Facing a Mental Block-need advice!

I know that you have an extremely well organized site with every piece of info that I could want on here. Then why am I paralyzed in my prep???? Probably because I am being too perfectionistic!!! I don't even want to order things online because they may take too long to get! I have ordered occasionally from preparedness or medical site for years, and some take too long. My husband is of no help because he is not concerned about it and just says for me to buy whatever I want-just to get me off his back. I have 6 children 15 years old to two years old. Every moment that I spend researching or shopping for bf I feel that I have to justify because I have so many other responsibilities. Can someone please give me a kick in the butt? Thanks

The modification from slow Human to Human transmission to fast Human to Human transmission will take a while.  I believe that we have months for that to unfold.  Place your orders.  Your supplies will come in before the H2H killer comes calling.

The fact that it is slowly mutating to go human to human is a given. As most know on this board and others, I believe that odds favor the flu mutating into a milder strain before it goes human to human.  At least that is what I am wishing for.

You should have plenty of time if you place your orders in the next few days.

I go to the grocery store with my normal list...and then I allow myself an amount of money for prep items..now I watch for the sales..and keep in mind I have been prepping for awhile()....so i take x amount of dolars and I will buy one large bag of rice one large bag of flour and then about dozen or so cans of food...and I will look for things on sale and maybe pick up a few items...

but please..please freeze your flour for at least a week before you store it....gets all the little bugs out...I then ziplock mine..thing I have..I live in the froozen north..way up we do not have heat and humidity...

So first thing to learn is how to properly store the food you have in the condition you live in..heat,smog..lol...

Laura,

I suggest you prioritize your necessities, then set about acquiring them in a spiral fashion.

For instance, say that you decide in your particular case, your needs are: water, food, protection, light, heat, communications, medical supplies, & diversion - you may set these priorities differently, based on what you see as your most crucial needs... the important thing here is knowing what is essential to you and your family, and what priority those essentials have in your strategy.

So, instead of figuring on holing up for 18 months and trying to lay in an 18 month supply of water, then an 18 month supply of food, take an incremental approach:

First, get a week's worth of each of these that you WILL NOT TOUCH on a day to day basis.  For large expenses, you simply set aside a pro-rated amount of the larger expense.  For instance, in the first go-round for protection, a $220 shotgun.  If $220 is too much all at once, then put $100 in a coffee can and add to it next week.  For light, get some cheap emergency candles and a hurricane lamp.  For heat, it'll depend on your setup - wood if you have a fireplace or woodstove.  Maybe a Black Cat propane heater or a kerosene heater and 1 week's fuel.  A battery powered am/fm radio and a week's worth of batteries, etc.  PUT THE BATTERIES IN A LOCKING BOX SO HUSBAND AND KIDS DO NOT USE THEM FOR TOYS!!! Label them "FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY" A dead gameboy or MP3 player or tv remote is not an emergency. You, Mom, hold the only key or combo - this is very important!  A week's worth of N95 masks for everyone in the household.

Second go-round, work on boosting each item up to 1 month levels. More water, more food, another $100 in the firearms fund or if you got the shotgun already, 100 rounds of 00 buckshot, a shortwave receiver or a set of FRS/GMRS walkie talkies, boost the battery supply to 1 month, etc.

Third go-round, work on boosting each category up to 3 month levels. Water, food, enough in the defense fund for an economical handgun, a petromax lantern or LED lantern plus solar recharger and rechargeable batteries, etc.

Fourth go-round, boost everything to 6 month levels. Water, food, more ammo, batteries, lamp fuel ...  And so on.

The advantages of this approach are many fold.  If a crisis hits suddenly, you will likely have SOME of each essential.  If the crisis hits while you are in the middle of a cycle, by prioritizing you at least made sure you had the most of the most important things first.  Building up gradually helps both you and the family adapt to preparedness as a way of life.  By planning these acquisitions over time, you don't unduly tax your budget nor your storage space.  You "boil the frog" by turning up the heat gradually, so it's less likely the family will see your behavior as "extreme" since it's not like you showed up in the drive way with a U-haul truck full of preps and every gun they had in stock down at the sporting goods store all at once. 

(PS - standard disclaimer in any thread where I recommend firearms ownership:  If you decide to get a gun, it is MUCHO IMPORTANTE that you either receive training from someone experienced, or better yet, take a class.  You need to master safe handling and storage, and marksmanship, in that order, preferably prior to making your purchase. This applies to any member of the household that may need to handle a firearm, typically anyone above the age of 12. Skeet shooting and pistol & rifle target shooting are fun skill-building activities for people of all ages, 12 and up.  If they are responsible enough to mow the lawn, they can safely handle a firearm. Don't underestimate kids, but do give them the training to be safe and effective.  Also, be sure to know the firearm laws in your area.  Ignorance can be an expensive vice.)

Boy Scouts Shooting Programs

Edited by bruss01

Muskrat -

You're right, a firearm for defense is an investment, just like the food is.  Which is more important?  Well, you can shoot without food, but only for so long.  You can eat without a means of defending food, but for how long? until someone who is desperate for food decides to take it?  Just because one form of prep is less expensive than another, it's not necessarily more or less important based on cost alone - I'm sure that's not what you were saying, but that's one way of looking at it. 

That's why I recommend the spiral approach - have at least SOME of each essential category. Everyone's personal priorities differ, the important thing is taking time to identify those priorities and act accordingly.

Personally if I were responsible for 6 other lives who depended on me for their safety, I would want something more effective than a 911 call and stern looks to bring to their assistance.  JMHO

 

Edited by bruss01

Once you have a spare moment purchase N95 masks, make sure they
are, "Health Care Particulate and Surgical Masks". NOISH
Approved. You can get the adult&kid sizes. They also sell N95's for
construction. They will protect against dust, but not a virus. It must say
the following...

The packaging should say, "As a respirator, it is inteded to reduce
wearer exposure to certain airborne particles in a size range of 0.1
to>10.0 microns." Buy the "surgical N95 while you still can.
---------------

"Seto and colleagues from five Hong Kong hospitals and
the University of Hong Kong, surveyed over 250 hospital staff
exposed to 11 SARS patients between 15 March and 24 March.

Most of the 13 staff who became infected did wash their hands, and a
handful also wore gloves or a paper mask, but none had used a surgical
or N95 mask. Analysis of the data showed that the use of surgical or N95
masks was the only measure to give statistically significant protection.
Paper masks offered little protection, says Seto. "Such masks, being easily
wet with saliva, are never recommended as a precaution against
droplets."

However, not one of the 69 staff who had used all four
recommended protection measures - wearing a mask, gloves,
gowns and washing their hands - contracted the virus.

Seto believes the risk of contracting SARS in public places is "very low"
and so does not wear a mask himself. "However, I have it ready if I am in
a crowded place," he says. "I see someone consistently coughing, then I
put it on. If I see he is febrile, I strongly advise him to go home and see a
doctor. Then I wash my hands and take a good shower on coming home."



http:// www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3692

Edited by Rick

Don't forget the gift from our Italian friends, Pasta.

Inexpensive, stores well, versatile & easy prep.

I just checked in to see if I had replies and I do! I should be right back to read them. Thanks, everyone!

Welcome to the forum lauraon! Everyone here has been in the same position that you are in now and all is not lost.  I too seemed at first to hesitate taking the plunge, because in my own mind to make the first move to prep was my admission to myself that there was a possibility that this was going to happen.  But once I committed myself to going out and starting to prep, things fell into place and I continue to prep everyday...a little here; a little there. My hubby and I had to ask ourselves what were our priorities and it got a little hairy there for a while, but we are on track. Our biggest gaping hole right now is water filtration so that is what is the next purchase. Again welcome on board and listen to these really good folks!. They have more ideas and such that you will be amazed!

Meewee

Hi lauraon.  Welcome I am a new member also and now spend at least an hour a day tyring to educate myself in order to be as prepared as possible.  It is certainly over whelming to just t try and imagine what may happen so I take it one day at a time.  I have just received my water purifier called a Big Berkie made by British Berkfield and it will do 65,000 gallons of water on a single filter, if its pond or stream water they advise adding a few drops of chlorine bleach with every filling. I will be starting food this weekend.  It is sometimes difficult when speaking to the majority of people about this subject they often think that you are starting to loose it oh well I will continue to try and encourage people to be prepared. Please if anyone can direct me to a site that sells masks I also need  to know what type of mask.  Thanks richard

Thanks for the information! I must say that I'm very surprised to see all the recommendations for (refrigeration excepted) our normal groceries. Rice, flour, pasta... I thought that I'd pretty much have to stick with canned Dinty Moore Stew. Here's my planned baby step for tomorrow--er, today!

1) Go to Sam's Club and plan for a month's worth of food.

2) Purchase a small generator

3) Order more bottles of water from Deer Park

I think that what's overwhelming to me is that preparing for pandemic flu is more than just stocking up on food and living without electricity. It's also about trying to set up your own battlefield hospital! BTW, my two oldest are 15 and 11 --oh yeah, and 46.

Sophia, would I have to add chlorine or something to the water? BTW, cute puppy!