If you become disabled during SHTF?
Posted by Spiley_spile@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 167 comments
If SHTF (aka institutions collapse temporarily or long term), it's likely to follow a large disaster or some chaotic upheaval. Injuries skyrocket during these times, causing temporary or permanent disability.
How have you prepped to survive this possibility, beyond caring for the wound itself?
Examples: - Headwounds that leave you without the ability to speak verbally. - Loss of ability to walk. - Loss of dexterity in the hands. - Loss of hearing. - Loss of sight.
If your plan is to just die/be a loot crate, that's not a survival plan.
As a disabled prepper myself, I already navigate life and prepping around surviving such a situation. But, Im curious what non-disabled preppers have planned for survival. (Of course, currently disabled folks are welcome to share their plans too.)
kuru_snacc@reddit
Anyone who understands strokes knows that if you incur a headwound that "leaves you without the ability to speak verbally," you're dying regardless of your plan.
Ability to walk - depends on if temporary or permanent. If permanent, also die.
Loss dexterity in hands - fine if you have a younger person with you, otherwise get good with a hammer.
Loss of hearing: Doable, depending on how it happened (see #1).
Loss of sight: Also die.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I know a woman who survived a stroke that left her without the ability to talk. She also has very little dexterity in her hands. Before I moved, we regularly got coffee together. I met her after the stroke. People find ways to communicate and form social bonds regardless.
kuru_snacc@reddit
Survived a stroke as in, got to a hospital and possibly got TNK and rehabilitation? Things you would not have in a catastrophic scenario?
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
There are lots of scenarios. Not my fault you can only think of the impossible ones.
kuru_snacc@reddit
I think some formal medical education would benefit you more than wishful thinking. And from a prepper perspective, better to work on ways of avoiding injury/illness.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I have formal medical training. I have currently active medical credentials from. the College of Surgeons (For clarity, Im not a surgeon), NOLS, American Red Cross, HSI. Ive also participated in over 50 hours of non-credited medical trainings this year offered by local organizations. I'm also currently licensed to train others in medical skills by both the College of Sugeons and FEMA.
My perspective is a prepper perspective.
kuru_snacc@reddit
Okay well then you should know that if you have a stroke in a disaster setting (i.e., without intervention, and in a scenario where you must actively have situational awareness and the ability to care for yourself), you are not going to have much of a life after that, if you survive. Same is true for most of the things on your list. There are worse things than death. There is nothing that can be done in the field for a hemorrhagic stroke. An ischemic stroke you can cross your fingers and hit with some ASA and statin, but most likely you're not going to make it, or if you do, you'll be too severely disabled to be able to care for yourself, and so you will suffer to death. Losing your ability to speak, hear, or see are all most likely as a result of a stroke, unless you have straight trauma or noise damage in which case you have bigger fish to fry. It's good that you're thinking, but think about more useful things. Work on your differential diagnosis of common infections (cellulitis, pneumonia, UTI, etc.) and the antibiotic coverage for the typical microbes in each.
dittybopper_05H@reddit
My plan to prepare for this is to cleverly avoid a SHTF situation. I've managed it now for almost 60 years. Pretty good track record if you ask me!
Seriously, I don't live in a place where that's a really serious possibility, and I'm not a believer in societies simply collapsing back to the point that some here believe in. Tuesday, not Doomsday.
David_C5@reddit
We have everything ready for such a collapse. The society as a whole has never been that weak.
During the Great Depression, many had options to go back to farm as their home. It was hard, but they could live.
Nowadays, it would fall apart without the internet, nevermind power. East coast of Canada didn't have 911 working because internet fell apart. That's atrociously bad, but that's how it is.
There's an article out there about how Tesla could be hacked remotely, and brakes and accelerator pedals controlled. Drive by wire systems for cars are stupid.
A thermonuclear weapon or two high up will cause EMP and will disable most equipment, rendering the whole country out of power for many months. That itself won't cause deaths, but the aftermath will, because people are not prepared for it.
dittybopper_05H@reddit
I’ve been told this very same thing my entire life, and I’m not that far from retirement.
Im also a student of history, and this particular phenomenon has been around for millennia. Often in religious terms, but in the 20th Century is started to become more secular, though of course religious based ones still exist.
Pardon me for being for being skeptical.
David_C5@reddit
Timing is one part we cannot predict. It will come.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I prep for Tuesday and Temporary SHTF. (Where I live, we're overdue for a 9.0 mega quake thats likely to take the grid down for 30 days.) 😅
dittybopper_05H@reddit
I think the worse thing we get around here is ice storms that can take down power lines. But that's very rare, and places like hospitals all have generators so health care will still be available. And generally the power isn't out for very long, though in some remote areas it took a week or two.
Even when we get a blizzard with 3 feet of snow, everything is generally back open the next day.
We are far enough inland that we don't get bad effects from hurricanes, the area is not in a significant earthquake zone, we don't have a significant volcano anywhere nearby, and even something like Yellowstone blowing up would be a minor inconvenience to us back east, at least in the short term.
There are no significant military, political, or cultural targets near me, so some kind of attack is exceedingly unlikely.
Very low crime also. My county is in the 99th percentile for violent crime rates, meaning that the vast majority of the country has a higher violent crime rate.
It's kind of boring actually, but in a very good way.
Mediocre-Tomato666@reddit
Seriously, thank you for this. Disabled people are always left out of disaster prep. Glad to have your plans!
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Disabled people Ive met often are aggressively excluded from prep communities. As we can clearly see demonstrated in the comments people have written even just to this post that dares to consider that disabled people prepare in advance to be able to survive some scenarios.
We are so often encouraged to believe there is nothing we can do. That death is the only possibility. Certainly, there are plenty of scenarious in which people, disabled or not, can't survive. But there are some scenarios where people can survive, especially if we are able to prepare in advance.
TrainKey2016@reddit
Any recommendations for those of us that have to take meds that can't be stock piled in advance because you can't skip your daily doses without serious repercussions? I've tried in the past but always wind up in a bad way...
Capital_Push5557@reddit
You are toast
OppositeIdea7456@reddit
Probably be a lot of people will become disabled and or start dying young. The ones that survive and are old will be much like olden times good crafters or child minders/teachers or story tellers.
Also In old Norse days the old if there was not enough for the winter for the family. or they just had enough would just walk out into the snow at night and that was normal.
The hunters would get the good food/meat the old or disabled would mainly eat the leftovers or strange roots and foraged food.
The only reason you would get allowed to live is so the young young would see how the young treated you. Or the young would get a taste of their own medicine when their time comes or maybe a little bit earlier if you get what I’m saying.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
So, instead of telling me how you plan to prep, in order to survive if you become disabled, you decided to tell me, a currently disabled person all of that for some reason. jfc
shortstack-42@reddit
I am disabled. I’m also older, fluffy, and female.
I lived through a flash flood in Helene, and over 30 days without power after. It was an intense Tuesday, but I did fine.
I’ve built a life and space to age in place as independently as possible. A single story home, sturdy handrails, tools that fit my hands and ability level. Raised beds garden with strategic seating for a creaky back. Food and fuel stores that don’t have to be carried far or up stairs; backup medical supplies/prescriptions (mine get “lost/dropped” at least once a year and I pay oop for a 90-day replacement), I vaccinate with obsessive timeliness, my medical care is frequent and thorough, and my dental care is equally important. I have a cane, crutches, and a walker tucked away just in case, along with spare glasses.
I’ve got off-grid water and sewage that are scrupulously maintained on a schedule. My chimneys are cleaned yearly, I’m saving for solar, and I bought a generator and weeks of fuel after Helene. I am building a warm and generous community where I’m an asset not a burden.
One of my other preps is that I carry no debt. My home and car are paid off, I save like a dragon for retirement, and when I buy expensive stuff, it’s good quality with a solid consumer reports score so I only spend once. I’ve selectively admitted to a few folks with good off-grid skills that they can always come here if shtf.
Oh, and I cultivate retro hobbies like sourdough bread, weaving, spinning, fixing things, and gardening. The stuff that will make me valuable to a community even if I’m wobbly and silver-haired and spend much of my time sitting by the fire.
I aim to start a disaster heathy, ready, with plenty of supplies and tools, be the best neighbor I can be, and fill my brain with knowledge that will be valued long after my body slows or stumbles.
Not dramatic or glam, but it’s the plan.
Perfect_Act_6734@reddit
Uh… die?
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
This prompt is for preps towards a survival plan. If you would like to make a post for preppers who arent prepping/dont plan to survive this scenario, you're totes welcome to. 👍
kkinnison@reddit
An anthropologist was asked back in the early 1900s what is the earliest sign of civilization. Finding a fully healed leg bone. because that means they were taken care of. kept warm, protected from wild animals and pests, and despite being immobilized someone burdened themselves with more work to take care of them until they healed.
ONe of the more humbling aspects of prepping is admitting you cannot do it all alone and to truely be prepared is to ask for help.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Ive encountered that story. I love it! Aside from being willing to ask for help, are you prepping in any particular ways?
For example, are you making community connections with people who have skills to do disability support? Or prepping your community to expand its capacity to do disability support? Or any other ways?
kkinnison@reddit
my plan is my own plan. and my SHTF plan is to leave if needed, stay if not. I am not going to spend time worrying about some freak rare crippling accident that might never happen. I am more worried about bring prepared for Tuesday. if I am made disabled, or invalid, or just lose my job that is what my 6 month savings and stock of food / water/ power is for
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Anyone can make their own prompt. And whether you do or not, yoy dont have to participate in one you disagree with. But I guess it's hard to rwsist an opportunity to express disdain for disabled people who have a survival plan. How dare we make anyone even think of the posdibility that they too could become disabled. Gotta take time out of your day to put me in my place. You needed attention today, so here is my charity reply.
kkinnison@reddit
wow. i guess with that reply i have no qualms about blocking you for being so hostile
ohyeahwell@reddit
I’ve got a bad knee and my SHTF plan is to be Hodor and hold the door to give my fam a head start against ICE or whatever nazi bullshit is coming.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Legit
sfbiker999@reddit
It may not be a personal survival plan, but it *is* a family/group survival plan. The hard reality is that many people that rely on modern medical science or extensive assistance with day to day tasks to stay alive will perish early in the apocalypse. So if you're one of those people, prepare for that and make sure you do good knowledge transfer beforehand.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I already have preps in place. I linked them up top. Im interested what other people's preps are. I was not wxpected the level of meltdown Ive gotten in the replies from the mere suggestion that disabled people might try to survive.
It's zero effort to say "My plan is to take myself out." Like, ok. But, what's the prep if you could actually survive being disabled?
sfbiker999@reddit
My plan isn't to "take myself out", that will happen naturally after my stored meds run out.
I'm just trying to be realistic -- not everyone is going to survive long after the apocalypse and no one's going to have time to be my caretaker when they are fighting for their own survival... and I don't want them to sacrifice their own survival chances for a few months of mine.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
You could create you own post with your own prompt if you'd like to talk about something other than what I wanted to talk about.
sfbiker999@reddit
I'm not an AI and am not bound by any "prompt". My answer was on-topic, specifically to this point:
I'm not just planning for my survival, but also that of my loved ones.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Cool, what are your disability survival preps for if a fanily member becomes disabled?
sfbiker999@reddit
Same. Keep them stabilized until we can seek medical help, if we can't seek the lifesaving care they need or spare the manpower to tend to their needs, the decision is made for us.
I'm not Mark Zuckerberg, I don't have a doomsday bunker stocked with a full emergency room, a doctor, and years of supplies. I realize that I can only prepare for so much and not every illness/injury will be survivable after SHTF even if it's easily treatable in normal times.
espomar@reddit
Good question!
Nobody thinks about this but in SHTF many people are likely to become injured or disabled in some way.
And you never think it’s going to be you until it happens.
Derfel60@reddit
Being on my own my plan if i become so disabled as to not be able to grow my own food or fetch my own water is to die. I know you said thats not a plan, and youre right, but also theres not a lot i can do about it at that point. Id probably do it myself so as to avoid a painful death from starvation or dehydration.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
People can totally have a death plan. You can make a post to talk about that for the whole club of people in here very interested in talking about how disabled people will/shoukd die. I dont know why people want to come comment about that on a post with a different prompt.
Derfel60@reddit
I dont know why you seem offended. My plan is to grow my own food, if i cant see i cant do that, if i cant use my legs i also cant do that, if i am in need of modern medicine i will not be able to produce it. I didnt say disabled people will or should die, if they have others capable of taking care of them then they will be fine. I dont and am not prepping for it on the off chance i meet someone, they also survive doomsday, and i then become disabled.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Have you read the over 200 replies? As a disabled person reading them, it's pretty damned offensive. That's why Im offended.
Derfel60@reddit
I mean you asked people what they would do in a situation where they have to provide their own food, shelter and water but they cant use the things necessary to do that such as sight or their limbs. Are you seriously surprised that most people would opt out? If you told me i had to complete a degree in maths but i wasnt allowed to use any sums id probably opt out of that too, that doesnt make it off topic or harassment of mathematicians, i just dont see the point of trying to do something i am going to fail at because i dont have the necessary tools.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Iasked people for their survival plan. I specifically asked them to skip the prompt if their plan was to die
Derfel60@reddit
You did not ask people to skip if their plan was to die. You said “if your plan is to die/ be a loot crate then that isnt a survival plan”. Which is correct, but not a request to skip if that is the case.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I asked for survival plans. I pointed out that wasnt a survival plan. Is it so difficult?
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
I know sign language, so if I can move at least 1 hand, I can communicate.
I can write with both hands as well
Blindness might be an issue but I can move around decently in the dark already.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
That's awesome!
I used to be conversational in ASL. I still use it now and then. But, Im not fluent enough to call myself conversational anymore. But, even a little can go a long way. And a lot of peoole are surprisingly good at charades, which helps them make connections.
I have a condition that causes me to involuntarily lose the ability to use verbal speech. Usually it's when I overtax my body or am recovering from a seizure. It's very inconvenient.
Ive lost my ability to speak while experiencing some medical situations. In the wilderness, not everyone still has phone battery left for me to type out what I need. I can help them find the paper and pen in my pack though. And Ive been surprised the number of people Ive met with at least some very basic signing ability.
Also "high five* for being ambidextrous! My body is a bit crosswired. I can throw and kick further with my right side, but with both I can aim better using the left. Im left eye dominant, so I shoot my guns lefty. I can write with both hands. But my left hand tires more easily.
I can move around my house well in the dark. But I would definitely struggle anywhere unfamiliar. struggle
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
I have an app I use when that happens to me called tell me. You type out responses and the TTS voice reads it out. You can have a bunch of set phrases typed out ahead of time as well.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Thanks for mentioning the resource!
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
One you lose your voice, you understand how hard it is if others don't know your sign language
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Fortunately, I've been able to find creative solutions most of the time.
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
Yup. I learn work arounds. I couldn't call my cats and dogs in so I taught them all to come to a dog whistle. Even the cats come inside with the dog whistle.
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
I'm the same with my buddy being confused. I taught myself to spin yarn only to find out after a year I was left handed.
I can knit both left and right handed., tat both left and right handed.
I write just with my right but do must cooking and stuff left handed.
Left eye dominant
I ride a horse left handed.
Drive a stick shift which is automatically right handed but I drive the steering wheel left handed so .. confused right?
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Someone gets it!
Xsiah@reddit
Poor guy lives in a well
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
😂 "house well"
Xsiah@reddit
The thing with language, is that the people around you need to know the same one for it to be of any use
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
Those around me know I can speak with.
So yeah, it wouldn't do me good traveling but at home, they would understand I was trying to communicate and they could look it up
Warburgerska@reddit
They also need to care what you say. I somehow doubt too many will from a vegetable.
hopper2210@reddit
Community or you’d probably die.. look yo history
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im asking about your plans. Not mine. Im a disabled, disaster first responder and wilderness backpacker. Ive got mad skills.
Rich-Interaction6920@reddit
“Disabled” means you can’t use all of your skills
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im currently disabled and using all of said mad skills...
forgivemeimdisabled@reddit
Bud. Skills and disabilities aren't necessariily linked. You can learn a new skill post disability. It's still a skill. I get your point is a fairly pedantic one, but reality isn't (necessarily) reflective of the absolute implied with said pendantry.
E9F1D2@reddit
I mean, mental disability is still disability. LOL
personman_76@reddit
Are you dead ass saying disabled people don't have skills?
The_Latverian@reddit
That doesn't sound particularly "disabled" for the purposes of this discussion.
I mean...this is Reddit. Do you just mean ADHD, or a position somewhere on the autism spectrum?
hopper2210@reddit
My plan to deal with what you’ve said is community!
GarethBaus@reddit
You either need to rely on the people around you or die. Even without a disability and with a certain amount of preparation this is generally true very very very few people successfully survive alone for a significant period of time.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
If you plan is to rely on community, as a prepper, how are you prepping for this?
In a water treatment prompt where someone asks "What your plan to treat water" I feel like the assumption is that people will detail how they plan to treat the water. If instead, just reply with "My plan is to treat the water" that doesnt really add substance.
Im really hoping people, preppers, will hop in to talk about how they are doing actual preps around their plans. Are you helping your community skill up in disability support? If so, what ways?
Thanks!
GarethBaus@reddit
Providing the people around me with resources and not making enemies is kind of a given.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Sounds like a solid foundation!
Sharp_Ad_9431@reddit
I have health issues and due to those there's a higher than average chance I can go into a coma or similar state. I have no ability to get around that fact. So to say death isn't an option is ridiculous. I'm not going to allow my inability to stop my family from being safe.
Obviously there is a scale. How far, how long until modern medical services are available?
If it's just a local disaster, that's different than end of civilization level. There's a difference of dragging my dead weight for a day vs a week. I'm not delusional about my statistics. I have a 1 in a 1000 of dieing every time I go to sleep. I have had that as a fact of my life for over 30 years. Ignoring death doesn't make it go away.
Unlike many people, my family has had doctors tell them that the odds aren't in my favor and to plan for the worse. Beating the odds, doesn't change the odds.
You have to explain those odds to your prepping family so they know when it's okay to leave you.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Anyone can make a post on reddit to talk about somethong other than a plan to survive. One post askung people their disability survival plan doesnt prevent that. Im disabled, take critical medications, have blood sugar levels so low Ive missed going into a coma by a hair. I live with a traumatic brain injury. Coming up with a survival plan doesnt mean a person cant also plan for in that's impossible. This post has a prompt for life. The level of aggression Ive received for daring to inquire on the survival side has been wild.
Sharp_Ad_9431@reddit
My issue is without medication my chances of survival are 0 for long-term shtf no outside resources. I can't make the medication and I can't hoard a bunch of it because it's regulated. It costs about $50 per pill without insurance. One months worth is over a grand.
I wish there's a way around it for me, but there isn't. It's just another thing that I had to accept because of my health.
If you ever read the book One Second After, it is like the type 1 diabetics in the story. Without modern medical infrastructure, there is no survival. You can hold out hope that it will come back, but if it doesn't there's nothing to be done.
Other disabilities can manage without modern medical services long-term, just like they did in the 1800s.
Short term prepping for me is about the same plan I have for losing Healthcare insurance or a house fire. I have cash savings and I have a wush and a go bag. But nothing can cut my dependency on modern medicine.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im so glad to see that you are still prepping for those scenarios in which you could survive. fist bump
Im also dependant on critical medications. There are plenty of scenarios in which I could die. But, some in which I could survive. I prep for the latter.
Where Im at, we're overdue for a 9.0 mega quake. We can expect a temporary grid down, SHTF situation (30 days). I linked some of my own preps towards my plan to survive it in my main post up top.
Depending on the medication, and government recommendations for emergency preparedness, some people can request an emergency refill and advocacy from their prescribing doctor. It can take them going to bat after an initial denial from insurance. But some people's doctors have sucessfully pushed it through.
I didnt know that. So I very slowly (over a span of 9 years) accumulated an emergency supply of some of mine. My doctor was recently able to help me secure a 2 week emergency supply of a newer medication though. Juust a heads up, in case you'd like to give that a try.
May our preps allow us both to survive, come what may.
Brudegan@reddit
No but its realistic. When SHTF becomes the new normal it will be like back in the day where the average live span was less than 40 years, 8 out of 10 children didnt reach adulthood and everyone unable to be a productive member of society was cast aside unless someone like family too care of them.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Not a survival plan, refers to it being off prompt. You want to talk about how you wouldnt be able to stand to survive if you were disabled? Ok, make a prompt for people to talk about that.
"Lets talk about guns" 200 people decide to talk about water treatment instead...
batmom90@reddit
Why does everyone assume disabled means near death or fucking completely unable to care for themselves? Its like people forget you can be many ways of disabled and still deserve to survive, which by the way is the point of the sub, is it not? As someone with pots that means my prep looks like ice packs, salt, water, and sit down breaks so I dont pass out. Why should I kill myself if I can survive? Why should I expect others to know how to help me when they'd rather I die? Are all of you Mfers into eugenics? I'd help someone survive before just leaving them to die. I'm glad my family has contingencies for all the members in my family. This is your friendly reminder that disability comes in all kinds of ways and often unexpected. Let me repeat that, it can happen to anyone in any number of ways, you can plan to survive.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I think a lot of people dont know how to equate disability with anything other than death. It's super gross.
I wish the mods woukd step in whenever disabled-phobic people pull this pile-on bullshit. It is absolutely harassment. They went off prompt just to express how much they think disabled people should die.
KennyGaming@reddit
Major head or limb trauma will be tough to manage if you can’t get to a hospital with capacity to treat these types of injuries. What specifically are you dealing with before SHTF?
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Prepping is about proactive solutions. So, how would you prep for major head or limb trauma if you can't get to a hospital? This is what Im hoping people will share their preps around.
As several people have asked me to share my own preps, Ive linked them on the main post up top.
KennyGaming@reddit
I wouldn’t prep for that beyond having first aid supplies
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Participation here was entirely optional. If a prompt doesnt apply, you can always just ignore it
TheKleenexBandit@reddit
Somewhat adjacent, my wife is now disabled (childhood issue caught up to her) so I’m fully prepared to play Alamo at home. Thankfully still in my 30s so I have strength and energy to deal w anything.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Are you neighbors with the cartel? 👀
ConsiderationAny5304@reddit
I think OP is trying to convince himself that he’ll be okay through external validation.
Warburgerska@reddit
Yeah, in reality it's simply game over. More people need to accept death as part of living instead of making a fool out of themselves.
If you die, you die.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im 11 years past my expiration date. Ive nesrly died so many times I just get calm now and accept it. Somehow, I keep pulling through.
You, on the other hand, are either so terrified of the thought of struggling to survive, or you enjoy harassing disabled people, that you couldnt just pass this prompt by, despite having nothing of original substance to contribute.
FlapperGasfire@reddit
Apparently not
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Survival plans are great like that. :)
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I linked to my own preparation up top.
The reason I made this post, is because some people do plan and prep around this possibility. But not enough. In another prepper group Im in, there's even a post tag for disability prepping. But here, people are so unnerved by the idea that they might become disabled, that rather than pass the post by, thet react in a hostile way to seeing a post about disability and the audacity that a disabled person might want to survive.
FlapperGasfire@reddit
No shit. You don't have to want to survive everything.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
That's the prompt. If you werent interested in the prompt, or wanted to talk about a plan to die/not survive, you could have written a post of your own. But, that takes more effort or something.
my11c3nts@reddit
For me personally , I live four miles out of the side of a small town, maybe 3,500, based on the last cencise. Now, me personally as long as I have an arm. I have enough junk lying around in my shop that I could probably build/improvise my way out of most issues.
I have a basic understanding of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and a first aid certification. Now, if I can keep my blood in my body and make it in to town, I could probably get help at the hospital that is three and a half miles from me....
I'm not gonna give up without a fight.
And if anyone else needs help, I will do what I can to help...
You may be able to survive alone...
But after surviving, what's next, what would you call living...
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
This is the kind of can-do, determined fighting spirit that will actually give someone a good chance at survival.
my11c3nts@reddit
pugnabo ut supervivam,
To any that read this, never give up
InsaneNorseman@reddit
I'm not sure exactly what sort of responses you're looking for, but in addition to a decent trauma kit, I've bought crutches, a folding wheelchair, a folding commode, a stretcher, a few canes, etc, to toss in the supply cabinet. Even though crutches are adjustable, they only adjust for a certain height range, so I picked up sizes that are suitable for everyone in the family. I bought all this stuff super cheap from garage sales, clearance sections of local stores, or local classified ads.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Thank you for answering to the prompt and not just say you plan to roll over and die without giving survival a try.
TalkAcrobatic2628@reddit
If shit hits the fan as a disabled, unable to prep, I am in for some shit. Best believe I'm going out having some fun. There will still be alcohol and some drugs floating around, as well as some hookers!
mediocre_remnants@reddit
If you're incapacitated to the point where you can't feed yourself, you need someone to take care of you. You'll be someone's burden. That's it. You can't survive everything. At some point you need to accept that you reached the end of your path in life. Just like folks do now.
What's your survival plan when you're in the hospital with terminal cancer, all treatments have failed, and all they can do is give you opiates to ease the pain? There is no survival, just acceptance.
For me personally, if I'm in a situation where no help will come if I'm hurt, I'm going to be super careful. In the aftermath of Helene, I was driving around looking for cell phone coverage and people were driving like complete maniacs. The stoplights were all out, so I was treating them as a 4-way stop like you should. Some folks would just fly right through them. I saw so many near-accidents. What were these idiots thinking? If they wrecked, no ambulance would come for them. They couldn't call family. If they were lucky enough to be uninjured, they'd have to walk back home and they wouldn't have a car anymore. After that experience, I stayed off the roads for a while.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I appreciate that you include a plan to be cautious. The experience you went through sounds scary. But that you navigated it sensibly and took some life lessons with you.
David_C5@reddit
I hate that you got downvoted for this. Reddit is toxic.
KerouacsGirlfriend@reddit
It’s usually all the commenter’s other comments taken as a whole, so when a bunch of downvotes don’t seem to make sense I’ll read their other comments in the same thread. Usually there’s a reason. (Not always; the downvote fairies are also arbitrary af at times, but it’s true often enough)
Far-Respond-9283@reddit
Fr he/she said nothing wrong 😭
NJS_Tramp_Stamp@reddit
Mushrooms. Lots and lots of psilocybin mushrooms. Probably dmt too, fuck it. Never tried acid. YOLO. See you on the other side brother.
Joemirag78@reddit
I think about team dynamics. Just prepping to be part of a group where we cover each other's weaknesses. If I lose hearing, someone else can be my ears, if someone loses sight, I can be their eyes. That's it.
Eazy12345678@reddit
all survival normally depends on community and friends and family. build that now.
SonsOfValhallaGaming@reddit
My personal plan as someone who was healthy when I entered this community, who is now disabled (bad limp in right leg and can't run hardly at all) is the most hated survival plan of all. Don't run. Walk. I might not be able to run, but I can walk pretty far. And I've always loved when someone says ''what if someone is chasing you''. Fight and live, fight and die. I'll take my chances. But as part of our family plan, unless absolutely necessary, we would rather hunker down than bug out, and I feel rather confident in our plan for that. Even if someone, or many someones, tries to attack, it's a very difficult bit of land to get through, and would be even harder to take us all out. With our self-sufficiency, careful acquisition of typically monitored equipment we got under the table, our general knowledge, and defendable location, we would be okay.
But if we had to bug out, even all the dudes running 4 minute miles have to admit a majority of the time, you're walking. And if I have to run, I can do so for short distances or short bursts, and I can only imagine what I can do if I am motivated by death or protecting my family. I won't go into details of either plan, because I don't go that for many reasons, but I feel that true preppers know the ultimate truth of survival. It's not about living a long and prosperous life. It's about surviving as long as possible and being able to say you did the best you could.
Now if someone gets injured in a manner you listed? Situationally specific but we do have plans for this kind of stuff as well. It's a bit...medieval,,, but it's a plan.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
My purpose in life NOW is to see that my family is taken care of. If I not only can't do that, but am possibly risking their survival, I'm accepting that my time is up.
The plan is to build a community that can SUPPORT MY LOVED ONES and do my best to see that they can do as much for themselves (and that community) as possible.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I really should have posted the question to ask about how people are actively prepping to support a loved on in case the loved one becomes disabled. A lot of preppers have replied with some form of suicidal ideation at the thought of themselves becoming disabled. But responses have been mostly empty of people offering specific preps around disability itself. And I hope peoole's disabled loved ones (now or post SHTF) arent getting the same feeling that others see them as a burden that should go die.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
Yeah...there's a big difference between taking care of a loved one who becomes disabled and surviving the disability yourself.
I'd say for most preppers (particularly the ones who are to be taken seriously), we're the providers and caregivers for our families and possibly others. That's why we prep. It's nearly impossible for us to reverse those roles in our minds (not to say that it won't be thrust upon us in reality.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
If someone is the sole survival cornerstone, that feels like an even bigger reson to overcome an aversion to making a disability survival plan for the family, and ramping up preps around that possibility.
Taking onself out should be a last option, under a long list of other prepared options. Chances are good that a lot of these people are likely to opt out when it's not even necessary, because they arent emotionally prepared to face certain challenges. The trauma of losing that person, and the loss of their knowledge base, that will be a burden on the family.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
And this is the reason that the suicide rate amongst men are so high even now. The stress of not being able to provide and care for their families.
Again, the decision would come down to whether I'd be able to contribute to my family's continued survival under the circumstances.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Sounds like one prep would be increasing mental fortitude and going therapy. These stressed out guys definitely cant provide for their families if they are dead. Instead, theyve abandoned their families, forcing them to deal with resource deprivation without them.
I have appreciated your replies, by the way. Thank you for engaging
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
Well, there's other realities. I knew the family of an older (retired) gentleman that left his home quite fine, went to see his doctor...then didn't come home. He was found a few days later...dead in his car by suicide.
It's pretty clear that he got bad news...of the type that he ultimately wasn't going to survive. The simple fact is that had he tried to "fight the good fight" to completion, he would have left his wife with nothing. Through his final action, he ensured that the home (and everything else) that he had built remained with his family.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
That sounds so rough. 😞
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
That's an unfortunate reality for many, though.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
It is. But it's not the only reality.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
The fact is, we're all gonna die. If Option One was going to leave my family with nothing and Option Two was going to preserve some form of livelihood for them, I'm taking Option Two.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
But, again, the question was about a disability that occurs during/as a result of a SHTF situation. "SHTF" tends to, at least here/now, refer to a LENGTHY emergency... potentially with no end in sight. Wouldn't that possibly lead to a situation to where the only logical answer would be to knowingly give your life to enhance the survival of those important to you?
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
It could lead to a lot of situations. a lot of people here seem to be stuck on imagining that one. You're welcome to prep for that. I just dont understand why people who arent interested in my actual post chose to comment instead of making a post for this other scenario you and they seem keen to talk about.
Longjumping-Army-172@reddit
That's not the message I'm giving. As you said earlier, my answer to how I would deal with the disability of a loved one would be something entirely different. Even dealing with my own disability would be entirely different if there was an end of the overall situation in sight (I'm a Tuesday prepper for the most part).
Likewise, if necessary, I would HEALTHILY walk to my death if I had to to spare my family.
Accomplished-Wish494@reddit
Like it or not, sometimes there ISN’T a viable survival plan.
You’ve already said that “rely on community” isn’t a plan (and I agree, but probably not for the same reasons).
So the reality for most people is that serious injury or disability means death. The only choice is slow or fast.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im a community prepper. I have no problem with people planning to rely on community. Saying one has a plan isnt the same as prepping. How are you prepping for your plan? That's what Im interested.
Btw Ive linked my own preps for this in the post up top, since several people have asked me what they are.
definetlynotthepolic@reddit
One thing to think about is that in the course of everyone’s life we all end up disabled if you live long enough…. I’ve recently had to learn this due to a severe back injury, but previously as a skilled, able bodied, young person, in the context of prepping, I never remotely considered prepping including the risk of personal disability. Now I’m having to look at everything through how I’m going to adapt and change with limited movement and strength. Highly encourage everyone to think about that.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Im in another prepper group and they are having a discussion about disability prep. These two subs are like night and day. People are actually getting their shit together over there. It's awesome!
Keep on prepping. Good luck to you!
susanrez@reddit
Dude I’m not sure what you’re looking for here. Will I hoard wheel chairs, fake limbs, canes, walkers? No because there will be plenty to loot.
I do have a set of crutches but that’s just incidental from an old injury.
If I can’t talk, I’ll use paper and pencil to communicate. A chalk board and chalk when the paper is gone.
Blindness. I would need community to survive.
Hearing. I’d be fine. Pen and pencil to communicate.
I’m not sure what you’re getting at? There’s zero chance I can prep for every possible disability. If I become disabled I’ll have to improvise or die.
I’d love to hear what your plan is.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I like that you've even approached the prompt in a way that offers some troubleshooting ideas. Thank you for that.
Since Ive had a number of people ask what are some ways that Ive prepped and what my survival plan is, I posted a link in the main post up top.
g-rocklobster@reddit
The reality is that there are some scenarios where there simply is no surivial plan. You say:
How would your "mad skills" help you with the following scenario:
In this scenario, you not only can't have a survival plan, you can't even have an exit plan.
leaderofstars@reddit
Remember no man is a island. The best tool in yer gear is a buddy to help
g-rocklobster@reddit
I absolutely agree. That wasn't the premise OP was going for, though.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im a community prepper. My plan is absolutely centerered on surviving as part of a community. Im curious how people are preparing around that.
Just saying "Ill survive with help from my community", where is the preparation for that plan?
leaderofstars@reddit
Building trust and bonds
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
This kind of prep is where it's at.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Prepping isnt a guarantee of survival against every possible scenario. It is an increased chance of survival under some conditions. I live in a big city. I could get a direct hit from a nuclear weapon, right on my head. Should I stop prepping entirely because that could happen?
g-rocklobster@reddit
The problem with this thread is that you've moved the goal posts at various points. Early on, before edited and clarified, it seemed aimed at what someone would do WITHOUT a community if they became disabled during a long-term SHTF scenario. Now it seems like it's how you would work with a community in that event. Those are completely different scenarios. Maybe you always meant how to work with a community but I think it's clear that was not how it was interpreted early on.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Saying "Ill survive will community" isnt the same as a plan that includes preparing forvthat.
Deadpool0600@reddit
I mean, if in that scenario you die when you hit the ground, your brain just hasn't caught on yet.
But let's take it back a notch and say you only lose function to your legs or mid section. You still have two arms. Two arms and no legs is better than nothing. You ever seen some of those injured mine workers from way back scooting around on carts.
Mainly though I think a lot of people here are taking surviving to mean living a happy and easy life with their pre-prepped day to day plan. Not dragging yourself through the mud in agonising pain, day in, day out because your to stubborn to give up.
People will say "Lol, then die" but then still kick, scream, rage and claw at life as it fades from them.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
The idea was that was a list of examples. It wasnt 1 example of all of those things happening to someone. I didnt realize people would read it that way.
I also have that feeling, that many preppers are not mentally preparing for any sort of long term disruption. And I think that's part of why there was such a strong, negative reaction to the post. And instead of ignoring it, peoole who arent prepped and dont plan to be prepped, decided to comment off prompt.
As a disabled person, I already know a lot of people want me to die no SHTF necessary. I didnt need them to remind me of their sentiments. They just cant seem to help themselves though.
They may suddenly cling to life. But from the sound of it, theyll be demoralized quickly and give up, rather than figure out how to adapt like so many of us have been doing for our whole lives.
Deadpool0600@reddit
Not sure why this was downvoted to shit, I go through these scenarios every morning in the shower. Anyone saying "Just die" is the sort of person to think they'll be Rick Grimes, then die because they didn't think about how dumb other people will be.
I think the best way to look at it though, isn't to think "How will I do this in my home and current environment" but to break it down to "If I had my naked buttcheeks in the forest and no help for miles. What do I do?" and go step by step from there.
But that being said, there is a major difference between going blind in the woods, and going blind in a city full of crazy modern people who just lost access to the internet and think the world is ending. In a city you'll be a victim in a night. In a forest you'll get by a few days and learn to survive or die trying.
preppers-ModTeam@reddit
Your original comment was useful and appropriate, but the profanity-laden insults you added in a later edit are a clear violation of our civility rule.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Thank you.
I regularly see displayed in this subreddit, the sentiment that disabled people should just go die.
I worry for their young children and partners, who could become disabled instead. Is their only plan to have that person die? Perhaps I should have posed that question. How they are prepping (if at all), in case that other person becomes disabled.
Yojimbo115@reddit
Type 1 Diabetes will kill me LONG before I'm disabled enough to burden to others.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I also have critical medications. It's why Ive prepped in advance, to increase my chances of having contact with supply lines if SHTF. Granted,if the whole world goes belly up, Im fucked. But there are plenty of scenarios that fit between Tuesday and Doomsday. But prepping is about being proactive in order to increase survival chances. Not giving up if there's no guarantee. It's part of why I made this post, to get people thinking of ways.
Twice, Ive been in two situations with a diabetic friend where my preps paid off. The first time I had to use my Spanish in the middle of nowhere with no cell Signal. The second time I contacted a mutual aid network back home. They reached out to their contacts and though we were hundreds of miles from home, someone local gave my friend a bottle of the kind of insulin my friend needs.
Ive also had my own medical emergencies and came through because of my preps. So, I want to encourage other folks not to just automatically assume it's over. I have been so surrounded by that assumption that I didnt prep to survive more than Tuesday. Instead, I used to prep to be a suply crate for someone else. That's what happens when people think we dont deserve to live and won't survive. I dont have a plan for others. But I do for me these days.
Yojimbo115@reddit
Once the power grid goes, I'm cooked.
Rising_Gravity1@reddit
Permanent disability is much harder to anticipate than to deal with it once it happens. Someone born with a disability or became disabled before SHTF could learn to adapt to it and find appropriate accommodations, which might not be possible to do after SHTF.
Aside from relying on others for help (which is the most realistic answer even if it’s uncool or not what OP was hoping to hear), we can also a) be extra cautious to avoid getting injured/sick in the first place and b) immediately seek out devices/solutions to treat/manage the disability as best as we can.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Preparing in advance a disability survival plan, is not so different than preparing in advance for a myrad of other kinds of situations. Granted, some preppers only prep for a specifuc relevant, natural disaster. But many preppers gear up for something more opaque. Certainly, once a specific disability arrives after SHTF etc, one can reactively dial in quite a bit. But, there are still proactive measures one can take as a prepper that can increase survival chances, should they or their child or spouse etc become disabled.
Since others asked, I linked my own preps up top in the main post.
Rising_Gravity1@reddit
Completely agree. Note that even the more general preps like food supply and electricity generation still apply even for people with disabilities. Pivoting to a specific disability treatment after SHTF involves higher specificity but less time to adapt
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
That.
ween_god@reddit
Depends on the severity I guess. In all seriousness if I’m hindering others and it’s that bad, there’s a reason I keep one round by itself in my main pouch.. if my legs are fucked and it would greatly ruin the lives of those around me to take care of me.. bang.. too many variable to answer this question
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
This is why I prep. It's also why I made this post. Prepping is proactive. A lot of people here can only imagine dying. It sounds like most have done zero prep for how to actually survive being or becoming disabled. Granted some are or will become perhaps, completely nonfunctional. I dont know what their preps are. I am currently disabled but still able to do a number of things, while also having periods of time when Im bedbound for weeks. Knowing this, I prepare myself and my community. (I linked my preps in the post up top since several people inquired.)
A lot of people arent doing any survival plan preps around disability. They have death plans and stop there. I have my own death plan, sure. But it's so often the only plan people have. It's why I wanted to encourage people to practively plan for survival, too.
Big-Preference-2331@reddit
I had a coyote get into my chicken coop a couple of times this summer. If my chickens were vital for survival, having a disabled person stay up by them to at least shout at the coyote or predator would be huge. I have also seen farmers hire guys who sit out in a field and light off bottle rockets to keep birds away. I think as long as you can serve a purpose, you can survive in a community.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
The foxes and racoons were always trying to give us grief with our chickens. Those raccoons especially were damn smart.
infinitum3d@reddit
I get infusions every 6 weeks to stop my digestive system from dissolving my innards.
If SHTF and hospitals shut down, I die.
I accept that. I prep for my family to survive without me.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Im also on some critical medications. Part of my plan increases my chances of accessing more.
Hospitals can shut down as a business. And they may lose power. Part of why Im a community preper is to help increase the survival of the people who have the medical, pharmaceautical etc skills, the ability to generate power, do maintanence, keep cross-boarder supply lines going etc and bring them together to help save lives (Hopefully including mine.)
Wheres_my_wank_sock@reddit
As long as I'm home I'd be alright for a couple months. If things are still fucked at that point I'll be checking out.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Whenever Im teaching disaster preparedness, I tell people that even 1 day of supplies buys them an extra day to find more resources, whether that's food, water, or a local mutual aid network. :)
sirbassist83@reddit
im curious to know what your plan is. as an able bodied person, if SHTF in a calamitous way, i imagine a head wound serious enough to impact speech, or the loss of my ability to walk, or becoming blind would be a death sentence outside of being taken care of by friends or family. i KNOW thats not a survival plan, but i dont know what id be able to do about it either.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Ive edited the main post and linked to the ways I have been preparing myself and my community. :)
Ryan_e3p@reddit
Reliance on others. Gets to a point though where honestly, might be better off. Go watch the movie "Johnny Got His Gun".
(It was the inspiration for Metallica's 'One')
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
Killing oneself isnt a survival plan. And relying on others, true, one could survive. That's very one dimentional. When people assume they wont be disabled, Their plans include agency. Not just pasdively relying on others Which, if that your entire plan, ok. But, how are you currently prepping around that possibility?
Robinly_42@reddit
Why don’t you share what you would consider to be an appropriate plan, since everyone’s responses are incorrect according to you? Even an example?
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I asked for people to have a plan other than dying. I was hoping for high quality replies.
My preps are heavily community-based. They included becoming a disaster first respinder. I have a primary specialization in medical skills, and a secondary in ham radio and communications. Im a Stop the Bleed instructor and training to become a community medic course instructor. I'm a FEMA trainer for the volunteer wing of my city's bureau of emergency management.
I am also part of the local mutual aid networks. I just started volunteering in wound care for unhoused folks. Wound care includes short term first aid, but also includes long term wound care. It is useful in case regular hospitals are not available.
I used to tutor first year, Japanese language students (university level) and was conversational in Spanish and American Sign Language some years back. The Japanese is very rusty. I still use Spanish and ASL now and then. So more skill in those two languages are likely to come back to me at a decent speed. I'm fluent in English as my first language. I keep an offline, electric translator on my phone. I keep a laminated first aid communication board in my kit.
I enjoy wilderness backpacking and camping. Being far from roads and other people, having to problem-solve situations that arise with limited resources way out there has helped build my creative problem solving.
I used to be in the SCA. Im not good at sewing, but I can messily hand sew and have minor skills in leather working.
I spent time in my childhood cultivating most of the food we ate with my family. Im not great at gardening. But I can still butcher animals, scrape, and tan hides if need be.
I have minimal but useful local plant knowledge and have been expanding it.
Ive always been great at making games.
So, when I say my plan involves community, I have been prepping for it. I am not only getting to know mt community and building my own skilks, I have been building my community's skills.
Ryan_e3p@reddit
You're right, you can't commit to the long sleep with no eyes/ears/mouth/limbs. Going to need community for that to make it as painless as possible.
Spiley_spile@reddit (OP)
I didnt realize people would take the whole list as "all of these happening to me is the scenario." Thanks for shedding light on that. I'll update the post.
DeFiClark@reddit
We die alone. We live together.