September 29, 2005
FOUND IN NEW ORLEANS - - - finally
Good news – after three weeks I was able to track down the elusive JJ.
This is TJ’s friend who lives on the west bank of the Mississippi River.
My privilege -- as I enjoy detective work and problem-solving. I had both JJ’s home and cell phone numbers. Every other day I would call from my cell believing a cell phone would still be operating if the owner could find a charge.
I was assuming it wasn’t lost in the scramble for life. After checking hundreds of web site lists; yes, I admit I was also looking at those sites listing the dead -- I got lucky -- again. JJ answered the cell – it’s debatable who was more excited.
“JJ, Where are you?”
“I’m in my home – haven’t left.”
“Do you have water, food – are you safe?”
“No problem, the west bank wasn’t hit that hard. The 9th Ward District, East Orleans, Gretna – that’s where the levees broke. They caused the catastrophic problems.”
“TJ is okay and with family in Connecticut.”
“I have been worried sick for three weeks. We’re going to find a home on the west bank for TJ – believe that!”
It’s such a little thing in the scope of this hurricane saga yet somehow I think G-d intervenes in strange ways – whose path was crossed – TJ’s or mine?
Until later - - -
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/fronts/KATRINA
Posted by johanna on 6:11 AM | Comments (1042)
September 20, 2005
Friendships come without warning - like hurricanes
She stayed despite warnings. Why not? She lived in New Orleans for thirty years and had weathered a lot of hurricanes. She lived above sea-level, in a brick house. Water floods the area, and then subsides – all is well. The little Dutch boy saved the day in the Netherlands but not in New Orleans. The levee broke.
TJ appeared from the New Orleans devastation – out of the blue. I cannot imagine spending days in a room with water that’s chest high. Alone. During the long, dark nights, unable to sleep, forced into listening to unfathomable sounds – dogs yelping, water rushing, furniture floating, people yelling, children crying, gunshots firing and sometimes… just the eerie quiet. Loneliness and fear were hard to dismiss during the night. Tears would come and then subside. Trying desperately to stay calm, praying, and remembering the good times with family and friends.
She found a blanket high up in a closet that had escaped the soaking from the nasty waters. Using that as a bedroll she was able to stretch across the kitchen sink and washing machine to rest. The tuna can was a flip top which comes in handy with no power and who knows where the hand opener is. Even soggy potato chips taste good after not eating for a few days. TJ celebrated her birthday a few days before Katrina hit New Orleans. She silently wondered if it would be her last. Denying those thoughts she gathered whatever she could – how does one choose what to take? Take what? - go where? Wet clothes, wet paperwork, wet photo albums stuffed into a wet suitcase. TJ waded 8 city blocks in the murk to reach a Guard truck that took her to I-10 where hundreds, maybe thousands of people were camped out. It must have looked like a 70’s concert - didn’t sound like a concert. Fear encompassed most thoughts. Survival, sanity, solitude – she wanted to be with people yet some were too out of control. Who could you trust? Trusting strangers in uniforms with guns – isn’t this what we’ve been watching on television for eons? There’s a deep sense of this being a bad dream or worse.
Think about it, folks, no privacy – even bathroom habits are greatly altered. People are wet, drying their clothes in the hot sun – thirsty, exhausted - there isn’t shade on I-10. The asphalt is hot, some folks don’t have the luxury of shoes – they lay on towels or blankets. A few sit on suitcases. Can’t rest, don’t dare sleep, because you might lose the little you have, OR worse, get hurt. Guard trucks take some people including TJ to the Convention Center. Remember what you saw and heard about the goings-on there? It was awful and worse then anyone thought. TJ stayed outside fearful of the travesties happening inside. Rape, beatings, thefts, death and destruction – probably a lot was due to overcrowding, lack of food and water, untreated mental illnesses, drug addicts not getting a hit and some folks who were just not pleasant.
She couldn’t take it – she got a ride back as close to her home as possible. She waded back into her home – alone – but feeling a lot safer. Next day a Guard rescue boat came and got TJ and her still soggy suitcase. They took her to yet another truck, this one heading to the airport – another shelter; hopefully better.
Good news - TJ was on a plane heading for ??? No one would say. Possibly avoiding an outrage from folks who didn’t want to go to Texas. You know everything is big in Texas – including the hearts of volunteers and medical staffers. TJ was overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit from these strangers. I met TJ shortly thereafter through a friend. We just hugged. She was brave and practical. Trying to act normal coming from an abysmal situation. Being with family, getting a bath, washing her hair and sleeping were high priorities. She was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally – just spent. She was quietly charming and friendly despite her fatigue.
We do little things that friends do – you know, meet for lunch, swap stories, laugh. I found little things that might be needed or just fun – like a portable CD player and some CD’s, make-up bag, stationery and stamps (she wanted to write thank you notes), paperbacks and some snacks. TJ’s greatest gift to me was allowing me to try to find a couple of her friends – one she was talking with on the 29th when the power and cell towers were cut off. She had been through a lot – mostly alone - and now she was safe with family. Her friends that had experienced Katrina too were not within earshot. Were they okay, lost, found? After a week of searching through the lists of survivors - a couple of hours a day – I got lucky. I found one of her friends – staying in a shelter in Louisiana. Alive. I haven’t heard if they’ve spoken yet but at least they both know that the other is okay. My task at hand is to find one more person – and, hopefully ‘Rita’ will pass by quietly.
Until then - - -
Posted by johanna on 5:41 PM | Comments (2121)
September 13, 2005
Three things on my plate today - - - nice climate, liars and good health
Somewhat dichotomous, I suppose.
I’ve been following the Katrina aftermath with great interest. Friends, colleagues and I have been discussing the pleasantness of the Northeast climate. It is relatively calm. Although folks constantly talk about the weather - and it really can change in five minutes as the adage goes - it’s not horrendous. We get our hurricanes which are cylindrical – most often we can handle the situation. Tornadoes? More likely a renegade twister. These are rare and not widespread. The Nor’easters spew their rage at us several times a year. Snowfalls range from ½” to 2-3 feet…it also varies depending where you live.
One winter I had my driveway plowed zero times and, of course, the next year 14 times. Even a blizzard every decade or so doesn’t deter us! For a couple of weeks each summer it gets beastly hot and humid; for those weeks I think I should break down and install AC. It’s fleeting and I don’t think about it… until the next summer. Watch the Weather Channel or read Grapes of Wrath to see how lucky we really are.
‘Liar, liar, pants on fire.’ Some of the sages in Washington are dancing to avoid third degree burns. There aren’t enough salves to erase the memory of this bungling. Somewhere along the line I learned to fess up, accept responsibility no matter how scared or hurt. The truth meant something – like character. Taking responsibility for one’s actions got the ball rolling for action - positive, teambuilding action!
The proverbial ‘buck stops here’ doesn’t apply to many in the government – better to blame everybody to deflect from one. You’d think the hurricane devastation would be a bi-partisan issue – wouldn’t you? Whatever screw up happened on the Gulf coast – and remember three states’ coastline not one city; although the ‘story’ seems to be more interesting from New Orleans. I realize everyone was on vacation – hello, if there’s a crisis at my workplace I am requested to return ASAP. Too bad nobody was watching television, radio, reading a blog or talking with their neighbors. Somebody should have called somebody – it’s unacceptable to hear government employees - yes, folks, you’re employees – to say they weren’t aware of the effects of the hurricane. I say, "Bullshit!"
I don’t consider myself a Pollyanna –I am disappointed as I expected more from my government. I’m always proud of the citizens in these crisis situations. That aside, I am tired of the assumption we are idiots; therefore, we can be pacified with rhetoric that is untrustworthy. Inconsistencies, excuses that don’t make sense - fine, downright lies! With the access to areas through first-hand experiences, reporters, television, Internet, radio (ham and otherwise), blogs, photos, newspapers’ websites from the area – WHO DOES MR. PRESIDENT THINK HE'S KIDDING? Perhaps himself.
I can only guess at the pressure and difficulty ‘handling’ the press, photogs, citizens at a given time. It’s especially tough – if you’re not good at it. Sincerity isn’t difficult if you mean it. It is certainly harder to cycle uphill after a flood.
ALAS. I watched the Gulf coast survivors wading, swimming, walking to safety. I heard about folks not having their treatments or medications – with diabetes, hypertension, needing dialysis, mental illnesses, allergies, pregnancy, oxygen cylinder dependant, cancer patients having treatment disrupted, and many, many, many more situations. IF one is in fairly good health, continue to keep your body as healthy as possible. You want to give yourself the chance of survival and the ability to offer assistance.
And, until next time - - -
Posted by johanna on 8:00 AM | Comments (1068)
September 6, 2005
Charity is from the heart
Wow. I was fearful folks would be reluctant to donate money and goods to the Gulf Coast relief fund DUE to the government's lack of quick action. Thankfully, the response has been gratifying. The United States community has voiced both its outrage and compassion for the situation. People, like you and me, corporations, sports teams, entertainers, unions, small companies, entrepreneurs and states have all made donations. The United Nations and many countries have been generous in offering assistance.
If you haven't had the opportunity to share – don't worry – help will be needed for many weeks and months. Here are some suggestions: cash and otherwise.
Goodwill – look through your closets, what can you donate? Good lessons for children to learn. The children in Gulf region have nothing – no clothes, no shoes, no toys.
Salvation Army – this group can use your monetary donations as they are setting up shelters and supplying food and water, etc. (phonebook)
Red Cross – you can send a check to your local chapter (phonebook). Be sure to include a note specifying for Hurricane Katrina use.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not accept telephone solicitations nor respond to e-mails asking for money. Send your check to a local chapter of any of the above. There are other good charities – be careful and know who they are. Be sure they're legitimate.
Until next time - - -
Posted by johanna on 11:13 AM | Comments (3215)
September 2, 2005
IF Feds watched more TV they'd know what was going on
Every media outlet is leading with Katrina's devastation. It appears many aspects of the situation have been improperly handled or at best mismanaged. My perception is the federal government was unprepared or lacked leadership. We are led to believe this country can handle situations of any magnitude – we jump in with cash, care and
cures in other tragic circumstances. "All men are created equal...," perhaps not.
My feelings are all over the place with questions, blame and disbelief as I watch thousands of people in New Orleans (fourth largest U.S. port city) struggling, suffering, dying. I'm asking you to check out this Slate Magazine article
"Left Behind" by Eric Umansky The links are important too as they identify the newspaper source and give more details. AND, an excellent editorial: Op-Ed piece from the New York Times . The economics are widespread and affecting the country as a whole.
"Why the hurricane may hurt the economy more than 9/11"
The above helped me to see a broader picture of circumstances and situations that hadn't occurred to me. I got caught up in the hysteria as usual. I need to back off and think about this with more objectivity. Tall order sometimes, how are you doing?
Posted by johanna on 11:10 AM | Comments (362)
