Letter Re: Quarantine Procedures for Ebola and Other Diseases at Your Bugout Location

Hi HJL.

The article about quarantine procedures is timely and thoughtful. It points out scenarios that have a human element that I bet many have not considered. As a clinician, I would like to add a few points to consider. Quarantine is only necessary for the maximum of the illness’s incubation period. For Ebola, this is 21 days. There is no need to quarantine longer than that. If it is your child, or your sister, it will be much easier to enforce compliance with the quarantine if it is fact-based and not fear-based. It removes all question of bias. The WHO (World Health Org) and CDC have good info on incubation topics.

Another thought to consider is government mandated quarantine. Most governments implement quarantines as a means to protect the population as a whole from the smaller population at risk. Just look at what is happening in Liberia. Massive mandatory quarantines have been implemented. Some of the effects of this, along with widespread fear, has led to an interruption to trade and trucks stocking the markets. There is actually a food crisis for those who are not already self-sufficient, because they cannot attain food and goods from markets. The UN warned of this today.

In the U.S., it is not hard for a similar picture to erupt. The CDC website says of the U.S.: “States have the authority to declare and enforce quarantine and isolation within their borders. This authority varies widely, depending on state laws. It derives from the authority of state governments granted by the U.S. Constitution to enact laws and promote regulations to safeguard the health and welfare of people within state borders.” Sometimes mandatory quarantines are an inconvenient necessity (think smallpox on a ship at port, for example), but the effects of such a quarantine go far beyond just protection from contagion.

PA Jes

Economics and Investing:

Video: Two experts warn correction could total 60%. – B.B.

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An Autumn storm brewing?  The stock market is now looking precariously over-valued; there are rumblings that the Federal Reserve may finally be ending ZIRP, and there are persistent rumors of potential “bail ins” of private bank accounts in the United States.  If you have been dawdling, then it is high time to get your financial ducks in a row, folks!  With spot silver presently below $19.60 per ounce, I consider it a strong BUY, but be sure to buy physical silver and keep it in your personal possession, well-hidden at home. (Don’t depend on ETFs, warehouse receipts, or otherwise be dependent on the honesty and dutifulness of others.  When the Crunch comes, you don’t want to be at the mercy of anyone (inside or outside of government) doing the right thing.  Odds are, they won’t.) – JWR

o o o

Russia Sanctions Hit German Consumers, “Economic Expectations Completely Collapse”

Notes for Thursday – August 28, 2014

August 28, 1883 is the anniversary of the abolishment of slavery throughout the British Empire.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  11. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  12. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  13. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenthttp://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?cat=7582&catDesc=Racks%20%26%20Enclosures&keywords=19%22%20rack&mnf=&lowprice=0&highprice=0y Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  10. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  11. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 54 ends on September 30st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Disabled Prepper, by CJ

Unfortunately, two years ago, I suffered a wretched illness– the worst form of West Nile virus, with accompanying encephalitis and spinal meningitis. I went from being a perfectly able person to an imperfectly disabled person overnight. I thought it might be helpful to others who want to be prepared, and yet are suffering from many inabilities, if I shared my experiences in trying to overcome the challenges. As I started to write to you, I found that there was so much to share, it made sense to break this up into sections. This first section is a little history on what happened to me, though your situation may be vastly different, and then I focus on how I took up organic gardening again. If inspiration truly hits me, I’ll continue the series. I hope this is helpful.

My Disability Story

The good news is that I lived through West Nile viral neuroinvasive disease, even though there were several touch and go moments where I felt as if I was an observer in the hospital room, in between moments where everything was black, gone, void. I am sure the prayers of my wonderful, Christian family flooded heaven with requests for mercy. God heard, and I was given more time on this earth. I tried to go back to my former life once released from the hospital, but stuff just wasn’t working right. My body ached from head to toe, my mind remained in a fog, and my short-term and long-term memory were shot. I couldn’t remember what I had done and what I hadn’t done. I could not keep things straight. I couldn’t organize my thoughts. I felt in a constant state of panic. Oh, and the exhaustion… please let me sleep, please. Sometimes when I awakened out of a dead sleep, I couldn’t remember where I was, who I was, or what day it was. My heart would beat really hard, I would reach deeply into my memory banks, and I’d remember to breathe slowly to calm down and wait until I could remember. The additional problem was that my husband was disabled from a stroke years before. He could not take care of me. He was in a constant state of panic, watching me suffer and wanting the old me back. His stress manifested in frustration, which translated into anger, then avoidance, and finally neglect. He could not process what had happened in a normal, adult way. His heart was good, but his actions were not. But wait! There’s more. Two months after I was released from the hospital, our youngest son came home from the military disabled. He needed help. I recall one evening when his pain level was unbearable, asking him to lean his body onto my back as I grasped his arms over my shoulders and helped him walk to the car while my husband started the engine in order to take him to the VA hospital. While they were in the emergency room, I crept back into the car and slept as if I had just run a marathon. We were a family in crisis, and prepping was the last thing on my mind.

My body and my brain have not fully recovered, and my autoimmune system was destroyed. While I have not “filed for disability” and will not, God willing, ever need, God willing again, to rely on a government program to sustain my family or me, I remain a shadow of my former self. While a miracle may occur, and I’m not barring God’s timing, I have had a hard time accepting that I cannot do what I used to do. Simple things, like washing and drying my hair, housekeeping, grocery shopping, gardening, doing the laundry, walking the dog, baking, canning, and organizing the pantry are all painful and exhausting. In the last two years, I can say that I have learned to cope with the after effects of West Nile that led to a number of auto-immune deficiencies, including a blood disorder and several muscular skeletal disorders. I can say that my husband has learned to accept and cope much better, even though some days and weeks are a real trial for us both. Our son has managed to become fairly self-sufficient, with excellent care– both physical and psychological– from the local VA hospital. My wonderful and large family visits often, in order to help with those things we just can’t do and to comfort and cheer us on. What would we do without them!?! I have spent a great deal of time and energy on being angry. I am finally getting over that hump of disappointment and have been able to encourage both my husband and our son. By some miracle of God, I have been able to keep my job through all of the disarray, which I can only attribute to God’s mercy and protection. I have a work-from-home technical management job, so I am able to avoid the physical demands of commuting and showing up in an office. I can work early or late and on weekends, if I need to do so to catch up on my work. I can schedule in a nap when I need one. I make copious notes so I don’t forget things. I am slow to respond and slow to get things done, but I’m doing it. The joke in my family is that I had so many brain cells prior to becoming ill– more than any normal person needs– that my reduced professional output is still above average. I pray that’s true. In any case, I see God’s hand of protection upon us.

I only share this small snippet of our lives in order to discuss the changes I had to make as a now “disabled prepper”. I hope, in sharing my experiences, that if you are disabled, this will encourage you to do some things you thought you could not do. Remember, you can only do one or two things at a time, take your time, and rest a lot in between tasks. If there is someone in your life, a family member, or a friend, who would enjoy participating in the task, by all means invite them over for the fun.

Organic Gardening

Let’s start with this year’s organic garden. We have a third of an acre, but the most I could do this year was plant seeds in a dozen or so containers that I could easily reach to water on the back porch. Our property is on the side of a gently sloping hill, so I could not make it, without a lot of difficulty, up to the gardening area. I started the garden early, indoors, by ordering peat moss trays and a large supply of organic heirloom seeds through Amazon and SeedSavers. (Note: It’s worth it to become an Amazon Prime member if online shopping becomes a way of life. You get free two-day shipping to anywhere in the continental United States.) It was a simple matter to plant seeds in the trays, which I kept on a table in the sun room, for easy watering. I had to sit while doing it, and it took a number of days to plant seeds in four trays of peat moss pellets. When it was time to transplant the plants outside, I chose to shop at Lowe’s for additional supplies, but Home Depot would have worked as well, or any store that offers an excellent variety of gardening supplies with either no shipping cost, a reasonable cost, or “pick up at store” options. There is a Lowe’s near my home, so I chose to “pick up at store”. I purchased large, plastic, pots that were light enough that I could easily move them when they were filled with soil. I could push them where I wanted them with my feet. I purchased organic potting soil and tomato stakes. Once I made the online purchase, I received an email notification that my purchase was ready to pick up at the Customer Service desk. I printed my online receipt and drove to the store. The transaction only consisted of verifying who I was, and then the Lowe’s employee loaded my car. When I got home, my husband was able to assist me, along with a dolly, in moving my supplies to the backyard patio. If I had not had someone to help me unload my car, I would have opted for home delivery and a friend’s help to set up the potting area. I sat in a chair on the patio, with one pot at a time between my knees and a bag of soil at my side. I slowly filled the pots with soil, one scoop at a time, until the bag of soil was light enough for me to lift and pour the rest in. I slowly transplanted seedlings for kale, spinach, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, cantaloupe, two varieties of lettuce, and a small herb garden of oregano, sweet basil, and arugula. I chose the organic Square Foot Gardening soil, because it is densely rich in organic nutrients, which allowed me to sow more seeds into a smaller area. It took me all day long to do this, and I was completely exhausted when finished. I think it would have taken a non-disabled person, or the former me, just a couple of hours. My small garden has yielded plenty for my small family this summer. Picking a few vegetables at a time is very easy, and I have to say, the kale was the sweetest kale I’ve ever tasted. I have been seed saving as well for next year’s garden. My husband discovered that the food grade, 5-gallon buckets at Lowe’s are a fraction of the cost of pots and are easy to move. It is just an idea to keep in mind. He drilled a few holes in the bottom of each bucket for drainage. When the tomatoes fully ripen, I am going to attempt to can. I will call one or two of my daughters to help me, when that day comes. Anyone who has done a canning marathon, as I did in the past, knows how much time is spent on your feet at the sink in preparation. I won’t be able to do that by myself. Now that I know I CAN DO THIS, and surprisingly enough my husband is much more interested in gardening now that he helped me do this, I am going to expand next year’s garden. I won’t be able to hoe and sow, but I can pot!

I can also sprout! I purchased a sprouting kit through Amazon and was able to start a healthy and delicious sprout garden on the kitchen table. I quickly learned that the plastic trays that came with the kit were completely impractical and took up a lot of space. It’s better to sprout using glass jars that have been thoroughly washed and sanitized. Sprouts do not need lots of sunlight– a common misconception. They need filtered light, and some sprouts like being in the dark. They need fresh water daily (rinsed and drained) and air (a mesh or cheesecloth covering on each glass jar). Search “sprouting” online, and you will find a myriad of resources about sprouting. You can also purchase an e-book about sprouting from Amazon. My favorite sprouts are: alfalfa sprouts, mung beans (great for Chinese stir fry), and garbanzo beans. Sprouting is easy and fun; when you are feeling hum-dummy about not being able to get out and do things, turn to your garden or sprouts. Sprouts are delicious on sandwiches and on salads or just eat them plain. One of the things I noticed when I became unable to do the things I used to do, is I stopped eating healthy because I was in pain and exhausted. I turned to eating crackers as a mainstay. As a result of the inactivity, I put on 30 pounds in a year and a half. Ouch. Sprouting and growing a vegetable garden is a wonderful way to maintain a healthy diet, and you would be surprised how delicious the fruit of your labor is!

In summary:

  1. Make use of online purchases and home delivery when needed.
  2. Have someone help you set up a gardening area close to the home with a table, chair, and shade.
  3. Use rich organic potting soil for denser planting and higher yield.
  4. Use organic heirloom seeds, and learn to save seeds.
  5. Purchase food grade buckets without lids, as an inexpensive and light weight alternative to pots.
  6. Make sure the hose is easy to use; a nice nozzle or shower-type head is a must, if you can’t lift a watering can.
  7. Harvest vegetables daily, as much as you can eat, or blanch and freeze for later.
  8. Ask for help, when the harvest requires canning; exchange free food for assistance.
  9. Start sprouting for fun and health.
  10. Plan ahead, take each task slow, don’t overdo it, and enjoy yourself!

Letter Re: U.S. Recon Team Assaults Taliban Position Under Fire

James,

Good afternoon from somewhere near Fortress Bragg. Regarding the video you posted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq1wqs1oY8M of the U.S. recon element combat engagement, I viewed the video and come away a bit disheartened.

I was especially troubled to see the soldiers not responding to the patrol leader, most using very poor fire and maneuver, IMT (individual movement techniques), and generally a mundane approach to combat. While there is some “cool gear”, there is nothing exceptional in the kit that I was able to spot.

What the video tells me, as a regular army officer of 27 years of service (and as a believer in the Redoubt principles), is that our regular military forces (National Guard in the case of the video) has lost a tremendous amount of tactical proficiency and competency. I speak with some experience (171 combat patrols in contact), and this video serves to highlight serious problems that are being candidly discussed by the senior leaders within the Army.

From a force on force perspective, I for one would not be worried about the guys (or the guys represented) in the video. As a leader, I am greatly worried though, as the video clearly shows an unwillingness to achieve local overmatch, local fire superiority, nor tactical dominance.

The comments posted on the youtube page portray this as an awesome react to contact, driving an enemy out of position. In reality, the call for indirect fire early in the video and the resultant fire is most likely why the enemy left the position hastily. Certainly it was not the overwhelming rush into the structures, even with the leader trying to “convince” several soldiers to carry out his orders.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it reflects a growing awareness in the military that what we are doing over there is not worth a bullet. Give a soldier a cause, and he will generally kick some a** every time; but we have lost faith in our elected leaders and are tired of seeing our brothers dies for a lost cause.

There was cool gear, and IDF doesn’t always carry the day, unfortunately.

GJS

Odds ‘n Sods:

Homegrown terrorist: American ISIS fighter Douglas McAuthur McCain dies during battle in Syria . – T.P.

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Fed Vice Chairman Warns: Your Bank May Seize Your Money to Recapitalize Itself. – J.W.

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What Happened to All the Gun Buyers?. – G.L.

o o o

The Chinese Provide a Glimpse of An American Post-Collapse Society. – J.W.

HJL Comments: I’m posting this link because I believe that China is an excellent example of a repressive regime holding their population under the boot. It is also an example of a government artificially propping an economy up. However, be aware that this article makes many unsubstantiated claims.

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Bill Gates and his wife give $1 million to gun control push

Notes for Wednesday – August 27, 2014

It’s the last week for tremendous savings on Mountain House foods at Safecastle. Get up to 31-51% off and even make your own case of cans (pick 6 of your choice). Be sure to stop by and check it out.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  11. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  12. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  13. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  10. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  11. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 54 ends on September 30st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

In Our House, by K.M.

As of this writing, the Ebola virus has done enough damage to spread fear throughout the globe. There have already been many books written on the horrors this virus brings. In the blink of an eye everyday concerns are pushed back and replaced by fear of the unknown. Being afraid can be a very good thing, unless we let that fear take hold. The resulting panic does nothing but create its own problems.

In the simplest words, Ebola is a virus that burns through your body at an alarming rate. As the beginning, symptoms of headache, fever, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea take hold; then, it progresses to bleeding out of all orifices and patches on the skin, and it can lead to death very quickly. Not much is known about this virus, because when it does pop up it usually burns itself out because of its severity. It has kept the “experts” from having enough victims to really study the virus’s ins and outs. Since it is a virus, no antibiotic is going to touch it. No known medicine can treat the virus itself. About the only thing to be done for a victim is to treat the symptoms and make them as comfortable as possible. Dehydration seems to be the biggest factor leading to death.

Because everything is a guessing game at this point as to what to do to treat such a terrifying virus, I’ve chosen to look at another “death sentence” virus that my family has had to deal with quite recently. This virus was not within our people but within our canine friends. The name of this virus is Parvo. It has all of the symptoms of Ebola, minus the bleeding out scenario. Its usual cause of death is severe dehydration. I want to share our experience with this virus, what we did, and how things turned out.

Parvo is a disease that canines get. There is a vaccine that was developed and is part of the usual 7-1 or 9-1 vaccines given to our pets. If you have ever heard of this disease, you know it commands as much fear in pet owners as the Ebola virus does in humanity. While adult dogs can get this virus and possibly survive, it’s almost a sure killer in puppies. It comes on fast, and there seems to be nothing you can do about it. What’s worse is that once your property has been infected, it can stay in the surrounding soil for up to ten years. It can be brought in by anyone or any animal that has been exposed to an infected area.

Our lovely Labradoodle had nine puppies. She had been vaccinated, but we had two adult dogs in the house that had not. At some point, we must have tracked in the virus, because our dogs never leave the property.

When the puppies were six weeks old, they were healthy, bouncy, and incredibly cute. My children fell in love with all of them. I was constantly on them to not handle them too much. We noticed a couple of them acting a little lethargic. They developed diarrhea and started vomiting. Then, they stopped nursing. Within two short days, they went from healthy to very sick. By the end of day two, even after separating the “sick ones,” four puppies had died.

It was at this point we noticed my daughter’s three year old dog was not feeling well. We immediately took her dog, Lucky, to the vet. I suspected what was wrong but was devastated to have it confirmed by the tests. Lucky did indeed have Parvo. We also had another puppy at home who was greatly suffering from the same symptoms as the other puppies that we lost. The remaining puppies were starting to show symptoms– the vomiting and diarrhea.

Our vet tried very hard to try to stay positive, but both my daughter and I knew what to expect. Lucky was treated in the vet’s office with saline under the skin and a shot of antibiotics. We were sent home with enough saline and antibiotics to treat both Lucky and the sickest puppy at home for three days. It certainly didn’t help keep things “positive” when the vet had us leave by the back door and we were asked to not touch anything on our way out.

Before we had been able to get into the vet, I had begun searching online for any home remedies available to help treat Parvo, since I suspected that’s what we were dealing with. There is a product called ParvAid that was available, but no one within a fifty mile radius (I gave up after that) had it available. I could have bought it online, but it wasn’t going to get here fast enough. It was also very expensive, especially when we would have to treat all of the remaining puppies as well as the other dogs.

I did, however, discover a “support tea” that was to be used in conjunction with the ParvAid. Since I had all of the ingredients in the house, I made up the tea, and we started administering it to all of the dogs. I felt if nothing else, it would help keep them hydrated.

We started the treatment by giving each puppy one teaspoon of tea every hour. The sickest puppy had a hard time keeping anything down, so for him we dropped it to 1/2 of a teaspoon every half hour. While I was able to keep up on the antibiotic shots, I wasn’t able to do the saline treatment. I’m a mom, not a vet. While I knew how important it was to keep the puppy and Lucky hydrated, they had other ideas. The only thing we could do was keep the tea treatment going.

After the first batch of tea, I tweaked the recipe a little, because I had discovered what the ingredients in the ParvAid were. None of the dogs or puppies were too happy about it at first, but we were able to get the tea in them at regular intervals.

Within less than 24 hours, we noticed a small improvement in the puppy. The vomiting stopped, and the diarrhea lessened. Lucky seemed a bit perkier but was still not eating. The remaining puppies stayed the same. By the second day of treatment, the puppy was doing much better and was trying to nurse. Lucky had a little to eat and showed no signs of sickness. The remaining puppies weren’t acting any different and seemed to be going back to their bouncy selves. We dropped the every hour treatment to every 2-3 hours. With the other puppies and older dogs we dropped the treatment to four times a day.

I will never know for sure if the tea was what pulled them through. We were doing a lot of praying throughout this time. Maybe it was just the fact that we were forcing fluids, so dehydration didn’t set in. What I can say for sure is all of the puppies survived, and no other dogs got sick.

Every ingredient in the tea is available OTC. It is easy to make and doesn’t taste too bad. If you are into alternative medicines, you already have everything needed. Because of this experience, I’m making sure I have plenty on hand in case my family is ever exposed to any kind of virus. We experienced a small miracle in this house with the turn-around from death’s door (in the case of the sickest puppy) to our wonderful pet not only surviving but since thriving.

As I said before, I’m just a mom, not a doctor. I have no “real” experience in the medical field. This article is to inform you about what happened with us. There are no guarantees this will work against the Ebola virus or any other, for that matter. Take this information and do with it what you will. I consider it a blessing that I had the ability to research online to gain the information I did. There may come a time when the ease of research may not be there. My hope is this might help someone someday.

If nothing else, it gave us a chance to do something. While exhausting, there was a small sense of control in an otherwise chaotic situation. Instead of throwing our hands in the air because we were faced with a “death sentence” virus, we had something tangible that we could try. I can only imagine what it would be like to be dealing with something as horrible with my children as what was happening with our pets. It was a small taste of how fast things can get desperate.

If our healthcare system gets hit with an Ebola outbreak here in the United States, panic will take hold. These ingredients may not be available in a very short period of time. Or because of travel restrictions, we may not be able to run to the store and get them. Should you think this is something you would like to try if there is ever a need, I suggest getting the ingredients now to have on hand. Personally, if there is any kind of a viral outbreak, we will be starting a preventative treatment. I don’t believe there is anything in this tea that will hurt us, and it just might help in ways we can’t conceive. The ingredients and directions follow. I have changed some of the amounts and ingredients from the original tea. Please note I haven’t had to try this on my family, so I have no personal experience to draw on for the amounts needed for possible prevention or treatment. It is just a guess, based on what worked with the puppies and adjusted accordingly.

May God bless all of us through these uncertain and frightening times.

Oatmeal Water: Boil eight cups of water. Add 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ cup maple syrup or honey. (Do Not use honey, if giving to a baby under two years old.) Turn off heat, cover, and allow to sit for twenty minutes. Strain through cheesecloth.

Re-heat the strained oatmeal water to an almost boiling point. Then add:

  • *1 Tbls. or 3 bags mint tea. Peppermint, spearmint, or whatever you have on hand
  • *1 Tbls. or 3 bags chamomile tea.
  • 4 echinacea capsules, contents removed from casing. Throw empty capsules away
  • ½ cup maple syrup, pancake syrup, or honey. (See warning about honey above.)
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 Tbls. minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ground ginger)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. willow bark, for fever (Skip this ingredient if you are using the tea as a preventative or you’re able to administer OTC meds for fever)

Stir everything together and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a cloth to remove any solids.

As a preventative: 2 Tbls. 3-4 times a day.

As a treatment: A small amount, as often as able.

Letter Re: How To Survive Without Your Glasses

Regarding the “How to survive without your glasses” post from contributor J.E. on Saturday August 23, those were all good tips, but some folks have sufficiently poor uncorrected vision that rough shapes and colors is all that can be detected beyond a few feet. Planning a self defense strategy with those limitations could wind up being hazardous to everyone around them, friend or foe.

Simple myopia (nearsightedness) can be at least partially overcome with magnifying lenses, which is what’s going on when J.E. suggests using binoculars in place of glasses. For those with astigmatism (distortions in the lens of the eye) and especially severe astigmatism, that trick doesn’t work very well.

What I suggest is obtaining multiple pairs of eyeglasses in one’s prescription. A couple of my local budget eyewear chains periodically offer “two sets of prescription eyeglasses for $99” deals. The frames offered on those deals will be ugly plastic ones, usually black or dark brown, and the deal will usually be for single-vision lenses– no bifocals. They’ll be glad to add bifocal (reading) capability, because the added options are where they make their money after getting you in the door with the $99 offer. (Other options include scratch resistant coatings, more attractive frames, replacement guarantees for breakage, et cetera.)

Get several “double pair deals” in your prescription during the sale, and don’t worry too much about the lack of bifocals. No-bifocal lenses will work fine for everyday distance sight, and a ten pack of plastic credit-card-size magnifiers can be had online for a few dollars to cover the reading portion. Stick-on plastic reading magnifiers can be had for under $20, trimmed with scissors and stuck to the bottom of your single-vision lenses. (Here’s a tip: They’ll come in pairs; use them one at a time and close the other eye while reading.)

The “$99 deal” will be for plastic lenses, which is fine and better than glass lenses, which can be easily broken. One upgrade they may offer is polycarbonate lenses, and if that upgrade is cheap enough, I’d suggest taking them up on it. Polycarbonate lenses are much tougher than plastic and lighter, because their different refractive index and material strength allows them to be a bit thinner, a bit more scratch resistant, and are what one finds in true safety glasses because it’s so tough. “Bulletproof” Lexan teller shields in banks are polycarbonate, just thicker. (Here’s another tip: Always clean plastic lenses, including polycarbonate, very gently under running water to minimize scratching.)

Because polycarbonate has a different refractive index, switching back and forth between regular optical plastic lenses and polycarbonate may cause some mild disorientation for a short time, as the eye accommodates the perceived distortion caused by the different refractive index between the two materials.

Tip: strong prescriptions can be thick, and the larger the lens, the thicker it will be at the edges, so those glasses will weigh more, sometimes enough more to be bothersome. Select frames with reasonable lens sizes– not too small as to limit correct vision, nor not so large the weight is an issue.

Tip: know the base curve of your finished lenses, something best determined by a competent optician. Base curve is the curvature of the external face of eyeglass lenses, which also determines the curvature of the internal face to correspond to your prescription. Changing base curves may introduce what the eye perceives as distortion, requiring an accommodation period. Once you find a base curve your eyes “like”, note it and order all your lenses with that base curve.

There are two basic types of temples– the eyeglass part on the sides that connects to the frame front (where the lenses are) and hook over your ears. Skull temples are angled down at the ends, usually about 45 degrees, and cable temples wrap completely around the back of the ear. Cable is preferred, because they won’t allow your glasses to slip forward as much when you’re sweating and looking down. Cable temples, and your ears, are still flexible enough to allow your glasses to be pulled off, as might happen if one falls into water from a boat. Cable temples are not common on eyeglasses, and frame manufacturers usually offer only a few styles with them.

The answer is sport-type elastic straps that fasten to the 45 degree bend in skull temples and go around the back of your head, available from most large sporting goods stores or online. You can go one step farther and get true sports eyeglasses, which have heavier frames and no temples at all, just the elastic straps. They will be pricey, though. I have two pair, which I use for strenuous activities; I can assure you, however, from my white water rafting experiences, that they still can and will be pulled off your head by rapidly moving water, never to be seen again. (The trick there, if you can manage it, is to pull them down off your face to around your neck, as the raft goes over. This way your odds on retaining them are better.)

Whatever spare glasses you obtain, wear each pair for several days to make sure the prescription and fit are correct. Keep them in hard clamshell cases to prevent breakage, and keep a copy of your prescription and soft optical-grade drying cloth in each clamshell case. Label each case with the date– “J Doe, 2014 spare”– so you know what’s in the case. Then, stash them among your emergency supplies.

Nosmo