What If ???

[robs477]

As said, I’ve been wanting opinions for several months on a question I have, but didn’t want to post it because I didn’t want to appear negative or morbid.

I try to be optimistic and I usually am most of the time, but, I am also a realist and I think a lot of people on this site are, as well and are very forthright also and not in to sugar coating facts, even to the point of putting the “Buckle up for the Candor” in your mission statement. There also are several of us on this site from Ex-Military backgrounds. As a Father, Husband and Ex-Military person I think about my following question a lot.

In my current pre-DS condition, I can survive easily by eating very little. I can live on 800-1000 calories and less than 60 grams of protein a day. My pre-op labs all came back mostly normal. I have always thought that IF we fell on hard times, I could be better suited to provide for my family still because I need very little to survive. So, my question is this…WHAT IF….we as a society suffered a total economic collapse or world changing/impacting event either natural, economic or because of world war resulting in our total economic collapse? I have always thought that in my current state of not needing much sustenance, I would be better prepared than many others to provide and give to my Family before myself. WITH the DS, I would not, nor could I/we get the needed protein, vitamins etc that we need to survive normally?

Has anyone else ever given this scenario any thought? Am I being morbid or negative or just trying to formulate a backup plan, which there really is not one that I can envision if that happens. I guess my only reasonable logical answer to my own question is the same as the other thread about getting old and having no one knowing how to take care of your DS dietary needs….without option #1, DS and WLS....there would be no reason to worry about option # 2.

 

[DianaCox]

Of course this has been discussed. Some people - feeling the gratitude for their improved health and mobility - have wanted to go on missions to impoverished countries in extreme situations (e.g., after an earthquake, during an epidemic) to help the poor - they have been told to fuggedaboudit - they would be more trouble than they are worth in situations where THEY are supposed to be helping, but they need more than their "fair" share of resources and consideration.

Of course you need to consider that your needs are now higher than your family's. If you keep a bugout bag, or have stores of food and other necessities stashed for emergencies (tornado shelter?), it needs to be beefed up (pun intended) for you. Extra protein bars should do it, along with some vitamins.

But yeah, in the long run, you're going to be in trouble. However, what are the odds of such a catastrophic occurrence, and how much time and effort do you think it is worth spending on worrying about it?

 

[Spiky Bugger]

WHAT IF….we as a society suffered a total economic collapse or world changing/impacting event either natural, economic or because of world war resulting in our total economic collapse?


I'm former military, as are/were my husband, father, MIL, FIL, and almost all the boys in my HS graduating class of 1963.

This will piss you off , but...this is really what I think: I don't watch Faux news, so I don't stay up late nights responding almost on cue to their invented reasons for hysteria. "They," whoever they are, haven't gotten me yet, so what are chances at this point?


I don't live very far from that Bundy moron and his freeloading cattle. If his volunteer army members had spent more time learning the quadratic formula and less time listening to hysteria...we taxpayers would not be picking up the tab for this "patriotic" yahoo and his welfare cattle.


But...because I come from earthquake territory, have you thought of maybe a Costco Emergency Pantry?
http://www.costco.com/all-emergency-food.html#

 

[Elizabeth N.]

How capable are you of using your survival skills to care for your family now, in your pre-DS condition, under emergency circumstances? I bet being MO limits your abilities to a considerable degree.

 

[robs477]

No Spiky, it doesn’t piss me off, quite the opposite, I don’t watch Fox news any more than I watch MSNBC or ANY mass media audio or video news which is none. Without getting political, which I love about this site BTW… I pretty much have an equal disdain for both major political parties and believe that both are essentially the same and controlled by big business interests and not ours. I think ALL politicians are just like underwear and should be changed on a regular basis or they start smelling bad.

BUT, you and I and many others are old enough to have had parents go through a Second World War and the total economic collapse of the great depression when food was scarce which was NOT all that long ago. Due to the inherent greed and stupidity of mankind, History has a very predictable way of repeating itself over and over. To think anything less would be border-line delusional. Not to mention a natural catastrophe. So, no, I don’t dwell on it, is what it is….but, it is something I think about…And, NO, I’m not one of those “doomsday preper” kind of thinkers, just an ex-military guy pre-op DS’r thinking out loud so to speak.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

No Spiky, it doesn’t piss me off, quite the opposite, I don’t watch Fox news any more than I watch MSNBC or ANY mass media audio or video news which is none. Without getting political, which I love about this site BTW… I pretty much have an equal disdain for both major political parties and believe that both are essentially the same and controlled by big business interests and not ours. I think ALL politicians are just like underwear and should be changed on a regular basis or they start smelling bad.

BUT, you and I and many others are old enough to have had parents go through a Second World War and the total economic collapse of the great depression when food was scarce which was NOT all that long ago. Due to the inherent greed and stupidity of mankind, History has a very predictable way of repeating itself over and over. To think anything less would be border-line delusional. Not to mention a natural catastrophe. So, no, I don’t dwell on it, is what it is….but, it is something I think about…And, NO, I’m not one of those “doomsday preper” kind of thinkers, just an ex-military guy pre-op DS’r thinking out loud so to speak.

Well then...stock up on emergency supplies, just for the hell of it! Once we can find the WALLS in our three-car garage that still holds only one car...we may put in storage to free up more storage space in the house for such things.

 

[robs477]

How capable are you of using your survival skills to care for your family now, in your pre-DS condition, under emergency circumstances? I bet being MO limits your abilities to a considerable degree.

Pretty OK believe it or not, mainly because I don’t need much to survive on. And, I walk about 2-3 miles a day and am reasonably active, pretty OK for being MO…That being said, If I don’t lose 100 lbs, minimum, I probably won’t be around to even help. So, as I said, it would be a moot point anyway.

 

[robs477]

Well then...stock up on emergency supplies, just for the hell of it! Once we can find the WALLS in our three-car garage that still holds only one car...we may put in storage to free up more storage space in the house for such things.

LOL...we have the same garage!!

 

[chevtow]

If the world goes to hell in a hand basket, people will be stealing and looting the narcotics first. So once everything collapses be sure to hit every drugstore and stock up on vitamins, many people will want to be high not healthy. Most people will not last a year as they have no hunting, fishing, survival experience - you will have an edge in this area due to your training.

I am not a prepper but I do plan ahead. I have a pretty good supply of ammo and weapons ( I hunt and enjoy shooting), have land in and out of town, and always have a bug out bag and a pistol with me. I hope that doesn't make me sound nuts. I'm from Wisconsin and my family all hunt and fish, so once I'm not MO I feel I've practically been trained for living "off the grid". There will always be wildlife to hunt and fish and protein is what we need

The other thing to think of is modern society collapses, everyone's life expectancy will drop. Nobody will live forever. I seriously prefer the easy life so here's hoping to continued modern living

 

[Elizabeth N.]

@chevtow , you're the guy I want to have as a neighbor in tough times. (Which is why we are relocating to a place that has lots of them!)

 

[robs477]

If the world goes to hell in a hand basket, people will be stealing and looting the narcotics first. So once everything collapses be sure to hit every drugstore and stock up on vitamins, many people will want to be high not healthy. Most people will not last a year as they have no hunting, fishing, survival experience - you will have an edge in this area due to your training.

I am not a prepper but I do plan ahead. I have a pretty good supply of ammo and weapons ( I hunt and enjoy shooting), have land in and out of town, and always have a bug out bag and a pistol with me. I hope that doesn't make me sound nuts. I'm from Wisconsin and my family all hunt and fish, so once I'm not MO I feel I've practically been trained for living "off the grid". There will always be wildlife to hunt and fish and protein is what we need

The other thing to think of is modern society collapses, everyone's life expectancy will drop. Nobody will live forever. I seriously prefer the easy life so here's hoping to continued modern living

@chevtow...great reply post, agree w/u 1000%.

 

[southernlady]

While I try not to think of it much, I do consider the what if? Having lived in hurricane and tornado areas, you tend to think of some stockpiling. Keeping a P38 handy as well as a pocket knife. I know I can start a fire without matches IF need be, find north, and know how to fish. I really don't think I could hunt but if it was my life on the line, I could get over it.

BUT I was also trained as the NBC officer (nuclear, biological, chemical) and IF I had my druthers, I'll park my ass next to a nuclear facility so if it goes, I can just kiss my ass goodbye cause I really don't like the idea of nuclear winter, contamination, etc.

I saw both my Mother and daddy hoard stuff (they were children of the Depression). I TRY not to hoard as it's not the healthiest way to live but being prepared for natural catastrophes that CAN last a week or so makes sense.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

While I try not to think of it much, I do consider the what if? Having lived in hurricane and tornado areas, you tend to think of some stockpiling. Keeping a P38 handy as well as a pocket knife. I know I can start a fire without matches IF need be, find north, and know how to fish. I really don't think I could hunt but if it was my life on the line, I could get over it.

BUT I was also trained as the NBC officer (nuclear, biological, chemical) and IF I had my druthers, I'll park my ass next to a nuclear facility so if it goes, I can just kiss my ass goodbye cause I really don't like the idea of nuclear winter, contamination, etc.

I saw both my Mother and daddy hoard stuff (they were children of the Depression). I TRY not to hoard as it's not the healthiest way to live but being prepared for natural catastrophes that CAN last a week or so makes sense.

My husband's CO used to threaten to deliver our baby...with his P38. And I would threaten to reciprocate by performing a vasectomy on him...with MY P38. But we're still friends.

 

[southernlady]

My husband's CO used to threaten to deliver our baby...with his P38. And I would threaten to reciprocate by performing a vasectomy on him...with MY P38. But we're still friends.

All I can say is OUCH!!!

But those little devices are VERY handy.

 

[Munchkin]

I agree they would all be looking for narcotics and we would be scrambling for vitamins! Me, I would just do the best I could with what I have. The same as always. Once you are further out from surgery you figure out that it's all about what you do over time that counts. I don't worry much about being low on protein today because I will make up for it tomorrow. If I run out of citrate, I'll take carbonate and apatite for a couple days. If all I have is a gelcap, I'll just take extra. It's all good and I will be fine. I pretty much consider myself just an average person. I don't feel limited because I have a DS.

Now I could probably outrun a lot of the bad guys.

I still think I would do well in the survival game.