Hurricane season begins June 1 in the United States. Everyone in coastal regions should take this time to prepare. Hurricanes also have the potential to create severe storms inland that can result in wind and flood damage as well as power outage. DO take this time to either create a disaster plan and stock your supplies, or review your existing disaster plan and check through your emergency supplies. Those of us with life threatening illness have unique challenges to prepare for on top of all of this.
Guest writer Maria Stewart has some life saving tips to prepare for severe weather with Adrenal Insufficiency:
SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST, PLAN AHEAD
The first tornadic storm of the Spring season in the US is forecast this week. I feel anxiety rise in my chest as I watch the news. Severe weather is stressful for healthy people. For Adrenal Insufficient patients it brings additional challenges. Daily control of my symptoms requires a regular schedule, how will I cope if my house is damaged and I need to stay with someone else? What if I’m outside with no shelter for an extended time? Or worse yet, what if I’m unconscious and a stranger is trying to help me? Will they know what to do? With these questions in mind I put together some tips on how to prepare for severe weather events:
1. If possible refill any medication scripts.
2. Wear your medical alert I.D. at all times.
3. Have an emergency injection kit and know how to use it. There are many instructional videos online on how to inject. Keep printed instructions with it your kit in case someone is helping you that’s never injected before. SoluCortef Injection Print Out
4. Keep some steroids on your body. I fill my pill case and put it in my front pocket. If I’m separated from my tote bag I’ll still have a few doses with me. There are also many wearable medication holders that attach conveniently on necklaces, bracelets, and key chains. Ensuring you always have an emergency dose.
Capsule Pill Case Holder Pendant and for larger pills.
5. Put together a tote bag of supplies that can be grabbed quickly with injection kit, all your meds, electrolytes, snacks, water, phone chargers, wallet, cash, emergency contacts, and emergency mylar blanket, (the kind that looks metallic and folds into 1 square inch)
Emergency Tote Bag
6. Have a plan based on the type of disaster you’re facing. If it’s a flood, where and when will you evacuate? If it’s a tornado, where is the safest place to shelter?
7. Connect with people. Hopefully you’ll have someone to ride out the storm with, but if you don’t there are ways to safeguard yourself. Be sure others know of your situation. Friends can be there for you through your phone. When I have to be alone during a storm my friend 1700 miles away keeps in contact with text messages. She knows if she doesn’t hear from me to call the local sheriff for a house check.
American Red Cross Safe and Well Database (Register yourself as safe and well after a disaster, or check the database for loved ones.)
8. Take extra steroids before things get ugly. I find I ride out stressful situations better when I don’t wait until the last minute to updose. At the very least planning ahead can ease some of the stress severe weather brings, it may also save your life!
The CDC has preparedness info in the event of any disaster.
More Hurricane Preparedness Resources:
https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/hurricane_preparedness.html
Disaster Information for People With Chronic Conditions and Disabilities
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/chronic.asp
Stay safe friends!
đŸ’•Michelle
CortisolMusings 