Katrina Remembered

A year ago today, my family and I had taken refuge in a church building....awaiting the approaching storm that they were calling Hurricane Katrina. Around 8:30 that morning, we decided to grab our bedding (and leave the remainder of our things at the church) and head over to the hospital. I was SO afraid that the roar of the wind would freak out Papoose let alone the rest of us!) and I knew the walls of the hospital would keep out that sound (and would also be more sturdy).

As we drove over to the hospital (about 2 miles from the church), the power was already out in places. The traffic lights were out and they were swaying dangerously in the wind. The full force of the hurricane hadn't reached us yet, but was fastly approaching. Rovorkius dropped the kids and I off at the back door of the hospital (which is thankfully covered by a parking garage) and then he went to park the car. It was raining buckets outside so he was drenched while running from the car to the hospital as he had to park pretty far away.

We fixed a make-shift bed for Papoose (blanket on the floor) and set up his television in the transcription department of the hospital (where I work). I found a desk and logged onto the computer. I figured typing would take my mind off the storm. Hearing the sounds of doctors droning on about patients seemed to me a much better thing than thinking about the storm! Rovorkius and Chipmunk went out to one of the patient lobbys to watch the storm. I called my mom to tell her we were at the hospital, but that she might not hear from us for awhile once the power went off. (She heard from us three days later when her call finally got through to the transcription department! She cried when she heard my voice--which made me cry!!!).

Around 10:00 a.m., the power went off---we had auxilliary power in the Transcription Department so I kept right on typing in the dimly lit room. Papoose was very calm about his tv not working and I was glad. He just kept sleeping on his little bed on the floor---across from my desk.

Chipmunk came in and told me I HAD to come and see this storm! From where I was typing, I couldn't hear a thing. So Papoose and I walked down the hall to the cafeteria to watch Katrina. It was AWFUL! From what I saw outside, I thought there would be nothing left of my home! I've never seen wind and rain like that in my lifetime. My stomach started to churn like I was going to throw up! I stood there in shock for about 5 minutes and then went back to my office to work---because I couldn't stand to see it any more. I wondered how our animals were doing (in the house) and prayed they were safe.

I wish I'd had a video camera to record the events of that day. Once the storm began, we couldn't leave the hospital as they called a code where the hospital goes on "lock down" and no one can leave the hospital--so everyone will be safe. With the electricity out---out went the water too. You always remember the smell of a bathroom that has toilets overflowing because you cannot flush them! Or wanting something to drink and having to drink warm water out of a bottle and being grateful you having anything to drink at all. We stayed all day and night at the hospital and the next morning, Rovorkius ventured out to see what was left of the house.

He came back 5 hours later--stating we had trees down in our long driveway (6 in total) and that our place was standing, but that a big tree had hit it and caused some damage. We decided to go back to the church and rest. What I saw as we drove that 2 miles back to the church from the hospital was a scene that I cannot even begin to describe to you in words. I looked like a bomb had hit our town!!! Trees were EVERYWHERE! Buildings were twisted and mangled! All I could do was point and cry!!! Then I thought of the people who lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and those in New Orleans! Since we had no power---we had no TV coverage. When we finally SAW the devistated areas to the south of us---we cried again! The next two weeks were spent at a church with no power (but we had food---cold, but food), flushing toilets using buckets of water from a baptismal font, going to work, waiting in long lines for gas or food at the grocery store (which Rovorkius did both of). The first day a fast food restaurant opened, there were LONG lines just to the drive up window, and when we tasted that hot, juicy burger---we thought we had died and went to heaven (since hot food was something we hadn't had for days!). We wondered where we were going to live since our house now had a nice hole in the roof and then some. My employer came through with a rent-free apartment for us to live in while we were making repairs on our place. The day she (my boss) called to give us this news, I wept and thanked her from the bottom of my heart!

It's hard to believe it's been one year since that fateful day. A day that changed all of our lives....a day we will never forget. I am grateful that my family and I were spared and I weep for those families who have suffered far more than I can ever imagine. There were those whose homes were totally destroyed, leaving nothing but a slab of concrete where once a house stood. There were those who lost loved ones.

Today, I will take a few minutes to remember those who perished during the storm---people I will never know by name, but who were loved by family and friends. Today I will light a candle in their memory and I will remember the day Katrina changed all of our lives.