What is the worst SHTF event you've experienced?

[The Stig]

As the title says....

I am curious to hear what people's experiences may have been, whether it's dealing with a house fire, evac for a hurricane, an active shooter in your neighborhood, whatever.

Please describe what you can and your experiences with responding to said event.

[Stg1swret]

I've dealt with the following, flood, active shooter (really bad shot), Typhoon at sea, Hurricane in port, ship board fire while underway and in port.

[Daca102090]

Wife calling my work just as I am arriving (1 hour drive) and tells me she thinks she has been having a heart attack since before I left home. Made the drive to the hospital in 40 min and spent the next 4 days by her bedside as she was treated for the confirmed MI. This first one happend at 48 years old. Have had 3 more since then. All minor, fortunately, but the Specialist has no idea why they are happening. no blockages, low cholesterol count, low blood pressure. Always worrying that the next one won't be so minor.

[RedJohn]

I have to say that the airplane story as Murphy's law applied to the fullest. Usually it is one event only, not a whole bunch for almost a week.

[bacpacker]

Biggest thing I've ever faced, back in 91 my wife was hit head on in a car wreck and suffered a broken neck. It took 3 months to get out of the neck brace after her surgery to fuse the 2 damaged vertabre together. Then came the 2 years of PT to get her as much recovery and use of everything as possible.
We were blessed, she had zero paralysis. She does have a lot of pain and not much strength in her hands, but all in all she can do most anything she wants.
Biggest thing I learned from this, don't take a day for granted. You never know what around the corner waitin on you.

[mitunnelrat]

Before we were married I watched my ex wife go into anaphylactic shock. She reacted badly to Levaquin. Within five minutes she went from thinking she was having an asthma attack, to asking for a ride to the hospital, to telling me she needed an ambulance. This was mid winter with very poor visibility and road conditions. I was later told it was a good thing we called EMS, she likely wouldn't have survived over the time a ride in with me would have taken.

As it was happening I recognized the symptoms of shock, but didn't feel I was making any effective headway in treating it. She was conscious but unresponsive to the point of combativeness. All I could do was repeatedly reassure her EMS was on the way, that she would be ok, and hope that helped to calm her some. There was no moving her to an elevated prone position... I was helpless. It was horrible.

It took some time before they said she was at the hospital, but there was a crash cart in her room at the ER when they finally let me back. I know for a fact I didn't beat that ambulance in, so I can only deduce things were more dire than they wanted to tell me

[Fatty]

The worst one for me is cancer. Sometimes the only thing you can do is be mentally prepared for anything.

Military life obviously taught me to never take anything for granted, especially life. Cancer only helped me enjoy it even more:)

[izzyscout21]

My platoon left me and 2 buddies on a hot objective during an intense firefight outside Sadr City. 2 of us made it back.
From a separate incident, I took a 7.62x 39 round to the chest and lived.
Two weeks later, I caught 37 pieces of shrapnel, 2 ruptured eardrums, a detached retina, and a concussive head injury from a 107mm rocket exploding in my sleeping quarters.

My two year old twins have had 3 open heart surgeries, 4 heart caths, 2 cranial reconstructions, a gallbladder removed, choledocal cyst removed and a bout with pancreatitis. They've been in and out of the hospital for their entire two years of life. And my wife almost didn't make it through childbirth with these two.

Consequently, I appreciate life more and more each day.

[Fatty]

Damn izzy, god bless.

[izzyscout21]

Damn izzy, god bless.

it's been a hella last few years

[piranha2]

Damn izzy, god bless.


Thats no shit. Best of luck man. Makes my homeless (almost) and jobless sit look like nothing.

[RedJohn]

OK, I'll stop complaining about the tough times I had in my life. Thanks for your service Izzy.

[izzyscout21]

OK, I'll stop complaining about the tough times I had in my life. Thanks for your service Izzy.

Everybody has rough times in life, and as we have discussed before, SHTF is different things to different people. What brings us all together on this site as a family is the fact that we "Ranger the F*&% Up" and deal as best we can. It's how we deal that sets us apart from the sheeple. This is a place where I and everyone else can talk about our situations. Even though they are all different, we share a common bond and I know that I can relate in some way or another to everyone else here and vice versa. Getting to know all you fellas on the --cough, cough--- other site and then this one, has been a big help in being able to deal.

I've only been around the sun 26 times now, and while I always hope that I got my SHTF's out of the way early, I know that there will probably be more ahead. Time to pull up the bootstraps and do the best I can to get through the next one.

[Fatty]

Anyone else feeling the "bro-mance?" :p

[RedJohn]

I've only been around the sun 26 times now

Shit, I completed my 52nd rotation yesterday.

[izzyscout21]

Shit, I completed my 52nd rotation yesterday.

many happy returns on the day!

[bacpacker]

Happy Getting Born Day RJ! Just a little late.

Izzy I think your right about being able to relate to folks on here. We all have different backgrounds, but surprisingly many similar ones as well.
I thoruohly enjoy the exchange of ideas. There always seems to be something to learn on here.

[RedJohn]

Izzy, thank you and the same to you and everybody on this forum.
Thanks, Backpacker.

[mitunnelrat]

Happy Getting Born Day RJ! Just a little late.

Izzy I think your right about being able to relate to folks on here. We all have different backgrounds, but surprisingly many similar ones as well.
I thoruohly enjoy the exchange of ideas. There always seems to be something to learn on here.

As do I, and wholeheartedly believe that's because so many here truly are the "real deal", with many member's being much more deserving of the title than I, imo. Not only do we get information here, its put into perspective.

Fatty, is it bro-mance, or bro-therhood?

And happy birthday RJ, sorry I missed that.

[alpmco]

After reading izzy's post I decided not to post my SHTF event.
They say God looks after children, drunks and the insane ... you must fall into one of these categories! :)

[izzyscout21]

After reading izzy's post I decided not to post my SHTF event.
They say God looks after children, drunks and the insane ... you must fall into one of these categories! :)

please share. I don't believe that my SHTF event trumps anyone elses, it's just what caused turmoil in my life at that time.

I agree that God looks out for kids, drunks, and the insane. After My CHILDREN drove me to DRINKING, I am definitely INSANE. LOL

[bigpaul]

worst that happened to me was: divorce(twice), redundancy(3times), house fire(once), and fuel strike, no fuel at petrol(gas)station and queues down the road, and the odd power cut but thats normal for this country(England)!!

[The Stig]

worst that happened to me was: divorce(twice), redundancy(3times), house fire(once), and fuel strike, no fuel at petrol(gas)station and queues down the road, and the odd power cut but thats normal for this country(England)!!

BP, could you comment on the state of any preparedness movements in England? It's a very trendy subject in the states, as evidenced by this and other websites. Just curious if it's the same way on your side of the pond.

[jwg7781]

I have been in 10 hurricanes, several tornadoes and floods, many active shooters in Iraq, droughts, power outages, many medical emergencies of family

[Stormfeather]

Was based in Subic bay when Mt Pinatuba erupted, Hurricanes in the Virgin Islands back in 98, Active Shooter in Calif, Been shot at & Ied'ed in Iraq & A'stan too many times to count, both as a PSC & .Mil, somehow made it thru to where I am today. Luck favors The Fool I guess.

[Idaho J]

On a airplane on our way back from our honeymoon, the plane dipped and our oxygen masks came down from the overhead. A collective gasp came from everyone on board. We felt the plane drop to a much lower elevation and the plane banked a hard 180 degree turn. One of the flight attendants came over the intercom and announced that “there has been an emergency, please put on your oxygen masks. We are heading back to Salt Lake”. Her voice was very shaky. No other statement were made by the staff.

We just sat in our seats as the plane dropped down fairly close to the ground. The plane was devoid of conversation as we just sat and looked out our window. I kept thinking “maybe we can make it if we land in the swamplands”. My wife and I were saying prayers to each other.

After about ½ hour, we landed safely. It wasn’t until we were all in the airport that we were told that it was the luggage door that had popped open, causing the pressure to drop. The reason for banking the plane and flying close to the ground was 1) turning the plane around to go back, and 2) lack of pressure at high altitude.

After I realized it was just a cargo door, I was pissed because the captain could have calmed our nerves if he would have just said something to us.

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h343/idahojohn/hawaiilastone005-2.jpg

[RedJohn]

I think that the captain was busy on procedure.

I can manage airplane emergencies when I am the driver. I hate being in the back!

[izzyscout21]

Can I add bankruptcy as an addendum to my previous post? Looks like that's where I'm heading. Kid's medical bills proved to be too much.

[realist]

When the doctor came in and told me that I probably had cancer. He said that he would not know for sure for two weeks. You can do a lot of thinking in that time period. When the test came back negative even the doctor was surprised. It help me deal with my wife when she went in for some tests last week and they too were negative. I thing that we are blessed and the doctors are fubar.........

[TEOTWAWKI13]

Divorce in 06, crazy ex syndrome in 08 (still ongoing), job loss in 2010 (recovering somewhat), power outages, flooding (got me prepping for real), tornados. Nothing major really, I suppose in the grand scheme of things.

Izzy, I just read your posts. Man, all I can say is God Bless ya....thanks for going into harms way.

[izzyscout21]

Divorce in 06, crazy ex syndrome in 08 (still ongoing), job loss in 2010 (recovering somewhat), power outages, flooding (got me prepping for real), tornados. Nothing major really, I suppose in the grand scheme of things.

Izzy, I just read your posts. Man, all I can say is God Bless ya....thanks for going into harms way.

Thanks man, I'm actually kinda relieved.

[dragon5126]

You paid your dues Izzy, sit back and let the rookies do the rest.

[dragon5126]

izzy check into "Medical Bankruptcy"... Dont know if it's state or federal based. But it doesnt mess with you as bad as chapter 7 or 12 does since it is the result of something you have absolutely no control over.

[dragon5126]

Took four rounds while on the job, a bout with cancer, forced retirement due to health issues (got back to work after a few years off thank god), Double Pulmonary edema. But that damed time off work was the killer financially and emotionally, it was like being told I wasn't worth a damned any more. And the cut in medical bennies, well I dont even want to think about Izzies bills!

[jules1966]

My husband had cancer and couldnt work and i was laid off from my job. We were homeless for quite a few months. Let me tell you theres nothing worse then being homeless in a big city where you know very few people and on top of that having to get to doctors appointments for cancer treatment is real tough with no money or vehicle. The worst part of all is the nights when you got to find a place to sleep and having to worry about either cops waking you or other homeless stealing from you while your asleep. Then on top of all that after my husband has his surgery i had to figure out ways to keep an open wound clean while living outside. I was always worried about the chance of it getting infected. This was the worst and most horrible experince of my life. I became bitter and still do not understand how people can treat others the way me and my husband were treated. Thanks to a close relative we are no longer homeless and my husband is now cancer free.

[Stormfeather]

My husband had cancer and couldnt work and i was laid off from my job. We were homeless for quite a few months. Let me tell you theres nothing worse then being homeless in a big city where you know very few people and on top of that having to get to doctors appointments for cancer treatment is real tough with no money or vehicle. The worst part of all is the nights when you got to find a place to sleep and having to worry about either cops waking you or other homeless stealing from you while your asleep. Then on top of all that after my husband has his surgery i had to figure out ways to keep an open wound clean while living outside. I was always worried about the chance of it getting infected. This was the worst and most horrible experince of my life. I became bitter and still do not understand how people can treat others the way me and my husband were treated. Thanks to a close relative we are no longer homeless and my husband is now cancer free.

WOW. . . all I can say, Im glad to hear you are back on the road to normalcy if there is actually such a thing. Keep the end goal in focus and things will work themselves out in the end, a positive approach always helped me in bad times, hope the same works for you!

[rice paddy daddy]

I survived a year in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, without any consequenses more severe than a touch of PTSD and damaged hearing. Thank you, Lord!
We had a saying:
"We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, in the name of the ungrateful,
Have done so much with so little for so long,
That we are now qualified to do anything with nothing."

Like Izzy has testified, nothing focuses the mind quite like having men you don't even know trying their best to kill you.:)
As a life long resident of Florida, hurricanes and wildfires are a fact of life.
To those posters who have mentioned it - thank you for serving our country.

[izzyscout21]

I survived a year in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, without any consequenses more severe than a touch of PTSD and damaged hearing. Thank you, Lord!
We had a saying:
"We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, in the name of the ungrateful,
Have done so much with so little for so long,
That we are now qualified to do anything with nothing."

Like Izzy has testified, nothing focuses the mind quite like having men you don't even know trying their best to kill you.:)
As a life long resident of Florida, hurricanes and wildfires are a fact of life.
To those posters who have mentioned it - thank you for serving our country.

RPD, thank you for being one of those who went before me. I thank you for your service and am glad you are here.

[bacpacker]

Dragon & Jules, Prayers sent for you and your family. They will continue!

RPD, Thank you for your service. I have a warm spot in my heart for Vietnam vets, reminds me of my dad.

Thanks to all the VETS on here. You all gave something very important to this country and all who live here.