We Need Blood MOTHER NATURE!!!

Warning ❆❆❆❆❆ Warning

Southern Oneida Severe Watches & Warnings

Winter Storm Warning

Issued: 3:20 AM EST Dec. 13, 2017 – National Weather Service

... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 6 PM EST this

evening...

* what... lake effect snow ongoing, heavy at times, with blowing

and drifting snow. Plan on difficult travel conditions.

Additional snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches are expected.

* Where... Oneida, Seneca, southern Cayuga, Onondaga, Madison, Cortland

and Chenango counties.

* When... warning in effect until 6 PM EST this evening, though

most of the additional snow will occur this morning.

* Additional details... be prepared for low visibility at times.

Winds will gust as high as 35 mph, causing blowing and drifting

snow including localized white outs. Wind chills will be in the

single digits below zero at times this morning.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Winter Storm Warning for snow means severe winter weather

conditions are occurring. If you must travel, keep an extra

flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an

emergency. The latest Road conditions for the state you are

calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

What Mother Nature fails to take into consideration when she's planning her season is the need for some of us to get from home to the IV pole.  Driving in to meet up with mine this morning with the above weather advisory I  remember the many days over the years of driving through extreme winter weather, risking a life to save a life.  

Growing up and still currently living in northern central New York.  In particular, in what's called the Snowbelt area.  Our weather patterns revolve around the temperature of Lake Ontario and the temperature and direction of the winds blowing across from Canada and the Arctic.  This is where winter warnings are taken seriously.  Lake effect weather is not always predictable.  You know snow is going to fall but not always exactly where or how much.  A little less or more wind and you are either walking through a few inches or a couple of feet of white winter fun.  

Prior to my driving days my mother would have the responsibility of getting me to my doctor appointments and blood transfusions.  We traveled about 30 miles or about an hour away in good weather from home twice a month. Unlike today with local standalone labs, We'd need make the trek once for the blood draw to get type and cross matched and then a day or two later to get the blood.  Not to mention an extra visits if I was feeling ill.  

I can remember mom watching weather forecasts in anticipation for traitorous road conditions.  she grew up on a farm driving the families farm rig thorough the muck fields so she was no armature driver.  However, driving down the highway pushing snow with the bumper of the car while 18 wheeled tractortrailers passed us covering our car with even more snow was not the quite the same.  Not to mention her precious cargo, ME!  I like to think I'm worth more than a crate of lettuce. 

Prior to many winter transfusion visits Mom and Dad would spend time debating if Dad would need to take a day off from work to drive us or if Mom was up to white knuckling it.  Dad was a rock behind the wheel.  Nothing seemed to phase his casual handling of the family trucksters barreling down the road through feet of snow like a professional giant V-plow driver.  What ever they'd decide, it was yet another thing I did not have to concern myself with.  As with most thal related issues.  I didn't need to worry.  Just ready the veins for some fresh red!

So here I am, 52 and still dealing with winter driving to get topped off with high quality O negative. and, as I continue to write this weeks later (now mid February) I stay tuned. Watching snow fall AGAIN covering my ride home.  About four to seven inches will be piled up by time two units are finished dripping.   Glad for four wheel drive. 

I've made it many times in the past and will continue as needed.