Just ask any Middle Tennessee resident. They were either directly impacted by flood waters, had a neighbor, friend, or family member that was, or are still affected by slow traffic. Flood happens – when you least expect it.
Flooding just isn’t really on the radar here in Middle Tennessee. We look out for tornadoes, the occasional snow storm, and angry football fans. Maybe an escaped zoo animal. Flood? That’s on the Mississippi. Maybe down there in hurricane country.
Helping out flood victims right after the water receded I noticed a pattern. First there’s a rush to get all the furniture and household items out on the lawn to dry and allow the flooring and drywall to be ripped out. You’re grabbing and shoving, in a rush, manhandling the big items, not being quite as careful as you usually are.
You’re a stranger, a helpful one, but you don’t really know these folks. You’re just helping like you would want someone to help you out if you were in need. You want to be a part of this, to feel that you contributed, that in the wake of Middle Tennessees’ largest natural disaster you weren’t on the sidelines, you were in the game. You helped.
Then all of a sudden you lift the mattress up. There are always personal items under the bed, mostly waterlogged photo albums. It catches you. Hopefully they’ll dry out.
Under one ladies bed, I’ll call her Lucy, I noticed medications everywhere. “Those are my husbands” she said. “He’s not able to help – he’s hurting from prostate cancer and hypertension, and…” her voice faltered. I stopped her. “It’s okay,” I said. “We’ll get all these together – it’s important, especially now, we make sure he’s taking them correctly.”
Lucy just looked helpless. She said his medications were all over the place. In the rush of taking stuff out, they were in flood-swollen drawers, under cabinets, under the bed.
They were saving money by getting 90-day prescriptions that were now in many pill bottles scattered everywhere. The stress of emergency situations can be one of the most damaging strains on your health you can ever experience. This is the time when having your personal life organized, especially your medications, is critical.
I wish I could have sent out a message to all flood victims to immediately make sure their important papers were organized along with their medications. In the overwhelming days ahead the last thing they need to worry about is suffering medical complications on top of everything else.
The truth is that ordinary life is hectic enough. Medications, as critical to our health as they are, should not be taken for granted.
The answer? Simplify your life. Medipackrx.com can help. Because flood happens – bet on it.
Tags: Caregiver, flood, Medication management, Middle Tennessee, Nashville
