(TacticalNews.com) – The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 6-in-10 Americans suffer from a chronic disease. Now, it’s pretty extreme to say that out of that 60% of Americans, not a single one prepares for when SHTF. People with severe medical conditions can still prep. It can, for some, tend to be a little more complicated, as explained below.
Chronic Diseases Defined
Not everyone fully understands what constitutes a chronic disease. The term is broadly defined as a condition lasting longer than one year and requires ongoing tests, examinations, treatment, and medications. Some examples of chronic conditions include:
- Diabetes
- Back pain
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- High blood pressure
- Epilepsy or seizures
- Heart conditions
- Kidney stones
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Incontinence
Regular visits to the doctor or specialists are often required for these conditions. However, depending on a person’s particular condition, a problem could arise in a SHTF scenario halting the availability of those treatments or services.
Prepping With a Chronic Illness
The idea of not having access to medical care may be worrisome but, it doesn’t mean you’re completely helpless. You can try to prepare for such an event ahead of time, aiming to minimize its impact. It may just be a little more challenging to accomplish than for individuals without an ongoing illness. However, it’s worth the time and effort.
The first step is ensuring you know and understand how to monitor your condition in the absence of trained healthcare professionals. It may be helpful to research what triggers your particular disease and its accompanying symptoms without using the aid of electronics.
If it’s impossible to monitor your chronic illness without an electronic device, store a spare one in a faraday cage to protect it. It may also be wise to have a plan for backup power to operate or charge the device.
Plan Ahead
Prior planning is the name of the game when prepping. Talk to your doctor about doubling up on your prescription so you can stockpile a decent supply for an emergency. As an alternative, you can ask your doctor to put you on a 90-day prescription which usually has at least a couple of days of overlap. When your prescription is refilled, add any remaining medication to your stockpile.
Alternatives
Look for alternative treatments to your condition as part of your prep. If any exist, include those in your emergency supply of medication. Similarly, take some time to see if any natural remedies could help in a pinch. Nature has a way of providing many of the things we need to survive, and chronic diseases are no exception. Fortunately, these alternative treatments could be easier to stock up on than your usual medical supplies. Of course, you should always consult with your doctor before considering the use of alternative treatment methods.
An Ounce of Prevention
Prepping for the unimaginable is not always a pleasant experience. However, doing so may very well save your life one day, particularly if you suffer from a chronic medical condition.
An excellent place to start is by checking out the basics of survival and building off of them.
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