I’ve been in the role of caregiver several times in my life.  First, caring for both my parents as they aged, and later, caring for my husband.  It’s a difficult job, and it requires a lot of planning just to keep things running smoothly, but it was something I felt honored to do and I was glad I was able to do it.

I made plans for how I could respond during a disaster while still providing the care my loved ones needed.   More than once during my time caring for them, the power went off.  With Michigan winters being what they are, it was necessary to have a back-up source of heat.  I did not have it in my own home, however.  When the power went off, we grabbed our Go Kit and drove to my sister’s house.  Fortunately she had a gas fireplace which worked even when the power went off.  We were able to stay warm and comfortable until it came back on.

Because we’d camped a lot when I was younger, we had a camp stove and gas lights.  We were actually quite comfortable, making cocoa and sitting in front of the fireplace indulging in a little life review of those infamous camping trips.  I shudder to think about what it would have been like though without that back-up plan though!  Mom was anemic, meaning she was always cold.  It was unthinkable to not have a plan to keep her warm.  My husband, Paul, loved it when the house was quiet, so having the television out didn’t bother him at all.  I read to him and we talked for hours making it a fun time, not a disaster.

You know, those times without electricity could have been very traumatic and uncomfortable, but with a bit of advanced planning, they became the times some of my favorite memories were made.  That alone is worth the bother of planning ahead!