 It’s not as if I believe that my personal rants on the NFL or other body contact sports will change the perception of the diehard fan, but there is at least the need to give phase to the parents that get up early on Saturday mornings, to allow their young children to be tackled or repeatedly punched in the head. Traumatic Brain Injury and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy are real and not only life affecting, but potentially deadly. The conversation is again in the forefront with the autopsy finding of deceased, 27 year old, New England Patriot tight end, Aaron Hernandez.
I remember football and professional boxing on television in my home as a child, but I was never particularly interested. As an adult, now residing in Bronco Nation, I am of the rare few that just don’t give a rats’ ass about the sport, BUT as a stroke survivor, I do care about TBI and on-going conversations around CTE. Understanding that what researchers have discovered for sure is that:
 So many times when you hear talk about Preppers or see shows on the subject, the conversation is about Doomsday and bunkers. There tends to be a social stigma with some people about prepping for a disaster. As we have seen in the last few weeks and from the history of my lifetime, this should be further from the truth.
I can remember where I was and what I was doing when the news reports came on regarding 9-11. I lived in Chicago at the time and reached out to love ones as they went about their daily activities. People where going everywhere. Traffic was congested. Phone lines where busy. It was very chaotic. Then, following years later, came the reports and news of Katrina, Sandy and Ike. Fast forward to the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and possibly Irma on its way toward north America. Whether you or your family members live in coastal regions or not, life is full of uncertainty, which ironically, is our only certainty. I remember being in DeKalb, IL in June of 1987, standing in the living room of a friend's apartment and experienced an earthquake. It was quick and uneventful, but yet very real. So how ready are you for the uncertainty of life? We do so many things to prepare for the "what if" of life. We buy insurance for our health and property. We buy homes to house things and provide shelter and safety from people and the elements. We educate ourselves and our children in hopes of a prosperous future. Even with all we do, there is still a magnitude of uncertainty in life. Yet, being prepared can effect the "what if". Watching the news reports of Hurricane Harvey and seeing people get fed, I was concerned about all the people with food intolerance. Having Celiac Disease, I considered what I would do if my only option was to eat whatever food was placed before me. Seventy-two hours is the time estimated it takes relief organizations to mobilize and begin to provide services when a disaster hits. Lucky for me, I have a Prepper food kit in an air tight, water tight mobile container that is gluten sensitive and will feed 4 people for 72 hours with and expiration date, well over a decade. With food intolerance, I can't rely on anyone having food that would not make me sick. Some say...if that is all you have, you will eat it. For me, that is just not true. The pain and suffering would be too unbearable to do that to myself, especially under already stressful circumstances. I came across a web post entitled, "Are You Prepared to be Gluten Free in an Emergency" by Dr. Osborn on the Gluten Free Society website. Check out his 12 tip for prepping. Many of them are good regardless of the need for gluten free or not. Make a plan for yourself and your family for communication, to shelter in place or evacuation. We never really know when the "what if" will come. . |
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