I just survived the worst 10 days in my Airstreaming life. Temperatures in the low teens down to zero, and me with a terrible (cold? flu? plague?)I was down HARD for 9 days. I am still a bit congested.
I live alone, fulltime, and suddenly I'm sick enough that it's a PROBLEM. Do I need one of those "I've fallen and I can't get up buttons?" Maybe it's time, but can they do "mobile?" Where do you GO in my situation when you look and feel like hell, but aren't quite sick enough to be in a hospital?
I have a new strategy for surviving "next time"
I basically abandoned my Airstream and stayed at my office - where we have 24/7 people who could call 911 if I'd gotten any worse. Taking Mucinex and gargling with Listerine (YUCK!) helped keep me coughing "productively" until I started healing. The alcohol burn of the original formula Listerine instantly creates mucus - nasty but you can cough it UP.
Stuff I realized:
I got very very lucky with my Airstream. I could have ended up with frozen pipes and burst water heater if the power had failed. I was nearly out of propane, and only due to the kindness of a work camper, did I get someone to go to the trailer, take the tanks to the refill station, and put them back on. I'd set up two small space heaters on low because it was too cold for the heatpump to work, but a power outage would have cut them off. When I came back they hadn't failed but it could have gone SO wrong. The only thing I'd done right was to turn off the water and disconnect the supply hose.
PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR:
I'll get an ugly old 100 lb tank and hook it up for the two months I'm in winter quarters. This will back up the two regular 30 lb tanks.
I will have a RUNNING space heater aimed directly at the door. When I went back to my trailer the door was covered with ice. I literally had to "crack the shell" of ice to get the door open. How would YOU like to be using a spare tire wrench trying to break the ice without denting the aluminum? Luckily most of it slid off in one or two big sheets. Waxing the Airstream might help with this.
Guess what happens when the ice storm covers all of the refrigerator's outside vents? Rotten lettuce and grapes anyone? All I salvaged was a bottle of vodka kept in the freezer, one bottle of wine in the bottom drawer, one bottle of balsamic vinegar that hadn't been opened yet.
Maintenance work - replace the cheap plastic low point drains with good easy to grip metal ones, and mark them clearly so someone else can find and drain them if necessary. Ditto for the water tank.
HAVE A BUCKET OF SAND OR KITTY LITTER - why? Ice covered steps to get into or out of the Airstream. Sharpened stick or ski poles - walking over an ice crust to the truck. Rubber mallet, "massaging" Ice off of your steps, the car door, the Airstream door, etc.
Most important - hitch up and head for Key West before this s*** hits!
Paula
I live alone, fulltime, and suddenly I'm sick enough that it's a PROBLEM. Do I need one of those "I've fallen and I can't get up buttons?" Maybe it's time, but can they do "mobile?" Where do you GO in my situation when you look and feel like hell, but aren't quite sick enough to be in a hospital?
I have a new strategy for surviving "next time"
I basically abandoned my Airstream and stayed at my office - where we have 24/7 people who could call 911 if I'd gotten any worse. Taking Mucinex and gargling with Listerine (YUCK!) helped keep me coughing "productively" until I started healing. The alcohol burn of the original formula Listerine instantly creates mucus - nasty but you can cough it UP.
Stuff I realized:
- be proactive - have a medicine cabinet full of everything you'll need for a severe cold/flu... you might be too sick to go TO the drug store
- be rude to sick people who cough without a handkerchief. I'll wear a surgical mask next year and insist that people wash their hands before I shake hands with them.
- get the pneumonia shot - only 50% chance you'll get one of the strains it covers, but probably still worth it
- germs cause illness not the weather, avoid crowds in the cold season
- eschew junk food, good nutrition won't make you bullet proof, but being under the weather vs. being on death's door?
- have your Airstream ready for a DISASTER in bad weather
I got very very lucky with my Airstream. I could have ended up with frozen pipes and burst water heater if the power had failed. I was nearly out of propane, and only due to the kindness of a work camper, did I get someone to go to the trailer, take the tanks to the refill station, and put them back on. I'd set up two small space heaters on low because it was too cold for the heatpump to work, but a power outage would have cut them off. When I came back they hadn't failed but it could have gone SO wrong. The only thing I'd done right was to turn off the water and disconnect the supply hose.
PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR:
I'll get an ugly old 100 lb tank and hook it up for the two months I'm in winter quarters. This will back up the two regular 30 lb tanks.
I will have a RUNNING space heater aimed directly at the door. When I went back to my trailer the door was covered with ice. I literally had to "crack the shell" of ice to get the door open. How would YOU like to be using a spare tire wrench trying to break the ice without denting the aluminum? Luckily most of it slid off in one or two big sheets. Waxing the Airstream might help with this.
Guess what happens when the ice storm covers all of the refrigerator's outside vents? Rotten lettuce and grapes anyone? All I salvaged was a bottle of vodka kept in the freezer, one bottle of wine in the bottom drawer, one bottle of balsamic vinegar that hadn't been opened yet.
Maintenance work - replace the cheap plastic low point drains with good easy to grip metal ones, and mark them clearly so someone else can find and drain them if necessary. Ditto for the water tank.
HAVE A BUCKET OF SAND OR KITTY LITTER - why? Ice covered steps to get into or out of the Airstream. Sharpened stick or ski poles - walking over an ice crust to the truck. Rubber mallet, "massaging" Ice off of your steps, the car door, the Airstream door, etc.
Most important - hitch up and head for Key West before this s*** hits!
Paula
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