Are you ready?

Every day we are hearing about more and more natural disasters.  There is flooding in Quebec and Manitoba. Wildfires are burning out of control in northern Alberta.  There are tornadoes going through various parts of the US.  Tsunamis and earthquakes have hit in places we would not have thought about previously. 

This means that those of us who have felt safe and believed that we lived in an area that could not be impacted by Mother Nature are being given a wake up call.  Since Diabetes moved into our house, we have been hit by two major storms that cut off roads and threatened power.  How has it changed me? It hasn't.

I am one of the many people who are not ready. I have an emergency supplies list on my website.  I know that I should create a box to be taken at a moments notice.  Evacuees in Slave Lake tell that they were given less than 10 minutes to get out of their homes.  Would that be enough time for me to grab insulin, pumps supplies, test strips and more? No.  We are way too disorganized for that.  It is time for me to change that though. Moving a lot further up my "to-do" list is make that box. Mother Nature will not be concerned if I do it later or do it now.  If she decides to take my home she will do it on her terms not mine. 

As we watch the news, I can't help but wonder how many other people living in these disaster ravaged places have also put off creating their emergency box?  Thankfully Tu diabetes has created a list of people who are gathering supplies for people like me who thought that this could not happen to them. The JDRF in Missouri is also collecting unopened diabetes supplies that can be shipped in care of:

Jennifer Conter-Jones

(Development Coordinator JDRF Ozarks)

560 Peacock Street

Rogersville, MO 65742  USA

 The diabetes community has a large heart and I know that many of us will donate and help as we can. The thoughts and prayers of my family and so many others go out to all of these people devastated by what has happened.  In the meantime, before disaster strikes my area, I think its time to get our supplies in order just in case, Heaven forbid, anything like this ever happens near us.