Quick Health Update: I had my doctor’s appointment last week and the doctor explained the reasoning for them wanting an MRI. No surprises – they want to verify the cause: cancer? cyst? blunt trauma? bacterial infection? Based on the cause then they will direct treatment. I am waiting on a call to have either an MRI scheduled in Lewiston, Maine which is a very open MRI that I should not have a problem with, or more local in Bangor where I will be sedated.
Should get a call early this week.
On a positive note, I feel like my enlarged spleen has shrunk to some extent over the last week. I simply do not feel it like I was and have had zero pain. So – it’s a positive change.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
There’s something I can’t help myself from buying every time I walk into Walmart. It’s not the best but I feel like I can’t have too much and the price is decent. These are small so I keep them in a few places in my truck, in shooting bags, kits, etc. It’s become a habit now.
What am I talking about? Rem-oil!
I’ve got a few dozen of these little bottles of Rem Oil and just keep picking them up. Speaking of gun oil I’ve been working on creating my own concoction for firearm lubrication. Will be testing once the weather gets a little better. The reality is gun oil is insanely expensive. Calculate the price per gallon.
Even Rem Oil is like $160 a gallon. Nuts!!
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
We regularly purchase canned meat as the vast majority of our long-term food stores are low in protein. Over the years I’ve heard of Keystone canned meats. I’ve lived in a few places over the years and although I may have missed them I’ve yet to see them on the shelf. Maybe eventually I’ll find a good source as they seem to be an excellent choice to add to the pantry.
What canned meats do we store now? There are various brands, however, we focus on canned chicken and beef. I’ve got some SPAM and the different flavors they offer. I recently saw some ham, chicken, and turkey in mylar pouches. These have an extended shelf life and would be great in a bug-out bag or survival kit.
Now that I’m thinking about it – now would be a good time to step it up a notch.
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Stay safe all and please…..keep preparing.
Rourke
Build a Pantry You Can Rely On — Without the Overwhelm
- Pantry Inventory Sheets (printable)
- Pantry Gap Checklist (what most people forget)
- Pantry Shelf Life Reference Chart
- Bucket Food Storage Guide (Mylar + oxygen absorbers)
- Step-by-step Mylar packing instructions
- $5 / $10 budget food storage plan
- Pantry organization tips
- Food rotation basics
- Practical preparedness advice
- Want to build a pantry but don’t know where to start
- Are trying to prepare on a budget
- Want to keep your food storage organized
- Live in an area with storms, outages, or uncertainty
- Want to take better care of your household
- Peace of mind
- Flexibility during hard times
- One less thing to worry about
You can buy Keystone meats direct from Keystone, watch the shipping. You can also buy it on Amazon and Walmart.com. Pretty good stuff actually. You can also purchase canned meats, also good quality, from Lehmans on line.
Lehmans: https://www.lehmans.com/category/food-meats
Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/search?q=keystone%20meats%20canned&typeahead=keystone%20meats
Keystone meats are available at my local Walmart and also sometimes through Walmart online, but the prices bounce all over the place. Aside from the fact that I can taste the can in most meats and veggies, I have to say that Keystone’s the best we’ve tried. The cans are FULL, with fully-cooked meat and just a bit of necessary grease. You won’t find any fillers and only the rare bit of gross fat.
Keystone Meats does sell case lots online. As of today, their beef would cost me $11.50 per can through them (that’s with the shipping cost), while my local store has it for $9.88. If you don’t mind paying more per ounce, the smaller cans are more suitable for 1 or 2 people than the larger cans.
Good luck with your coming checkup JR. Truly the path to health begins at your fork and I hate to say it but avoiding the canned survival crap will go a long way in the right direction. You certainly are on the right path with your plans to crank up the veggie growing and the plans for chickens and more. You have the space to grow some healthy meat now! I’m envious! Keep us posted!
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Glad you’ve found an acceptable solution for getting an MRI. Good luck.
Be sure to check your cans periodically for integrity. I have noticed an occasional Spam can that suddenly is leaking despite careful handling and ideal conditions for storage. Poor quality control? Do not know, but haven’t experienced it with any other canned protein or manufacturer.
JR, Good luck with your medical adventure.