I live in CT and we got hit by a bad snowstorm on Saturday night. We got around 15 inches of snow (on leaf-covered trees - not good!!!) and ended up evacuating our house at midnight due to trees and huge tree limbs falling on our house. I was SO ill-prepared for being without power for 4 days and living with PsA. The cold killed my joints, staying in a house with the main living area on the first floor and both bathrooms on the second floor AND the room my kids were staying in on the third floor was torture on my knees and ankles. The house is not at all wheelchair friendly, so I didn't even bother taking it. Heck, it wasn't very cane friendly either. We came home yesterday, a couple hours after getting power back and I've basically been in bed since then. I attempted a trip to the grocery store, but only got a few things before I was in too much pain to continue.
Now I'm trying to put together an emergency PsA kit in case we're without power for days again. I need things to keep my joints warm, and anything else that would make things easier on me. Any ideas?
I would recommend one of the “magic heat packs”. They have a clear liquid and when you flex the metal disc in them they get hot. They are re-useable and last about an hour. After they get hot and then cool down the liquid crystalizes and becomes hard… You just boil them for 5 minutes to return them to their liquid state. They are really neat and you don’t need power to make them warm!
I agree with Roni. You might also get a few of the disposable heat packs in case you can't boil the others to revitalize them. They are available at Walmart or any drugstore. They are adhesive backed and come in different shapes for different body parts. You can also purchase hand-warmers/foot warmers any place that sells hunting supplies. They activate when you open them and last 6-8 hours. Great for sticking inside gloves. They also make body warmers, but they are a bit more expensive. Since they are throw-aways, you don't want to pay too much for them. I have gotten them really cheap at TJ Maxx.
I once found a pair of battery operated slippers (no joke). The soles are memory foam and the batteries heat them up. I got them at CVS drugstore. I also love the fuzzy chenille socks that everybody sells these days. I've seen them at Walmart, Kohls, Penneys, Target. They seem to warm my feet when nothing else will. Also, I keep fingerless gloves all over my house (from Kohl's). They help warm up my hands, but leave my fingers free for typing or other handwork. I'd also toss some long underwear in my kit--silk if you can get it. I got a set on clearance from LL Bean for about $40. But even a cotton thermal set would be better than none at all. Serious fleece shirts or jackets (for over clothes), down booties (look in camping supplies) Thor-lo socks (ski shops) and heavy sweat suits are also good things to have on-hand during power outages. (Doesn't hurt to have a dog, either! lol)
That's all I can think of right now, Nym, but I'll let you know if anything else comes to mind. I live in West Virginia high in the mountains. Snowstorms knock out our power sometimes, and these are the things that have helped me. HATE getting cold!
Thanks so much for the ideas! I found Hoteeze packs and will be getting a bunch through our local co-op. Long underwear is a great idea. I love my fingerless gloves, my arm warmers (from katwise on etsy), babylegs for my arms and leg warmers for my legs (I wear long skirts mostly ... but wore lots of fleece pj pants during the power outage LOL).