Ideas dealing with no power

[Coldbones]

I've been informed that I will be without electricity 9am-4pm next Friday.

I'm having major surgery on Monday, my surgeon has said I'll be basically bedbound for at least 7 days.

My DH will be at work. The only heating I have is electric!

Any ideas how I can stay warm/how to cope?

If it's going to be a regular occurrence then invest in one of these (small or large)

Your electricity company has an obligation to provide support if you're vulnerable even temporarily. You would be, you really should ring them and let them know in advance. They may even be able to set you up with a generator.

That's why I said unless they are designed for indoors. The calour gas ones are fine, used them as a kid. Camping ones are not.

Not in the same situation as you, but I live in Greece and I am almost totally blind. Back September we had two catastrophic floods and were without water for about 20 days each time, and no power for several days in some cases.

do anything you can to make life easier and comfortable. If you have plenty of blankets, have your husband bring them up, set them up for you, maybe have some warm clothing within reach so if you need to layer up, you can do so. Easy clothing so you won’t have to strain yourself. Do you have any of those fuzzy socks? Those are great for staying warm, even things like gloves, things you don’t imagine wearing inside, come in handy at times like this.

do you have a thermos or something to keep a drink warm for a couple of hours? Can you perhaps find a second one if needed so you can keep a few drinks or soups warm?

remember to charge up any devices, and download some good books or shows to watch beforehand. That will help to pass the time. If you enjoy magazines, physical activities like crafts or puzzles, have your husband bring them up for you, set them up so you can do them. If you have a torch or a flashlight or any kind of light that doesn’t require a plug-in such as one of those little LED garden lights, that would come in useful. A radio, also useful if you’d like to listen to music.

I know seven hours can seem like a lot, especially when you’re bedbound, but try to find things you love to do that will help you to pass the time.

Great ideas here. I wear a hoodie blanket over my clothes in winter when indoors. They're very cosy

Make a “hay box”. Cardboard box, layer of scrunched up newspaper in bottom. Take a crockery casserole, perhaps the one from your slow cooker, place it in the box surrounded by tightly packed newspaper (they used to use hay, hence the name). You should now be able to remove and replace the casserole. On the day, while you have power, cook up something in the casserole, put it in the box, put a lid on it, and a cushion over the top.

the haybox is the original of the slow cooker.

camping stove and camping kettle (boils water really quick) we use one when our power goes off - thankfully not very often now

A decent flask (or two) will enable you to keep hot water bottles warm and for hot drinks. Wool blankets are much warmer than cotton or acrylic, so if you don't have one see if you can borrow one. Again a wool shawl will keep you shoulders warm, wool hat and wool socks will all help to keep you toasty! If you can't get wool socks or hat then try thermal ones, but again wool will be the warmest.
Hope the surgery goes well.
You could let the energy company know, as they may be able to put a generator in for you.

As long as you don't live in a draughty old house (I do!) Then I don't think you will be too cold, especially as you'll be in bed. We never have the heating on at night and a still snuggly and warm the next morning.

Make sure your phone is charged and if you have a tablet or kindle that too. Definitely have a torch or battery operated lamp and a flask.

I would get a camping stove (the sort that run on small gas cannisters) for emergencies if you're rural it'll come in handy at some point I'm sure.

Good luck.

Have you got friends/family nearby. Unless you are fully bed bound, the most comfortable solution would be to decamp to someone else's house for the day if there's anyone you could go to.

If not then you've had loads of great solutions and it will be fine, hopefully they've given a long estimate and you'll get power back before the afternoon gloom sets in.

It's getting dark around 4pm. Make sure you have a torch handy. Get phone fully charged and a power bank if you have one.

I have a hot water flask jug thing which I often use to cut down on bills. Saves reboiling kettle during the day.

5L 5000ml Air-Pot Flask Hot Cold Stainless Steel Pump Action Vacuum Flasks Tea Coffee Drinks https://amzn.eu/d/8Qvx0U7

Do you get sunshine in your room? I rarely need heating in some of my rooms if the weather is good. Check the forecast?

I'd be tempted to hook myself into a hotel.

I'd look to hire a calor gas heater. Have a Google and see if it's doable. Being very cold when you are immobile and recovering from major surgery could set you back.

Just get a flask ready and stay in bed
get hot meal on line delivered

we don’t have heating on at night when in bed anyway

so as long as you’ve food and drink you’ll be fine

as for those suggesting calor gas fire they smell and make a massive amount of condensation

Can you just go round someone’s for the day?

Definitely get a one person camping stove/gas cannister from somewhere like Go Outdoors. This is handy anyway generally for power cuts. Then you can cook soup, heat water for tea and coffee and hot water bottles etc… you’ll be really glad you got one. Very inexpensive too.

I'd decamp to a hotel with room service if you can manage the transfer. By the time you've got all these gadgets in it might be about the same cost. Obviously I don't know where you are but the forecast here for next Friday has a high of 4c, and rain all day - it has potential for it to be a total pita if there are any delays.

If you’re having major surgery will you be out by Friday? If you’re in at least 2 days then i would go to family or hotel if that was an option.

@Coldbones prepare a hot water bottle, couple of flasks of boiling water, tea bags, coffee, sugar, milk and biscuits on a tray, stay in bed with a good book. keep dressing gown handy for nipping to toilet. get hubby to bring carry out meal home from work for your tea.

Heated socks, throw, jacket. Just make sure you charge the batteries before the power goes off.

Remember that you are an efficient heat source- the trick is to prevent your heat escaping. If you’re in bed with enough blankets or duvet, you should be warm enough. A warm hoodie for your top half will help.

Pace your battery usage - get a couple of good books to read during the brightest hours and save the screens and torches for later.

Hot water bottles stay warm for hours if you’re not handling them. So put them somewhere they’re not being touched/moved, like under the far side of the duvet, and take them one at a time.

If you have a flask or travel cup, it will keep soup or tea warm for hours. Baked potatoes also hold their heat really well- wrapped in tinfoil it’s a great hand warmer until it’s cool enough to eat!

Call the company doing the works and register as vulnerable which you are as recovering from surgery. They will prioritise getting electric back on for you or provide support. Anyone over 65, disabled, or has children under 5 should register as a vulnerable household.

We are fortunate we have a complex needs care home, nursing home and care home on our street so the power goes off very rarely and is almost always back on within a few hours as they have to prioritise the care homes according to the manager of the complex needs home a couple of doors down.

If you have an Esky or something else insulated put the hot water bottles in there, that should keep them heated for longer.

If you get a big power bank you might be able to run other things off it with the right connector. We have plug in led lights, its essentially a suspended bulb on a cord, they're for camping and cheep, get one with a USB and they just plug in to the power bank. You'll need a big power bank though, but it's a good emergency power source to have. I always keep a couple of big power banks charged.

What good is an electric blanket with no electricity?

It's only 7 hours. Big cosy blanket or duvet and heat the house up to full blast beforehand, you'll be fine. I hate to be the one to say it but there are people that live without heating, even when ill, all the time.