PIC: My Sister and Her Belongings in New Orleans

[drthais]

this is so sad
and SO SO many people's lives are like this now.....

[henslee]

1. Looks like my bedroom in college.

[drthais]

3. I'm, sorry but

that is not funny

[xultar]

13. People deal with tragedy in different ways. Hilarity is one way.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

18. I think that it's pretty funny,

and not in a disrespectful way, either.

Flame away all you want.

[henslee]

20. No malice intended. Just my initial reaction to how demolished

it looks. Sorry.

[donheld]

27. Sweety some times if we don't make jokes we'll go insane

No it's not funny, it's so sad that most of us are beside ourselves. We don't know what the hell to do.

[Logansquare]

45. Sweety we get to make jokes when it happens to us

We don't get a hah-hah from the misfortunes of others. Unless we're twelve, that is.

[xultar]

14. Mine too. She looks like a strong lady. She'll get through this and laugh

@ the irony later I'm sure.

[Radio_Lady]

32. "T'ain't funny, McGee..." (Line from old radio show.)

I pity those who have to go on from here after Rita and Katrina have destroyed almost everything.

I can't even imagine it.

[xultar]

33. Laughter heals.

[KyndCulture]

2. That is so sad... recommended...

Wish her love and luck from us at DU.

[drthais]

4. thanks - she used to be a hard-core republican

but the leaf is turning

[texpatriot2004]

5. Was it Katrina that changed her mind?

Lots of love and light to her right now; same to you and the rest of your family.

[KyndCulture]

6. Well when you lose everything you own and you need help

the republicans aren't gonna give a shit about you.... I hate to talk politics over something so sad, but good for her, maybe she'll see why us liberals fight so hard for all these "social programs".

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Be sure to let her know we are here.

When she gets back on her feet, we'd love to hear her views now that she understands the downside of Republican policies.

[SheilaT]

17. How truly sad

that it took a personal disaster for her to understand how totally uncompassionate Republicans are. So how far up her rear end did her head used to be?

I know, it's cruel to say such a thing when she's the one who lost everything, not me, but what the frig is wrong with people like her that they can't tell just a little sooner how completely evil those in power are.

[drthais]

28. no, no, you misunderstand

she was a conservative of the old school
I believe that she never imagined the party would be hijacked
and, like a lot of other conservatives,
she was slow to awaken

not a neocon

[SheilaT]

44. I'm glad to hear she's not

a neocon, buy why did it take her until her personal tragedy to understand how terrible these people are? Her party was hijacked back in 1980, when the Reagan conservatives took over. Anyone who was paying attention at all could tell by the way Bush & Co stole the election in 2000 that they were up to no good. And then, well I shouldn't have to repeat everything they did in the first four years.

It's people like here, genuinely good people who essentially collaborate with the neocons precisely because they neither speak out against them nor vote against them, that make me so furious.

I suppose if this is what it takes to make more people come to their senses, then I'll have to wish for more disasters.

[ignatius 2]

7. Gosh, this is very sad. I hope everything works out for her

and she is able to get her life back together soon.

[malaise]

8. Too sad

Is her home totally destroyed inside?

[drthais]

29. mostly

she got artwork off the walls
she got other stuff, too

she's been trying to wash all her clothes
and get the smell out

she had two feet of water in the house
and mold several feet up the wall after that

she's trying to decide whether it can be rebuilt
she'll lose all the floors and walls
its a foundation issue, probably

[malaise]

43. Too sad

I hope she can save her home.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. Sending hugs to your sister. This is oh so very sad. Tears here. eom

[fooj]

11. Oh Yes. Only the best to your sister...

:cry: I'm soooooo sorry. I can't even imagine...

peace.

[Polethebear]

12. Please tell her we are so sorry...

For Her........

:pals: :hug:


For You.......

:pals: :hug:


All the Best.....:hi:


Polethebear

[CTyankee]

15. Please tell her that we care

and wish the best for her. I hope she is getting help and that she is all right.

Big hug from New Haven, CT!

[fleabert]

16. hugs and hope to your sister and your family...

so sorry this happened, to her and everyone else...

:hug:

[qanda]

19. So sad!

Tell her that she will stay in prayers. I hope she will be able to start over.

[meganmonkey]

21. Wow - I don't even know what to say,

except cliche - making it through this will make her stronger, it is true. I hope she can rebuild her life without too much trouble.

She will be in my prayers.

[lonestarnot]

22. Ahhhhh ... I'm so sorry. Well on the brighter side, she can get all new

stuff, but memories can't be replaced. So sad.

[onecent]

23. My thoughts are with you and her....this must be very difficult!

Prayers and hugs.

[Olney Blue]

24. Is she going to be able to salvage the house itself?

I am so sorry this happened to her.

[JNelson6563]

25. Truly horrible

I can only imagine how devastating it must be. Best wishes to your sister and all whose lives are completely upside down.

Julie

[Fla Dem]

26. Feel bad for all the folks there. Very sorry for your sister. what's so

hard is there is absolutely no support system for the folks returning. No friends, family, everyone is in the same position. Even the civil infrastructure you depend on is gone, hospitals, stores, transportation, restaurants, churches.....it really must be like a 3rd world country.

:cry:

[Hippo_Tron]

30. Out of curiosity, what street is that on?

I think I recognize that house.

[drthais]

31. St Ann St

off of Bayou St John
one block in from Moss St

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. I am so sorry. Hope the house is sound and mold/toxin -free

[Straight Shooter]

35. She's got three major things going for her right now: youth, strength,

and you on her side.

Thank you for sharing. Every life encounters disaster in one form or another. How we deal with it is what matters. Your sis does not look like someone who will sit around feeling sorry for herself.

It's painful to work so hard to have a few nice things and see them all destroyed, though.

[pitohui]

36. how horrible

& so many in the same situation, it's so hard

my neighborhood was not flooded but even here you see houses w. everything thrown out because the wind smashed a tree through the house & let in the rain & then there was no power for electric to clean up for 3 weeks, some ppl have lost everything

& you multiple these scenes from pascagoula, miss all the way to beaumont, texas?

at times you really do despair & wonder how ppl will go on -- but we will go on

<hugs> to you & your sister

[Booster]

37. As Anderson Cooper put it so well......."where do you start"

Tell your sister we are all truly sorry for her loss, and, as an earlier poster stated, this is what liberals fight for every day. Just a little help for a brand new beginning - that's what I want my country to be about.:cry:

[Pooka Fey]

38. OMFG. This is so tragic.

[monstaman]

39. Hurricane Katrina

Hi, folks.

Wow! My sister sent the picture of me after tossing a good bit of my 'stuff' out. Wet, soggy, moldy and VERY stinky stuff. Be grateful that 'smellivision' has not yet been developed.

The response was tremendous ... and I thank you all for all of your good wishes ... and jokes, too. I worked a 12 hour shift as a nurse at FEMA today and came home to your responses ... wonderful!

I want to say ... I'm alive. My cats are alive. I have a GREAT family for support. I have a new job that pays as much as I was making as a pediatric nurse in the city. My hospital, which is closed due to flooding, is taking care of us for an undetermined amount of time (pay and benefits) and has been very helpful, overall. Unfortunately for most nurses, they have not been supported by their institutions as well as I have and many have already been terminated.

I have an apartment near what is left of my home (most do not and are living in shelters, other states or STILL with relatives). FEMA has responded promptly to my requests for rental assistance and are already scheduled to view my property to assist in the case that my flood insurance doesn't cover every little thing. And there WILL be issues, I'm sure.

I have no content insurance for a flood so, I began sneaking into New Orleans within 10 days to see if I could rescue some family heirlooms. I saved what I thought were my most important personal items ... my late fathers Marine flag, my late mothers art, the artwork that my pediatric patients have made for me, my photos ....a little piece here, a little piece there .... AND lots of very stinky clothes that cleaned up nicely for the most part with high end laundry products.

My shoes .... disgusting. My furniture ... not much left there. After sitting in one foot of water for 2 weeks, furniture legs began collapsing and ... you should see what fungus/mold does for leather couches and mattresses! EEEWWW!

Not only did I get the important stuff ... but I kept going into New Orleans using back roads and avoiding checkpoints on my off days from work to get the LESS important stuff. I was MORE than fortunate. There are MANY folks who had water to their ceilings and couldn't even recover as much as a refrigerator magnet. All photos, gone. All of the art your kids drew, gone. I just CAN'T imagine the pain they have suffered. No house AND no stuff.

I had finally done it. Purchased a home as a single hard working female. Refinanced so I could retire in 10 years and OWN my home at a ridiculous monthly note ... but worth it to own early, right? Had a great re-assessment value done 6 weeks before Katrina. Not worth that now. Trying not to worry ... but FEMA may refinance ... and that will help.

The structure itself? One foot of water, 3-4 feet of mold on the inside walls and probably 5-6 feet wicked up into the insulation. 130 year old original cypress floors all sticking up ... very sad. And my foundation seems 'off.' Not sure if they'll trash the house related to environmental issues (mold/fungus/mildew/water crud in layers in the yard and floor) or if I'll have to 'fix it up' by banging out 8 feet of inner walls, add all new (ie: not real) floors and jacking up the house a foot. It will be months before I know.

So what did I REALLY lose? My retirement. But you know what? I have a job. I'll have to work harder to get to retirement ... a little later than life than I planned and not at all secure .. but I'll get there. And that's OK. Many people don't have jobs at all anymore. How will they pay their mortgages in January when most institutions will start sending out bills again?

What a mess. Will I return? Sure. Anytime soon? No way. Born and raised in New Orleans and I LOVE my dear city... but what is there now is NOT my city. New Orleans is about the people. PEOPLE. The people will not all return right away.

I look forward to the next Thursday nite when I can meet my friends at Cork and Bottle, do a casual wine tasting, bring some happy food to the bridge over Bayou St. John in my neighborhood and drink great wine and watch the sun go down ... and then we will all go Zydeco dancing at Rock n' Bowl. That's when I'll go back.

Thanks again ... and don't worry about me. Send your thoughts to those who have lost family, pets (SO many left their pets thinking they'd be home in 3-4 days .... VERY sad), jobs and their entire home and belongings. There are many. Too many to count.

I am, indeed, fortunate.

Celia .... drthais' sister

[CC]

40. Welcome to DU

you have a great attitude there. Hard as things are for you you are worrying about others. :hug: and here's hoping you get your city back sooner rather than later. Stay strong.

[Princess Turandot]

41. Welcome to DU. ..

I can't imagine going through what you have gone through.
It's great that you have secured employment (and that your former employer is able to act in such a decent way.)
I'm so glad that you were able to get your cats out.

[jbm]

42. Welcome!

I can tell from reading your post that you're the kind of person who will turn tragedy into triumph. Thanks for sharing your experience with us..and I try not to be materialistic, but the loss of those cyprus floors breaks my heart!

I'm glad you and your kitties are doing well.:)