Our Katrina Experience

[hurricanesurvivor]

We stayed for the storm here in Mississippi, about 30 miles north of Waveland where the eye passed directly overhead. If you're interested, you can read about our experience here:

http://www.vhdesign.com/katrina.htm

[arkess7]

wow!! so glad your back home and getting back to normal life.......it still haunts me to hear peoples stories about katrina and will for a long time to come.......my thoughts and prayers are with your family .........and BTW did you ever find your 2 cats?

[hurricanesurvivor]

Thanks so much for your kind words. We were so fortunate here- we're far enough inland that our infrastructure was basically intact- it's just taken a while to get basic systems back up and functioning, and since our house is in a rural area, even longer for us than for the areas inside the city. The river stopped across the street from my house when the water came up, so we didn't get any water inside, thank goodness. Most of our damage came from falling trees and the wind ripping shingles, ridge vent, wind turbine, etc. off- that kind of thing.

Yes, our neighbors took very good care of the cats! They were still fat and sassy when we got back home, after nearly a month away. They were SOOOO glad to see us, though, and they are still demanding alot of attention from us. In fact, one of my cats is lying on my desk right now, draped half-way across my keyboard to get as much attention from me as she can

[arkess7]

aaaaaawwwwwwww im so glad to hear that!!!! i have 3 cats and a dog and a 5 year old also........and my one kitten loves to lay by the computer too!!! so glad to hear that you were reunited with them!!!!

[O Town]

Amazing story. I am so glad things are getting back to normal for you guys, even if it is slow. Glad to hear the kitties are still fat and happy. I am also sorry to hear about your grandmother. I totally understand how it feels to be without power for any amount of time. We were only out for 7 days, but the humidity can put folks in a bad mood. I also have 3 kids, but we were lucky enough that our grocery store opened with no power a day after Charley. So we were able to get bread and the can goods that were left. That was the eriest trip the grocery I have ever made, so quiet, dark and hot. Anyway just wanted to say I thought that was a moving story, and happy that it had a mostley happy ending, you still have your home and your family and it sounds like things are getting better everyday. Good luck with the future, and god bless.

[hurricanesurvivor]

I just wanted to update ya'll... my mother died on Christmas Eve. She just couldn't face life around here anymore. She missed her mother terribly, and the government has done nothing about my grandmother's house at all, even though they promised they would provide the money to repair it. My dad has just been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and he's so depressed over everything, I'm afraid we won't have him much longer, either.

I just don't think life here is worth living anymore.

It seems the rest of the country has forgotten all about Mississippi in all of this, and all you hear on the news is New Orleans, especially since the only local channels we get right now are NO news channels. I'm so sick of hearing about all the problems of NO! At least Mississippi is working to recover- NO is so busy arguing over whose fault everything is, that no one wants to do anything to recover.

[MiamiensisWx]

hurricanesurvivor, I completely agree with you. I'm sick of the New Orleans attention, too!

[TSmith274]

Criticism of New Orleans attention is unfair. It is not our fault that the media is giving us more attention. We can't do anything to recover because of the levee issue, and FEMA flood elevations. It will continue to be an issue until it is resolved. Mississippi suffered a natural disaster. New Orleans suffered a man-made disaster. We blame the federal government because the levees were their resposibility. They designed them and they built them. Therefore, they are liable. Like it or not, New Orleanians will continue to complain until the feds own up to their mistakes and make it right.

However, we're all in this together. From Cameron Parish to Mobile... we're all in the same boat. Turning on each other isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to stick together as a region and make it right. Hurricanesurvivor, I'm sorry for your losses. Just know that there are many people that are with you in this situation. Don't give up, because as a region, we will survive this. We'll be back, and you'll be a part of it. Good luck with everything.

[MiamiensisWx]

I'm sorry, TSmith274. I didn't mean that New Orleans should not receive attention... of course it should! I did not mean to offend you by accidentally sounding like it was residents' faults... of course it's not! Also, good points... sorry...

[TSmith274]

Nah CapeVerde... I'm not offended at all! I know nobody means that. I just know that New Orleanians really care about those on the MS gulf coast. We want MS to get attention too. New Orleanians have always had a love of the MS gulf coast. Many New Orleanians owned homes there, vacationed there, or had friends and family there. It's a close relationship. I just don't want people in MS to look upon New Orleans with any amount of hate or resentment, because we want what's best for them, and we'd like to think that they want what's best for us... and I'm sure they do, judging from the help we've gotten from their congressional delegation. We just have a weird situation here that is just dragging out too long... keeping us in the media eye. Lets hope we all get attention, but more importantly, the help we need.

[MiamiensisWx]

Agreed, TSmith274!

[cajungal]

Interesting but sad story. My grandparents, uncle and 10-year old cousin also live in Picayune. They live in the rural country part of Picayne. It is really called Kiln, but their mailing address is Picayune. They evacuated for Katrina. And they were one of the few lucky ones without any damage. I am terribly sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother.

[LaPlaceFF]

Check this out:

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=76841

[MGC]

I recently learned that my son's uncle on my X's side passed away as a result of Katrina. He died on a helo attempting to evacuate him. He was 78, God rest his soul. The most vivid memory of Katrina was the awful stench of death on the Mississippi Coast. I returned Wed after the storm and by Friday or so the stench was horrible.......MGC

[bevgo]

I just wanted to update ya'll... my mother died on Christmas Eve. She just couldn't face life around here anymore. She missed her mother terribly, and the government has done nothing about my grandmother's house at all, even though they promised they would provide the money to repair it. My dad has just been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and he's so depressed over everything, I'm afraid we won't have him much longer, either.

I just don't think life here is worth living anymore.

It seems the rest of the country has forgotten all about Mississippi in all of this, and all you hear on the news is New Orleans, especially since the only local channels we get right now are NO news channels. I'm so sick of hearing about all the problems of NO! At least Mississippi is working to recover- NO is so busy arguing over whose fault everything is, that no one wants to do anything to recover.

I really hope you are doing better. It has been a very difficult time for many and depression caused by the storm and her aftermath is common. Hang in there. My prayers are with you.

I have been very depressed for the past 6 months and cannot seem to shake the feelings. I guess going to my patients homes and hearing the stories as well as having to travel through the devastation daily has something to do with the way I feel.

I was one of the very lucky ones and had little damage here in MS and minimal damage to my house in the NO area. I really bleive my dad who died a little over a year ago was watching over me and my family.

[Lindaloo]

I am not as depressed as I used to be. Well not really depressed, more ticked off than depressed. It was starting to affect everyone around me. I got through it and am starting to feel somewhat normal again. I WAS one of those people that thought nothing could bother me, until Katrina.

I used to walk the beach here all the time or just take a ride by the beach. I have not really been down there since right after the storm.

[brunota2003]

sorry...but I have to say this, it isnt NO's residents faults though, its the media's, everytime I hear a news article on the radio or read one it seems like only NO got effected, nothing outside of the city limits got affected at all...Katrina formed over NO and died over NO...at least according to the news media that appears what has happened...I really feel for you guys in areas that got just as hammered, but the media downplayed what happened in your areas...and anyone heard anything from Waveland or Gulfport recently? I havent heard a peep from there since Mark was last there...some 4 or 5 months ago...

[bevgo]

Lindaloo--anger is a sign of depression. I am happy you are feeling better though. Pascagoula was hit harder than most think. I am there almose every day and see the destruction. It is really heartbreaking.

[Lindaloo]

Lindaloo--anger is a sign of depression. I am happy you are feeling better though. Pascagoula was hit harder than most think. I am there almose every day and see the destruction. It is really heartbreaking.

Okay. I did not know that. People changed around here after Katrina, I guess in the same way I did. No one was friendly anymore, no patience. No waving at each other. Now we have anger towards all these illegals and crazies that are flocking here. I wish they would all leave! And no offense to my Texas friends here, but I am sick of seeing these "Texas Truck" tags around here driving like maniacs. Most of them are Mexicans and they are the most rudest people I have ever experienced. I had one literally come to a dead stop trying to make me rear end him. He got out of the truck and threw his arms up saying "What the &@#! do you want?" I was livid! Thank God there was a cop that saw it. He blocked the truck in and arrested them. They were illegals driving a damn stolen truck! They almost forced me off the road in the turning lane and I just honked my horn to let the idiots know I was there and that was what I got. He better be glad I did not have my gun!

[beachbum_al]

A lot of towns (Pascagoula being one of them) are the hidden towns that the media doesn't talk about. Yes, they got hit hard! Very hard! There are so many areas that I haven't heard about...how they are doing. It seems like all we hear about is NO (no offense to New Orleans natives and survivors) but other towns were hit hard too.