Reporting in after Katrina

Discuss the recovery and aftermath of landfalling hurricanes. Please be sensitive to those that have been directly impacted. Political threads will be deleted without notice. This is the place to come together not divide.

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HollynLA
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Reporting in after Katrina

#1 Postby HollynLA » Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:01 pm

I'm going to make this quick as internet is on and off, just came back on today. We stayed home, did not evacuate. I'm about 40 miles from NOLA. Winds here were at about 100 mph and we only had minor damage, lost shingles, siding, eves and overhangs are dangling from house. Weather pole ripped up through roof breaking wood on roof, uprooted trees and power lines. But we're extremely lucky compared to those in NOLA, and the MS gulf coast. My brother and sister lost their homes in Nola, as did 4 aunts in St. Bernard parish, and 2 aunts in Waveland, Ms.

Life is really weird now in my little town. Food basics are scarce, traffic is crazy, crime is up, etc. It's really hard to describe but things are far from normal. It's almost surreal that this senerio actually happened. We've heard about it for years but I never thought I'd see this in my lifetime.
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#2 Postby mf_dolphin » Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:07 pm

Thanks for checking in and it's great to hear your safe. Sorry about you family's losses. Did they all evacuate?
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#3 Postby GalvestonDuck » Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:08 pm

HOLLLLLLLL-LLLLLLLYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Good to hear from you! So sorry about your relative's homes. :( But so glad you all are safe.

Check back when you can and stay safe! :)
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HollynLA
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#4 Postby HollynLA » Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:14 pm

Thank you all so much. Yes, they did all evacuate from their homes but we didn't know about my 4 aunts in St. Bernard until yesterday. Luckily everyone was out in time. My brother and sister work at a hospital on the westbank and had to ride out the storm from there and stayed the entire week.

I am documenting everything about the storm and took many photos (I'm a photographer). I'm also keeping my paper that I used to write the coordinates and the latest Time magazine which was dedicated to Katrina. This is something that will go down in history and I never want to forget it. It's definitely a lesson learned. Looking at the last coordinates I was able to note before internet and power went out is kinda creepy right now.
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#5 Postby sunny » Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:34 pm

Hey Holly. I'm glad you are okay!
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#6 Postby Stephanie » Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:42 pm

Welcome back Holly! I'm glad that you are alright and everyone in your family is safe, even though some have lost everything.

I can only imagine how shell-shocked you and everyone else must be. The stories we're reading are just heart-breaking!
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#7 Postby HurricaneQueen » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:08 am

Holly:

So glad to hear that you are safe. I was out of the country during the entire "event" (including the FL hit) and didn't get to spend much time at S2K. Tonight I sat down and started reading old posts from before Kat came ashore on the Gulf Coast. Yours really touched my heart and I was anxious to see how you fared. I did a search by author and finally found this thread. All I can say "thank goodness".

To you and all of the other that are suffering the after effects similar to shock, I understand as I have been there. This idea is a little late but during "our CAT 4", I taped my thoughts, sights, sounds and even the radio stations until they were knocked off the air. Five days later when radio was once again up, I continued to tape. All the while I talked to other survivors. At the time I wasn't even sure why I was taping it but when we finally got home and I was able to fall apart, I found the best therapy was transcribing all of this information into a 22 page "paper". That was quite a challenge as I am not exactly a speed typist and was on a laptop.

It's now been 10 years but I still pull it out and read the entire thing about twice a year and it is just as real now as it was then. I find myself in tears while reading it. Then I kick myself because rather than over react, I underplayed so many parts. The computer is long gone and all I have is hard copies. One of these days I hope to find the time to scan it back in to my computer and revise it with real truths. While the horrors fade, the memories are still very real.

I urge anyone who continues to suffer post traumatic stress syndrome to seek professional help. I wish I had. Also, I am so sorry that so many had to experience this first hand. I'm guessing that at least 1/3 of this board, if not more, will never view a hurricane in the same light. For those, no longer will these storms be statistics with records to beat and "-removed-" will become a thing of the past.

It's late and I'm exhausted but I had to speak up and also let you know how happy I am that you and so many of our other family members are safe.

Lynn
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#8 Postby LAwxrgal » Sat Sep 10, 2005 12:17 pm

Hi Holly, glad to hear you are back home and safe.
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#9 Postby zoeyann » Sat Sep 10, 2005 12:37 pm

Holly :D I was looking for you on WWL. They also set up a weather section on the bottom for the regulars. By the way where are you located. I was thinking Montegut, but was not sure that is correct.
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#10 Postby southerngale » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:53 pm

So glad to hear you're ok, Holly!
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HollynLA
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#11 Postby HollynLA » Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:06 pm

Zoey
I got my internet back on 2 days ago here and have the WWL page bookmarked so I didn't notice the other section. I've really been thinking of John G and their new baby. Glad to see they're okay.

I rode the storm out in French Settlement which is lower Livingston parish. I'm not in Montegut, but Dulac rather. My dh is there right now cleaning up.
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#12 Postby zoeyann » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:52 am

Oh okay, I knew you were in Terrebonne. Damage throughout the parish seemed mostly hit and miss, I am so sorry you are one that took a hit. Fortunatly we only had comsmetic damage on our home. We are not even filing a claim. I just figure my insurence company needs to take care of the people who had structural damage right now. So glad you made it through and hope your home is as good as new really soon.
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