Not much in matter of follow up discussion. I get it, this is Christmas (Holidays, whatever) and unlike me, you're probably celebrating.

A few more things to consider:

1) Do you have a supply of bandages and dressings on hand? I was surprised to see that the local Shoppers Drugmart (the only store opened on the 25th in town) had essentially nothing more than bandaids in the first aid aisle. I'm sure glad I have a medium-sized tote full of different sized dressings and bandages. A lesson learned during a previous surgery. If you come across a store (online or brick-and-mortar) that offers a good deal on those supplies, think about stocking up. Daily dressings changes (or as directed by doc) is important to prevent infection. You'll quickly notice you'll go through the supplies available in any first aid kits.

2) Do you keep cash in your wallet/purse? Leaving a hospital at 1030pm on Dec 24th and taking a cab isn't a good time to realize one of the only few taxis available doesn't accept cards! While you may prefer "plastic" for convenience or points perks, consider always having enough cash on your person to pay for a gas fill up, a meal or a taxi ride if it was ever required.

BTW, I can't even lift my new chainsaw to put it together... it's 10 lbs and Mrs HP won't let me risk disobeying the hospital discharge instructions....

Gee, Helicopilot, I'm sorry to hear about your emergency surgery! Bad timing! But a good lesson for all of us. Thanks for the reminder to keep cash on my person instead of stashed away......
Get well soon and do as Mrs. HP tells you.
PrepHer

Sorry to hear about your surgery helicopilot. Get well soon, do as Dr. and Mrs. HP tell you. Totally agree with having the extra dressings at home along with everything else needed, specially if not residing right in town that has stores that carry the necessary items. Have all that in our kit around here.

Sorry to hear about your surgery helicopilot. Get well soon, do as Dr. and Mrs. HP tell you. Totally agree with having the extra dressings at home along with everything else needed, specially if not residing right in town that has stores that carry the necessary items. Have all that in our kit around here.

Thanks for the kind wishes. I was quite pleased to have a stash of supplies available. We don't really live in the backwoods but even our nearest community saw little opened that late on Dec 24th and through the 25th. I was able to get my prescription filled on the 25th at the local Shoppers had nothing bandage-wise. Assuming they were opened on Boxing Day, I would have had to wait at least 36 hrs to get supplies from the home healthcare store.

This in turns leads to ponder what if an "ice storm-like" event had occurred on the 25th? Having enough of such supplies on hand is important for any preppers in my opinion. A deep stash of medical supplies should be secondary to a comprehensive medical kit, which itself is secondary to smaller-but-readily-available first aid kits.

Its nice to be quoted even after I am long gone. Friends- check. Now the next thing to get is ... even more friends...incase the other ones get broken with use. (that happened recently. Luckily, I had been growing a whole new crop of friends at the time).

Here is the "Good News, Everybody". Helicopilot. You never have to worry about that whole "Burst, Snip Snip" thing again....and you have joined the C5 and Dirk Gently Holistic Survival Agency. (Yes, I was watching Dirk Gently on Netflix last night and feeling like a darker and scarier version of him). Im not sure what is more depressing. That there is absolutely no meaning to our experiences....or that all our bizzzar sufferings and even more bizzzar accidental adventures are part of a cosmic plot whose sole purpose seems to be....being used as an example... To help other people survive in the future.
Example. Last year I raised pigs from insemination to bacon (The last one, I pop and chop tomorrow and gets pressure canned for future use). Next year I get a full year of bumming around in a second world mega city on another continent...for free... with nothing to do but mentally recharge and learn as much prepper insights as I can from being in a second world mega city on another continent. This all has something to do with that my prepper skills seem to translate to valuable NGO Development Projects...and not even my skills. Im just along for the ride. Mrs C5s Skills... Seriously. Someone on the planet actually needed a Canadian Trained scholar...that was also a small farmer...that also has farmers market management experience....that also speaks Spanish....and is willing to stay for a full year...and be robbed at least once. One of the things my very unusual life has taught me is that when bizzzar things are happening that just dont make sense..... Its best to just Flow with it. Im also now vaccinated for Rabies, hep A and B and Yellow fever. Thousands of dollars worth with someone else picking up the tab. I am now prepared to wrestle rabid animals. 😯

Cheap canned Camples Soups in the well stocked pantry. Check (one 50cent can can feed a large group....when added as a flavouring to a pot of rice or pasta...with whatever you can grow or forage....Plus good for illness....and hang overs)
Bulk Medical supplies. Check. (ours needs some serious organisation. I dont know where most of the stuff is and that is a problem)

And your best Santa Claws news, helicopilot, is that you've got that Chainsaw prep covered. Its in My TOP 5 prepper, Must Have, High ticket items that you must purchase before wasting your money on all of that other useless prepper shit.
Those items are... (as usual, not what the "prepper experts" say)
- A wood stove
- A quality chainsaw
- A quality cargo bicycle
- A quality power drill (corded)
- A quality angle grinder (corded)

special mention also goes to
- A broad fork (look it up)

It is my experience that these are the force multipliers that actually get used and greatly increase your chances at survival and self suficiency. They are expensive and not very prepper sexy But not too expensive...and the chainsaw is sort of sexy. "Macho, Macho Man. I wanna be a Macho Man..." 😆

I thought I'd make your ears ringing by mentioning you C5! Hope your experience will be a good one.

Now I need to convert one of those useless pretty gas fireplaces we have with at least one stove....

That will be on the "to do list" along with a new (metal) roof and putting chickens in the awesome coop.

Adding to the discussion here. I've taken pictures of the "tub" of dressings and bandages I have for my just-in-case situations. I also have a few first aid kits ( http://internationalpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=5070&start=10 ).

Everything in the tub is in Ziplock bags to prevent moisture issues and to keep every thing as clean as possible.

Here is a list of a few items I have in there:

- non-adherent dressings of various sizes
- regular (absorbent) sterile dressings of various size
- non-sterile 4x4 and 2x2 dressings
- gauze rolls of various sizes
- abdominal pads
- triangular bandages
- antibiotic ointment
- dental emergency kit
- butterfly closures
- adhesive bandage (10 yards)

This is kept in my climate-controlled pantry with other supplies.

Hope you recover quickly and can "enjoy" the rest of winter. On the supply list, I noticed that our local Mountain Equipment Coop and London Drugs are now carrying quikclot, which is new on the shelves. We picked up a couple of packages, not cheap but could be extremely useful in an emergency.
Happy New Year!
W

Wow helicopilot, quite the Christmas experience! Sorry to hear holidays were spent this way! I had a similar experience during the summer with a gall bladder attack. Originally, thought it was a heart attack. So was extremely relieved to find out it wasn't heart issues at all. Health/dental will be the tough one to battle if SHTF. Our group has attempted to put a fairly substantial first aid kit together...but you can't cover everything. We have nurses and paramedics in the group that keep the list of medical needs updated. When I went through the surgery I was very aware of how fragile we really are. And , like you...I had to rely on friends to help with animals and farm upkeep. Hope your recovery is quick! Happy NewYear!!!

I managed to learn these lessons the hard way a few times, including waiting 6 days for my appendix to burst , ripping a knee apart and getting trampled by a horse . You need other people , not lazy , nor fair weather types, genuine good neighbours, friends and family and you need to step up and do them good turns before you need them to learn who appreciates it.
Having a deep divot taken out of my leg I was surprised to be debriding , cleaning and bandaging for more than 4 months while the flesh grew back in and I will be looking to buy a LOT of telfa type non stick wound pads . I am thinking bulk veterinary supply amounts. You know who I would most trust if things went really sideways , a good veterinarian . But in this day and age we DO have medical facilities so not abusing them , working on our health may be ways to ensure we have this system in place when we need it . Making the communities we have work better may be a preventative measure ?

So, another epiphany... This time Mrs HP went under the knife, a planned abdominal reconstructive surgery.

Made me realized that the usual prepper porn (any JWR groupies here?) of carrying out field surgery on the kitchen table is really unrealistic. Surgery aside (leave that to pros, that why they make big $!), the post op recovery alone puts a huge strain on resources, human or supply wise.

For example, my entire days have been consumed getting Mrs up/down from chair/bed/toilet, changing dressings, emptying drains, monitoring said drains and administering medication. And I have a bit of training and experience doing this. Owing that she's fully depending on me (4 days now, and for the next 2-3 days), the best I can do outside if run to the coop, get the eggs or maybe get 1/2 row of raspberries picked up.

The JWR-mandated "OP/LP" manning and clearance patrols around the fortified home would have to wait...

Again, I'm raiding my stash of dressings and medical supplies to cover this surgery. I'm realizing that bulk orders from Amazon were convenient and cheap, since the local pharmacies/home medical supplies are expensive as sin and have limited options.

Morale of the story: don't fantasize on the SHTF situation where you'll be Jack-of-all-trade surgeon-wannabe AND keep an abundant stash of medical supplies; especially if you come across a good deal.

Having gone for six weeks to look at my mom after a hip replacement and a knee replacement and having helped deal with a major wound with a dear friend, it safe to say that the amount of medical supplies needed are far beyond what we ever think they will be. And I agree.. the first week after the surgeries, I was on 24 hour duty and just keeping the house-meals and care going on little to no real sleep got the point across loud and clear.

On the other hand, thank you so much for getting your wife out of the hospital as soon as possible and back home where you can be the prime nurse, I love what our modern medical can do, but I dislike how many secondary infections can come from the same place.. I hope your wife makes a full recovery.

Late post here, but hope all has settled. Yes, we do need a ton of medical supplies, food etc. Good friends or family to help with recovery. If stuff did happen when primary guy or gal is down, everyone else will need to fill his or her boots. One item that may be forgotten is adult diapers? If people are busy and your not mobile. These can help everyone with their sanity and sanitation. Don’t forget lots of bleach, white vinegar etc for cleaning of floors, items etc
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