to like the more I read it.  I’ve consulted it for my daughter’s earache and searched it for remedies for a chronic cough.  The main intent of the book is to provide information about and treatment options for diseases we don’t see very often in our sanitized 21st century world.  However, the book also contains home remedies for symptoms such as dehydration, diarrhea, sore throat, and coughing.  In the appendices they’ve included a helpful shopping list of medical supplies, a conversion chart, and a list of recommended resource books.

One section has been written by a medical doctor, Dr. Grattan Woodson, and is devoted to influenza, a likely culprit in the event of a future pandemic.  Dr. Woodson shares suggestions for avoiding the flu in the first place, flu symptoms, and then how to treat the flu at home.  The information is excellent and helpful with any episode of the flu.

This book is particularly helpful for preppers and the survival minded because it’s written by preppers who understand the dangers of our precarious future, and it covers a wide gamut of diseases as well as everyday symptoms.  I give it a big thumbs up.

You can buy this book at Paratus Familiar Press for $21.94, which includes shipping.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Visit The Outback Doc’s website, Outback Medicine.  Look for more, “Ask The Outback Doc” columns here on The Survival Mom.

image by TimmyGUNZ

A typical first aid kit provides only the barest minimal supplies that a well-equipped home should have when it comes to health and medicine.  After giving this a good deal of thought, here are 23 additional items you should begin stocking or establishing now.  Some will be easy to acquire, others, not so much.

A few items are notated with an *,  to be used 0nly by individuals with advanced medical training.  If this isn’t you, don’t cross the item off your list.  There may very well be a doctor, nurse, EMT or other individuals with training nearby, and if you have the supplies they need, it will be a huge advantage to keeping someone alive.

1. N-100 High Filtration Face Mask/Respirator!  The N-100 seals to the face and provides more filtration protection than the N-95.  It also has an exhalation valve.
2. Security (in your own treatment area) - Being able to live and work in a secure area is a must for the melodramas that come with all urgent/emergent medical cases.  This is especially true of hysterical family members and friends when a loved one’s life is in jeopardy.  It may sound strange, but you need to have a plan to deal with medical issues in a secure area.
3. Acquire and practice: medical skills and ability, knowledge, concentration, control (over the scene and medical situation, as these “patients” are very alive – and you want to keep them that way), stamina, will, training, and expertise.
4. Cell phone spare battery!  This may be your own life-saving connection (if cell phone’s still work, that is) to the outside world.
5. Reference Materials - Merck Manual, JP Sanford (antibiotic guide), Tarascon’s Pharmacopea (Rx index), CPR & Cardiac Care guides, etc.
6. *Penrose Drain Tubes - can be used as tourniquets or drains, etc.
7. *Suction Device, manual operation (non-electric) – for anyone choking needing “suction” or as you “intubate” (i.e. stick a tube into an airway – only for advanced care professionals, mind you).
8. *Foley Catheters - for urinary blockage relief, but also for a make-shift “chest tube” when necessary!
9. *Nasogastric Tubes and Large Syringe - can be used for “Rectal IV” instillation when an IV cannot be accessed!  (We’ve used this very successfully in the U.S. as well as in Haiti.)
10. Bouillon cubes - to mix with water for an electrolyte solution to drink, when very ill.  The solution can also be administered rectally with the concept above as well.  Very handy to know and have on hand in a pinch!
11. Antibiotics - will be a must-have in any post-collapse scenario!
12. *Oropharyngeal Airways or OP Airways - can save a life right in front of you – if you know how and when to use them!  Check my website, Outback Medicine, for a schedule of coming training conferences.
13. Fluids.  Pedialyte is best, not Gatorade!
14. Over-the-counter medications.  See list here.
15. LED Lights - You will need lights at night: headlamps, strobes (possibly for attracting moving vehicles or people nearby), reflective cones (on the road), reflective vests, powerful LED flashlights (for runners or operations with kit) & possibly a “surgical light”, for which we use a 12-volt car light connected to a car battery!
16. Blankets - hypothermia is a real danger outside when any patient is traumatized!
17. Ear Candles - easy to carry and use to provide relief with ear pain!
18. Organic (not synthetic) Natural Multi-B Vitamins - ”Little Red Rocket Boosters” are the best for this as they are the best organic multivitamins we’ve ever found.  We’ve tested them in our actual private practices, where people who take these Red Rocket Boosters say they, “feel better, do better, sleep better, think better, look better (just kidding!) and have less fatigue!”  You can’t ask much more out of a relatively cheap cost “food” vitamin that that, can you?
19. Large Commercial Trash Bags - used to contain waste, worn over your torso as a make shift “rain coat” (don’t forget to punch three holes in the “top” for your head and two arms), or for “shields” when dealing with bloody/infectious messes!
20. *Needles & scalpels, with the knowledge to use them properly.  Training is necessary to use these items, and DO NOT USE this stuff if you don’t know how to do so, ever!
21. Reflective Cones - mentioned above, but these are often nowhere around when we need one – “outside” in the “Outback” (or on the side of the road)!
22. Emotional Stress Treatment - Have on hand extra meds you and family members are already taking.  If you run out of special meds that treat acute episodes, it will definitely be a time to panic!  This one’s tough, but we also need “comfort items” that may not have to do with “medical care” at all, post collapse!  Think of things like candy, DVD’s, animals in our care that we love, protective and security for our living situations type items.
23. Learn quick now to “Think Prevention First”!  I wish I had time to explain all that this entails.  If we thought this way as a nation – before the accidents occurred – well, I’d be out of a job, wouldn’t I?  PREVENT IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS is the best mode of “medical care” in the world, and we spend a lot of time teaching people how to do this in our “Outback Medicine” conferences…because that’s what we do everyday, as well: PREVENT IT FIRST!

Listen to my interview with the Doc:

the-survival-mom-show-20.mp3 (MPEG Layer 3 Audio, 13.7 MB)

the-survival-mom-show-20.wma (Windows Media Audio file, 13.7 MB)

Get to know the Outback Doc at his website and blog, Outback Medicine.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Visit The Outback Doc’s website, Outback Medicine.  Look for more, “Ask The Outback Doc” columns here on The Survival Mom.

Stocking up on plenty of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplies is a very important part of preparedness.  The availability of medical supplies will certainly affect how and what you are able to do for your patient, like this fact or not!  Another consideration is that each treatment category and problem requires many specific and different things to have on hand, from tongue depressors to otoscopes to blood pressure cuffs to whatever, many different medications included.  Fact is, the list of things we have to have on hand and in supply to treat patients is enormous!

You should definitely get as much as YOU can get in this category and afford today.  Always stock up on:

1. Pepto-B (generic Bismuth is just fine, too)
2. Mineral Oil
3. Epsom’s Salts
4. Bacitracin
5. Neosporin
6. Alcohol
7. Hydrogen Peroxide
8. Witch Hazel
9. Contact Lens Solution
10. Nasal Spray, Afrin,
11. Primatene Mist*
12. Robitussin
13. Acetaminophin/Tylenol
14. Ibuprofen
15. Zantac/Ranitidine
16. Fiber like Metamucil & Benefiber
17. A hoard of organic-natural (i.e. never “Centrum”!) multi/B-vitamins
18. Vitamin C
19. Aspirin
20. Pedialyte
21. Mag Citrate…and many more!

Buy these now because they won’t be there when the SHTF, I promise!

Listen to my interview with the Doc:

the-survival-mom-show-20.mp3 (MPEG Layer 3 Audio, 13.7 MB)

the-survival-mom-show-20.wma (Windows Media Audio file, 13.7 MB)

© 2011 – 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Visit The Outback Doc’s website, Outback Medicine.  Look for more, “Ask The Outback Doc” columns here on The Survival Mom.

image by TimmyGUNZ

How should you prepare for a world in which medical care is either non-existent, difficult to access, or prohibitively expensive?  Gain treatment knowledge now, ASAP!  Come to one of our teaching conferences.  Get ready to take care of everything from simple to complex, and have enough supplies on hand.  Stock up on everything!   You will need everyday items such as “durable (medical) goods” and “equipment”, much of this being available over the counter today.

It’s also very important to gain a working knowledge of alternative herbal, “medicine,” now.  Learn how to treat minor ailments and symptoms using herbs.  3000 years of herbs…that can’t be all wrong, now can it?

At some point, in a collapse scenario, you will need to be able to somehow secure professional medical services , to include everything up to potential, necessary operations.  Nothing will stop people from getting ill and needing operations then, as now, and it may be more necessary then than now, actually. Without an available surgeon around, how do you prepare for these operations?  Most probably this will have to come from the closest surgeon in garage operation, post collapse!  (Ha.  You think I’m kidding, right?  Go to Haiti and find out!)

For this, you need to try to cultivate a relationship with a physician who lives in your local area, one who has the necessary equipment and advanced medical care experience.  A specialist possibly, but more likely an M.D.  This will not be easy to do in today’s world, I know, but when the SHTF (as I’ve seen occur in Haiti), those who have special skills will become available for doing just what they were trained to do before, even if it isn’t in a pristine hospital or clinic.  You may have to travel, and it may cost a lot of money (or whatever we are using at the time for “money”), but when your life or a loved one’s life is in jeopardy, you’ll do just about anything to get this help, I promise!

In that day, there will be very few “unnecessary operations” compared with what goes on right now.  Your job then will be to become what we medical professionals call a, “desirable patient”.  You will need, most likely, some form of payment to cover the cost of whatever medical care you can find.  Here’s where barter comes back into this country’s picture as in the days of old.   Yep, it’s going to be VERY different then, and staying healthy now would be one of the best means of avoiding or preventing dire medical issues in the future.   PREVENTION is the Key!”   This word needs to come back into our vocabulary now ASAP!

Listen to my interview with the Doc:

the-survival-mom-show-20.mp3 (MPEG Layer 3 Audio, 13.7 MB)

the-survival-mom-show-20.wma (Windows Media Audio file, 13.7 MB)

© 2011 – 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.