Hurricane Katrina left more than destruction in its wake. It left us a great deal to consider for handling both the present and the future. How well are we prepared for emergencies? How do we handle the organization of our homes during an emergency? How do we handle our health? Let's take a look at some issues...

• Whether you were directly affected by Katrina or not, did you have the reaction some of us did? A tension type headache? I'd bet the vast majority of you experienced at least one TTH. Over 80% of the population is affected by them. Here's some information: Tension-Type Headache, Most Common of All.
• Although stress isn't a Migraine trigger, it is an exacerbating factor that makes us more susceptible to our Migraine triggers, and the weather during Katrina was horrendous over much of the U. S. Barometric pressure changes? Give me a beak! Oh, did you think that was a sinus headache you had? Think again, and talk to your doctor about this: Sinuses Giving You a Headache? It's Probably a Migraine.
• If you were in the path of Katrina and had to evacuate, did you take your medications with you? If you had to evacuate your home right now, could you put your hands on the medications you need and get out the door in the time you'd have? This is another reason it can be a good idea to keep your meds well organized and even set up for a week in advance.
• Do you have your medical history and a list of your medications and the dosages made up? Is it current? If there's a chance you're going to be away from your home and your doctor and regular pharmacy may not be available to you, this information can be even more critical than it normally is. Be prepared! This is a time when items such as the MedicAlert E-HealthKEY can come in very handy.

We never know when disaster may strike. Katrina brought this home to me and made me realize how lax I'd gotten about some things. I hope you'll think about it and do some advance planning. Please, be safe.