Emergency Preparedness

I just read a short piece on disaster preparedness. Any diabetic that went through hurricanes Katrina of Rita probably has the subject close at mind. But after reading and seeing much on Haiti, I have to ask myself a couple questions:

  • Can I easily switch back to shots if my pump wasn't viable (batteries, cartridges, insets)?
  • Do I have pens and needles, or plain syringes to cover a pump failure?
  • Can I build a small stockpile of test strips for such an event?
  • What extra batteries do I need for my devices?
  • How long will my current supply of insulin last? What would I do to prolong the supply?
  • How can I protect my insulin supply from heat/cold spoilage?
  • What food and drink could I keep in extended supply to ease things during a disaster?
Here's hoping these situations are few and far between for us (or anybody!). Meanwhile, I'm reordering my scrips...