~The Day the Power Grid Goes Offline~~
Imagine, if you will, the most horrendous storm you have ever lived through. Walls of torrential water slamming into the side of your house. Day after day of miserable wet pounding your neighborhood. River and lake waters are creeping higher and higher, seeping into every crack in the foundations of every home. After 3 days of these intense storms there is a lull in the rain, your neighbor ventures out to check on you. Frank works for a large power network and he just got word from a colleague a major cyber attack happened at the same time as these wicked storms. Looks as if these events were timed towards sabotaging the nations power grids. "We need to accept that we are in world of hurt for a long haul", he mumbles as he diverts his eyes to the ground. "Not your fault, Frank." I say" There is nothing you could you have done." You and Frank decide to check in with some of the other neighbors.
"I was out a little yesterday watching the flood waters. There were things floating down the street that were totally unidentifiable. I had no idea what some of that stuff was. Sometimes a greasy film would float by on top of the water followed by a decomposing carcass of some sort. Thank goodness the weather is still a little cooler than it could be, or mold would be creeping up our asses." Frank said, slightly winded from trudging mucky water.
Day number five and the flood waters are beginning to recede. The guys met up again to get out and assess the damages, check on other neighbors and see who might need help. The soft ground made it difficult to walk, Frank took a brief moment to stop and catch his breath. He promised to give his brain a few minutes to catch up to the unbelievable damages he was seeing in precious neighborhood, so he let his mind wander for a moment. Franks memory landed on a news broadcast of bodies floating in the water shortly after hurricane Katrina. He shook off the sick memory and started to asses his own real situation. After a few moments, Frank suddenly realized, this is real!
*********
Although the above scenario is fiction, scenes like this are happening more and more in this country every year. Most Americans have never had to deal with water borne diseases that plague most third world countries.
Cholera, for instance, is one of those diseases most of us in industrialized nations took for granted and mindlessly dedicated it to large populated third world countries. Not giving Cholera its just due, we were under the impression it had been eradicated here at the turn of the 20th century with inventions of sanitation, refrigeration and indoor plumbing. Our belief was, "it just wouldn't happen here".
And as if we don't have enough already to worry about. Weather and climate has us rethinking things we took for granted. Learning these next few illnesses could save your life or that of someone you love. Please take the time to understand water borne illnesses and how to handle them. This is some very important, life saving shit! Not in any particular order, I give this information for non-commercial free use, to share, to discuss, to copy, and keep in your survival library. The key to getting through *what comes next* is knowledge.
Bacteria, virus and protozoa, dangers in your water and a few key 'need to know' words
Virus--Is a minute microorganism much smaller than a bacterium that, having no independent metabolic activity of its own, may only replicate within a cell of a living plant or animal host. A virus consists of a core nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a coat of antigenic protein, sometimes surrounded by an envelope of lipoprotein.
Bacteria--Any of the small unicellular microorganisms. A combining form 'genus of microscopic plants from the class Schizomycetes'. The nature, severity, and outcome of any infection caused by a bacterium are characteristic of that species.
Protozoa- Is a single-celled microorganisms of the class of Protozoa, the lowest form of animal life. Protozoa are more complex than bacteria, forming a self-contained unit with organelles that carry on such functions as locomotion, nutrition, excretion, respiration, and attachment to other objects or organisms. These descriptions were taken from the Nurse's reference library- Book of 'Definitions'- Encyclopedic dictionary. Volume by Intermed Communications 1983
Contagion= the medium by which a disease is transmitted.
Sanitation= the application of disposal of sewage and waste for the sake of cleanliness and the protecting of health.
Hygiene= the application of scientific knowledge to the preservation of health and the prevention of disease through cleanliness.
Nutrition= the act or process of nourishing, also obtaining the dietary requirements for proper health. The process by which humans take in and utilize food material thus providing energy and healing.
Patient report- An initial assessment of the patient and a description of pertinent information on the patient's condition- what brings him to you?- What are her symptoms?- Where has she been and with whom?- What has he eaten and drank in the last several days? Caregivers remarks- Is he feverish, does he have a rash?,etc.
Listed below in no specific order are the waterborne illness that can take you and a loved one down after a crisis.
Cholera
Cholera was first recorded in 1563 in a medical report in India, but humanity didn't start to get a clear picture of the disease until 1817 when it spread to the rest of the world. Cholera is a highly contagious disease that countless millions have contracted and died from, and it's potential comeback has medical experts reeling." Says the Master of Public health, University of California.
Cholera is one of several nasty bacterial infections of the small intestine which causes acute diarrhea. It's contracted by eating or drinking food and water that has been contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae.
Anyone can become infected with Cholera, but a few factors increase your risk of a severe case.
*Living in unclean conditions, poor sanitation and using contaminated water.
*Low levels of stomach acid (Cholera bacteria cannot live in highly acid environments) Elderly people and babies usually have less stomach acid in their bodies which makes them more susceptible to Cholera and other diseases.
*Sick household members that have not been isolated.
*Type O blood type (It is not clear why this is true, except to say more people with O type seem to be at risk for Cholera.)
Diagnosing cholera can be difficult because it can take anywhere from 12 hours to 5 days to show symptoms. By the time you begin blowing out from both ends, who could possibly remember what you ate or drank 5 days to 12 days ago. For some Cholera can be fatal if they don't begin treatment right away. Constant diarrhea is the bodies way of trying to eliminate the bacteria, but the constant elimination of the body's liquid reserves can take a toll.
It is also possible to have cholera and not have symptoms at all although bacteria are present in feces for up to 10 days. Which makes this person a walking Typhoid Mary, shedding bacteria back into the environment and infecting other people. You can very well understand why sanitation in austere conditions is of the utmost importance.
Symptoms of Cholera from the Mayo Clinic Website;
Diarrhea-- Cholera-related diarrhea come on suddenly and can quickly cause dangerous fluid loss - as much as a quart an hour. Diarrhea due to cholera is often pale and milky looking.
Nausea and vomiting-- Vomiting occurs especially in the early stages of cholera and can last for hours.
Dehydration-- Dehydration can develop within hours after cholera symptoms start and range from mild to severe. A loss of 10% or more of body weight indicates severe dehydration.
If you had to guess that someone is suffering from cholera look for; irritability, fatigue, sunken eyes, a dry mouth, extreme thirst, dry and shriveled skin that's slow to bounce back when pinched, little or no urinating, low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat.
Dehydration can lead to a rapid loss of minerals that maintain the balance of fluids in your body. This is called an electrolyte imbalance. (Having lots pedialyte in your preps can save a life)
An electrolyte imbalance can lead to serious signs and symptoms such as:
*Muscle cramps due to rapid loss of salts such as sodium, chloride and potassium.
*Shock is one of the most serious complications of dehydration. It occurs when blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body. If untreated, severe hypovolemic shock* can cause death in minutes.
*Hypovolemic Shock--A state of physical collapse and prostration caused by massive blood loss, circulatory dysfunction, and inadequate tissue perfusion. The loss of one fifth of total blood volume in the affected individual can produce this condition.
Scary stuff, right? Sanitation is the only prevention and cure. Careful handling of any water is a must in all crisis situations. Immediate care from a healthcare professional is always your best outcome. But what if there are no doctors or healthcare professionals in or near your situation?
You as the caretaker-----
Having a water filtration system that is independent of the electrical grid is a very well thought out insurance policy against most all waterborne illnesses your family may be subjected to. When clean water is scarce and pond and puddle water is suspicious, this type of home water system is a life saver. https://www.berkeyfilters.com/
If you become the designated group or family caregiver, just remember you will recognize the initial symptoms of Cholera as sudden painless diarrhea and vomiting, then the diarrhea becomes progressively waterier. It is then that the patient begins to lose body electrolytes, (sodium, chloride, potassium, and bicarbonate), the direct result of fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance.
The person may complain of intense thirst, will have decreased output of urine, and most likely will have muscle cramps and/or general weakness. An abnormal drop in blood pressure and lose of potassium are common symptoms with severe dehydration. Excessive amounts of acid may build up in the blood and body tissues. Kidney failure can occur at this stage but should respond well to fluid replacement. This is characteristic of most diarrheal diseases.
Memorize this;
A body at 2% dehydration, thirst is perceived
At 5% dehydration, a person becomes hot and tired. Strength and endurance are decreased.
At 10% dehydration, delirium and blurred vision becomes a problem
At 20% dehydration, the person dies
To make a simple oral hydration solution
2 quarts clean, cold, filtered water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
Stir until salt and baking soda are dissolved. Serve cold and as much as the person will drink. Keep the person well dehydrated but do not give sweeteners or fruit juice at this stage.
A good potassium broth should be used, or a salty bouillon is good too.
To make a homemade potassium broth, cook barley in lots of water. When fully cooked strain out the barley retaining the water it was cooked in.
Take one pint of the barley water and add 1 tablespoon of slippery elm bark. Serve warm. This is very nutritious!
Add (optional)
1 onion 2 stalks celery
1 potato 2 carrots
Simmer until the vegetables are soft and strain. This makes another very nourishing broth that is well tolerated.
Put the person somewhere comfortable and put hot compress over the stomach and bowel area as well as the spine. Keep him comfortable and well hydrated until the bacteria are finally evacuated. If there are no pharmaceutical antibiotics available, these herbs offer a tried-and-true alternative.
An anti-diarrhea herbal tea use Yarrow, Dandelion root, Parsley root, rose hips, Agrimony (Cocklebur) or Bilberry leaf.
Antibacterial herbs-- Oregon grape, Plantain, California Poppy, garlic, or burdock root (also very nutritious), oil of oregano ('The Cure is in the Cupboard', book by Dr. Cass Ingram)
Gut healing and nutritional herbs-- Licorice root, Marshmallow root, Chamomile or Nettles.
Activated Charcoal--Diarrhea caused by bacterial causes can be helped greatly by using activated charcoal found in most pharmacies. Hospitals usually keep activated charcoal handy for people brought in due to food poisoning and other poisonings. ( Some stomach upset may be experienced by some)
Use two heaping teaspoons of powdered charcoal mixed in water and drank, followed by all the liquid a person can drink. Give this treatment up to four times a day. Capsules can be purchased, but enough charcoal capsules should be given to equal two teaspoons. (about 2760 mg. to 1 teaspoon)
Herbs are best used as an herbal tea but also, put into your vegetable soup. Do not give the patient sweetened beverages or fruit juices. Monitor closely, it is not always the toxins that cause injury, it is the dehydration that kills. With great care and diligence, these patients can be saved.
We seem to be heading into uncharted territory at the end of 2021 and into 2022, a nail biter at best. My best guess is that it looks like families/groups are going to have to go it on their own in the foreseeable future. Society and civilization as we know it are crumbling for now, the new society that will emerge is yet undetermined. We live in interesting times for sure, and I most definitely believe that all of us here and now, were born for this time. Learn all that you can now to survive with just a little effort later.
Next up, Dysentery.
Dysentery
Symptoms and treatment are similar to Cholera. What makes Dysentery different is the offending bacteria and some of the symptoms. The bacteria causing Dysentery is shigella bacillus and an Entamoeba histolytica (an amoeba).
Symptoms of Dysentery;
stomach cramps/ abdominal pain
dehydration
fever and chills-nausea and vomiting
loss of appetite, weight loss
painful passing of stools with intermittent constipation
fatigue
Dysentery is characterized by inflammation of the rectum and large intestine. Follow care instructions for Cholera taking care to monitor dehydration and give nutrient rich meals.
Typhoid
Just the word is scary! We all remember the story of Typhoid Mary who was a cook in a restaurant in the early 1900's, she was a carrier of the Salmonella family of bacteria but showed no symptoms. She infected many people before they discovered what the victims had in common, they had all eaten their dinner in her diner.
Typhoid is an infectious disease usually caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria, highly contagious, and is contracted by ingestion of contaminated food, milk and water which has come into contact with body fluids of an active typhoid carrier. Personal sanitation here is a priority, wash those hands!
This disease may be fatal! Complications include intestinal hemorrhage or perforation. Some people who recover from the disease continue to be carriers and excrete the organisms. Proper disposal of human wastes is essential to prevent epidemics and disease carriers should not be permitted to prepare food.
symptoms of Typhoid fever;
Fever of 103* to 105* with fatigue.
No appetite
Chills, headache, muscle pain and tenderness of the abdomen.
Red spots form over the chest and abdomen with the spleen becoming very tender.
If possible, a lab test and professional medical care would be ideal. If no healthcare provider is available, isolate patient. Give patient clean fresh air and good ventilation, these are an essential treatment. Keep fever under control, if you are up to it, give an enema everyday of illness using white oak bark, red raspberry leaves, or wild alum root. These enemas will greatly relieve the patient and hasten recovery.
A good vegetable broth with garlic will give much nourishment. Have the patient drink as much water as he possibly can. If ulcers of the rectum and stomach appear give a heaping teaspoon of goldenseal steeped in one pint of boiling water. Take one swallow every hour until healing begins.
Giardia- A common genus of the flagellate protozoans. Flagellates prefer soluble nutrients and dead or decaying material such as those found in stagnant and slow moving water. Many species of the Giardia normally inhabit the digestive tract, causing inflammation in associations with other factors that produce rapid proliferation of the organism. Giardiasis is an inflammatory intestinal condition caused by an overgrowth of the protozoa. The source of the infection is usually drinking from untreated water such as standing water, lakes, and rivers where it has been contaminated. Treating all water as suspect is your first line of defence.
Symptoms of Giardiasis is the onset of diarrhea and stomach cramps. The parasite can be spread through contaminated water, food and surfaces and from contact with someone who has it. Be sure to understand the water you are drinking and where it came from. Giardiasis can be treated with antibiotics or allowed to run its course. Isolate the patient and monitor for severe diarrhea. See Cholera. Most people will make a full recovery within two months after having mild to moderate digestive symptoms.
Cryptosporidium- Is a genus of coccidian sporozoans that are important pathogens of the dairy industry and other domestic animals, but also is a common parasite in humans. They flourish under conditions of those with compromised immune function, especially the elderly, and babies.
As with most waterborne illnesses, cryptosporidium leaves the patient with watery diarrhea. Contamination is through infected water, food, soil, dirty hands and stagnant warm pond water.
Cryptosporidium parasites can live for up to several weeks in the poop of infected humans and animals. Crpto's high tolerance of chlorine allows the parasite to survive in chlorinated drinking water and swimming pools for long periods of time.
As with the above water borne protozoan illnesses, dehydration is the biggest concern. This can have a serve effect on the elderly and children. Antidiarrheal medication offers some relief. Healthy nutritious meals and plenty of water is the only course of action when a doctor isn't coming.
Crpto is highly contagious, isolation for two weeks is recommended. A good deal of sanitation and hygiene is a must.
The next time your city calls for its citizens to boil the tap water, you will have a better understanding of why and what it is you need to guard against. If you find yourself in an evacuation situation or just bug out for whatever reason, if you printed this essay off and put it in your go bag you are well above the crowd.
Until next time. . .
