[QuarterBoreGunner]

Does this make sense?

About a month ago I had a really bad cold; nasty headache, body ache sniffles and cough. Lasted about three days. Chicken soup, OTC decongestants and lots of Kleenex.

But here’s the thing; I didn’t feel 100%- body aches and sneezes made up my mind not to carry for those three days. I wasn’t taking any cold remedies that would slow me down (Benadryl ,etc…) but you know how you get a little *fuzzy* when you’re sick? So I decided not to CCW while I was sick.

Now with the spotlight on the MYSTERY KILLER SARS® it got me to thinking about it again.

So what’s the consensus? Carry if you don’t feel physically 100%?

Or not and just concentrate on getting healthy?

[bogie]

Stay at home, feel like crap, get better. Don't need to carry at home, since "real" guns are generally within reach.

The worse off I've ever been, 104 fever and mild hallucinations (trails, etc...), I wouldn't have been worried about having a gun around.

[sm]

My take.

I equate CCW with being responsible, mentallyand physically. For example, I don't drink, so driving and booze doesn't pertain to me.

I've been through surgeries. I stayed in. People had to take care of me--which is hard for me to accept. Given a choice I preferred those that CCW take me out, whether for just getting out or Post-Op appointments. Yes I had to allow non CCW persons, I felt real vulnerable. Off the meds and physically able, I carried, even before I was cleared to drive.

Just like driving and having an Med reaction, one is responsible. Though not intentional, the damage is real and irreversable.

[Chris Rhines]

Louis Awerbuck wrote an excellent article on this very subject, after he was down with Encephalitis for a few months. You can read it in Tactical Reality.

- Chris

[Blackhawk]

I agree with re1973.

I also gegard my body's opinion very highly. If it wants to be home in bed, I listen. I've got no business being out when sick.

Besides, why would I want to share a disease with perfect strangers or even friends...?

[Jedi_7.62]

1st if I'm sick I prefer to stay in bed but If I have to get out I absolutely cary. When you are ill you are obviously more vulnerable so I definately take the extra precaution.

I suppose that may change if I was on heavy medicine like vicodin or something that would seriously impare my judgement.

Luckily I've never been ill beyond a flu excpet once when I came down with bronchitis/ walking pneumonia and almost got put in the hospital. I carried but I was so week I don't think it would have done much good beyond 1 or 2 shots.

If I go out drinking and KNOW I'm going to be smashed I don't carry to much risk there. In this case I like the driver to carry but this rarely happens.

[Mike Irwin]

How many ill wildabeast would end up as lion chow if the sick wildabeast carried a CCW? :)

[Standing Wolf]

I figure if I'm well enough to leave the house, I'm well enough to pack—and conversely.

[MBG]

My take;

In the bad guy’s mind, perceived weakness turns people from background to prey. If you appear easier to deal with, it increases your chances of encounter exponentially. Does not matter if you are staring into space, limping, or wracked over with coughs.

If you don’t feel 100% confident you can take care of yourself, and you can’t get assistance from someone you can trust, stay in.

I recently had some personal experience with this. I twisted up my leg during the snowstorm in DC this winter, and walked around with a very noticeable limp and cane for about a month. The first week afterwards, I was accosted twice while alone – for the first time in many years. In both cases, I was singled out because I had a noticeable impediment. I kept my head, and all turned out well, but it gave me pause about going out alone and impaired.

Marty

[WonderNine]

Does this make sense?

About a month ago I had a really bad cold; nasty headache, body ache sniffles and cough. Lasted about three days. Chicken soup, OTC decongestants and lots of Kleenex.

But here’s the thing; I didn’t feel 100%- body aches and sneezes made up my mind not to carry for those three days. I wasn’t taking any cold remedies that would slow me down (Benadryl ,etc…) but you know how you get a little *fuzzy* when you’re sick? So I decided not to CCW while I was sick.

Now with the spotlight on the MYSTERY KILLER SARS® it got me to thinking about it again.

So what’s the consensus? Carry if you don’t feel physically 100%?

Or not and just concentrate on getting healthy?

Carry always. Drunk, sober and flush or broke. Sick or healthy as well. I don't understand your mentality. Don't you trust yourself not to drop the hammer on someone because you've got the sniffles?

You don't think not carrying because you don't feel like running a marathon makes you somehow morally superior do you?

[Kentucky Rifle]

After a nine hour flight in which the last 6 hours was in the dark, added to a thunderstorm I decided to go through rather than around, I was tired upon landing. Tired & wired. I took some guns out to look at and wipe down with the "Rig-Rag" while I calmed down, but I didn't trust myself to do much more. I imagine a really bad cold or the "flu" and I would feel the same about it all.
Take no chances with firearms~That's my motto.

KR

[QuarterBoreGunner]

WonderNine: my question was valid- Do carry a firearm when you are not 100% fit physically and mentally. Or to put it another way ‘Am I prepared to use deadly force when my physical state may be effecting my mental state’.
I personally would not. I’d try like hell to stay home, but if there is any chance I’m not absolutely clear in my thinking, then I’m not carrying.

Carry always. Drunk, sober and flush or broke

I have had to use my firearm to defend two others and myself- in the hours that followed, the police investigators requested a blood sample from me to confirm the absence of drug and alcohol.

The bad guy lived and during his trial, his defense attorney tried very hard to get me to admit that I had negligently discharged my firearm, and I was able to say in a firm voice that I was 100% clear in my head and correct in my actions.

I imagine if I’d been drinking or under the influence of over-the-counter cold meds that would impair my judgement, I would probably have had a much more difficult time convincing the jury that I knew the consequence of my actions.

I know that when I had my wisdom teeth out I was stoned on painkillers for three days after and I absolutely would not have carried a firearm at the time.

I would rather take my chances or stay home than try to explain my use of deadly force while I was mentally impaired.


You don't think not carrying because you don't feel like running a marathon makes you somehow morally superior do you?

Morally superior? Where did that come from? I'm talking about the use of deadly force and being in the right mental state to do so lawfully and correctly.

[triggertime]

QuarterBoreGunner: Life goes on whether you're feeling 100% or not. Just because you feel a little under the weather doesn't mean that your chance of needing to use a firearm for self defense is any less than before.

For example: Say you're running to the store for cold medicine and you just happen to be assaulted in the parking lot on the day that you're not carrying. So it would be a little foolish not to carry, wouldn't it? I think so.

I think you need to study the reality of Murphy's Law and how it applies to every day life.

[Stevie-Ray]

I'm not carrying (at least most of the time) when I'm at home, and if I'm bad off, that's where I'll be. If I'm able to go out, I WILL carry. Unless, of course, I've been drinking even a little. I never drank much, and carrying has whittled it down to practically nothing. Guess that's a good thing.

[M1911]

Several years ago I had sinus surgery. During surgery, they gave me a lot of epinephrine. After surgery, they gave me a bit too much morphine. While my wife drove my sorry butt back home, the only thing I could concentrate on (in between the morphine-induced hallucinations) was trying not to throw up in the car. Carry or handle a firearm in that condition? Nope, no way. I could barely walk.

[cratz2]

Well, I very rarely drink and don't to any drugs stronger than caffeine. I guess I've never been sick enough to consider disarming myself. I'd like to think I'm a responsible shooter but I've just never though I was 'out of it' enough to leave it at home.

[blades67]

Besides, why would I want to share a disease with perfect strangers or even friends...?


Is it okay to share with imperfect strangers? What about your odd friends?:neener: :evil:

[Stevie-Ray]

. During surgery, they gave me a lot of epinephrine. Not to hijack the thread, but why? Was your heart stopping during surgery?

[M1911]

Stevie-Ray: I think they gave me epinephrine to reduce bleeding during the sinus surgery. If my heart had been stopping during surgery, I don't think they would have let me go home the same day (one hopes :eek: )...

I can tell you this: epinephrine + morphine = not fun. You know you're having a bad day when the nurse says "You won't feel better until you throw up all the blood you've swallowed" and she's right. :barf:

[WonderNine]

I have had to use my firearm to defend two others and myself- in the hours that followed, the police investigators requested a blood sample from me to confirm the absence of drug and alcohol.

The bad guy lived and during his trial, his defense attorney tried very hard to get me to admit that I had negligently discharged my firearm, and I was able to say in a firm voice that I was 100% clear in my head and correct in my actions.

I imagine if I’d been drinking or under the influence of over-the-counter cold meds that would impair my judgement, I would probably have had a much more difficult time convincing the jury that I knew the consequence of my actions.

I know that when I had my wisdom teeth out I was stoned on painkillers for three days after and I absolutely would not have carried a firearm at the time.

I would rather take my chances or stay home than try to explain my use of deadly force while I was mentally impaired.

It sounds like you made a shooting that wasn't necessarily justifiable. If it was justifiable, it shouldn't matter if you were high on cocaine as far as the shooting is concerned.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Oh it was justifiable alright.

http://calguns.net/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=888602736&f=751609466&m=5636083181


If it was justifiable, it shouldn't matter if you were high on cocaine as far as the shooting is concerned.

Are you serious? I think it would be a very hard sell to say it was justified if you were high on a controlled substance during a shooting. Especially if there were no witnesses to corroborate your statement.

I was sued in civil court by the bag guy (tossed out by the judge after the plaintiff/bad guy failed to show up in court...'cause he was in jail) and again I think that being high when the shooting occurred would probably have a negative influence on the jury’s decision.

[M1911]

I was sued in civil court by the bag guy (tossed out by the judge after the plaintiff/bad guy failed to show up in court...'cause he was in jail) and again I think that being high when the shooting occurred would probably have a negative influence on the jury’s decision.This was about as cut-and-dried a justifiable shoot as there comes, and yet he was still sued in civil court. Fortunately it didn't go far, but I'm sure he still ended up paying a bunch to his defense attorney. Had it been less cut-and-dried, it wouldn't have been thrown out and he would have spent kilo-dollars defending himself.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

M1911- Actually I was lucky in that the insurance company covering the range took care of it as the range itself was named in the civil suit- so no money directly out of my pocket.

Unfortunately the insurance company cancelled the range’s policy right after that but we were able to pick up another insurer via the NRA.

I knew my dues were going to something worthwhile.

[billcameron]

I think it depends on medication and/or effects of cold. But you should also be of "clear head" to drive. In fact the chance of you harming someone with a vehicle are much more likely than "accidentally" harming someone with a firearm be your state completely alert or in some way impaired.

[Stevie-Ray]

Stevie-Ray: I think they gave me epinephrine to reduce bleeding during the sinus surgery. If my heart had been stopping during surgery, I don't think they would have let me go home the same day (one hopes )...I can tell you this: epinephrine + morphine = not fun. You know you're having a bad day when the nurse says "You won't feel better until you throw up all the blood you've swallowed" and she's right. You really know how to cheer a guy up. I'm having this surgery on the 24th.:banghead:

[M1911]

Stevie-Ray: They won't want you to eat solid foods for a couple days. They also won't want you to have hot soups either. So stock up the refrig with eggs, ice cream, apple sauce, yogurt, etc. And before you leave for surgery, put out a bucket near the bed -- you'll need it when you get back :barf:

Different people have different experiences. But for the week after the surgery, I felt like I had the worst sinus infection I'd ever had, and basically crawled out of bed only as far as my easy chair. A week after surgery, the doc stuck a metal tube into my sinuses to suction out the goop. That made me feel much better.

Best of luck.