Realisation

[Mortblanc]

I am one of those unfortunates that began the deterioration early. I suffered my first herniated disk at age 38. I still remember the date, it was 8 November. I woke up that morning a whole healthy human and by dark I was an invalid curled up in the fetal position.

For the past 30 years pain and the limitations I face have been priority number 1 in prep planning. There is not going to be any pack carrying, for several reasons. There is not going to be any long distance walking. I will not take the risk of suffering a beating, it is not an option if I can not talk my way out of something. My limitations have made me the grizzled old man that will shoot you if you are a threat and walk away, slowly.

30 years of pain, 4 back surgeries countless useless PT sessions and nearly punching out one doctor who asked me if I had tried visualization and meditation as pain control, I live a life on a tightrope wondering what the next thing that starts the pain will be. A year ago it was trying to replace the brake lines on the Jeep, the year before a slip in the back garden that wiped me out for three months.

Now I sit here waiting for the approval of a spinal implant stimulator. I will have embraced the world of the cyborg.

But not as much as one of my friends; both rotator cups, one hip, both knees, two heart valves, a pacemaker, and an insulin pump. So I could be worse!

My BOL is where I live. It is situated so that I can maintain some foraging activity, access water, Keep warm, and maintain security even if I am further incapacitated. Everything is on one floor, no steps, 360% view all around from inside, garden spot near the house. I could take care of myself even in a wheel chair if necessary.

I did have to let my chickens go due to not being able to get up and down the steep hill to tend them during winter three years back. I was down to only one anyway. The coyotes and raccoons were just to much for them to survive in this area. I do miss having them, and the free range eggs.

But this is part of the survival scenerio. Everyone wants to plan and train like they are at the moment thy turn 30. In a real survival situation everyone is not 30, there will be individuals with broken arms and legs, collapsed lungs, head injuries, all trying to climb piles of rubble, dodge the bad guys, find food, and control the constant pain they suffer. AND THAT IS IN YOUR BOL!

Out in the real world it will really be rough!

The one thing that helps is embracing the limitations and acknowledging they are present. You are no longer 30, do not try to train like you are 30. Train and prepare as a 70 year old.

My first real wake up call was back in the Y2K era. I had always been a prepper and I thought I should upgrade and inventory my stocks. I realized that my 30 year shelf life foods were expired!

Then I had to do some math. Was I going to outlast another 30 year batch? Chances were I would not. I turned to more canned goods and rotate them out through the pantry. The long term foods I now keep are specific things that will make my diet more pleasant. Powdered eggs the good ones, and freeze dried meats to add a table spoon at a time to stews to cover the flavor of blackbirds and turtles.

"Survival" in a perfect circumstances is not survival, it is just another experience.

You are not really in a survival situation until things have gone, as you Brits put it, pear shaped.

Most of old farts start the effort pear shaped.