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Dear Bill and Family: A Letter From Louisiana In Sri Lanka by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Rated "PG" by the Author.
Louisiana, now in Sri Lanka, emails her family on her way home from her first day at work.
Wednesday evening, January 12, 2004, Sri Lanka time~
Dear Bill and Precious Family~
I was so happy to get your email; but I was sorry to hear that your computer (okay, OUR computer!) was starting to act up. Hopefully, the problems will resolve themselves soon; if not, you can always call our computer service man, or you can get one of our more "computer-savvy" children to look at it! But I AM happy to say that your letter DID go through; I got it, and when I got on my laptop, it was waiting for me. Thanks for writing!
Bill, you can't believe the damage that has happened here on account of the recent tsunami/earthquake disaster: it looks just like a nuclear war zone, and there are so many people who are walking aound in a daze. A lot of them seem to have lost loved ones, and even their homes or prized possessions, and they are understandably in a great deal of profound shock or disbelief. The hot, humid air is heavy with the smell of dirt, disease, and decay, and the smell of death assaults the very air we breathe. The stench is unimaginable. I just got off my first day from working here, and I am currently riding an old, rickety bus that's traversing a rickety, debris-laden dirt road to my place to where I (and my fellow workers) are staying for the duration that we are here. (I went in at five this morning; it's now four thirty p.m. here, and it was quite rough. So many broken hearts, so many broken spirits--you just can't imagine what these people are going through! The pain and horror are so unreal!!)
I took care of a woman (her name is Adhita Roy) who lost both of her sons (Vijay, aged 10, and little Ravi, who was only five), and she still doesn't know the fate of her husband: she doesn't know if he is alive or dead. Adhita has a raging case of viral pneumonia, and her one leg appears to have a nasty infection; and she is in a great deal of pain. She is only forty years old, but she is so tiny: so thin, so wasted; it's like she has no meat whatsoever on her bones! We are trying to give her some oxygen, so she can breathe easier, but she keeps pulling off the mask, and she has also managed to pull out the nasogastric tube in her nose twice. If she doesn't stop it we may have to resort to tying her hands, so she doesn't dislodge the tubes. She also has a heart monitor on, and she's managed to pull off the wires (and setting off the alarms on the EKG, scaring us halfway to death!). She knows about her two sons, and it seems all that she has done so far since then is cry; and it is absolutely heartwrenching! (It turned out that the one son was alive when he was brought into the sick bay, but then he arrested, and CPR and other rescue measures couldn't bring the little boy back; and Adhita was there to witness the whole thing. She has been inconsolable ever since.) Adhita's story is but one of many, and it is enough to cause the tears to prick at my own eyes yet again.
This morning (about two thirty or so), I was rudely awakened by the sensation of something moving around in my mouth, and when I went to spit out whatever it was that was in my mouth, I was horrified to see this big...black...BEETLE! There was this...THING...in my mouth, and I guess it must have crawled in there while I was asleep. Needless to say, I got sick right then and there...it was disGUSTing! >cringing at the thought< Ever since my "post-midnight snack", my stomach has been jumpy and I haven't been able to get back to sleep; and I am now so tired I am about to fall right on over! But at the same token, I am half afraid TO fall asleep, for fear that another bug may crawl into my mouth while I am asleep! EWW, EWW, EWWW!! >cringing again<
Besides Adhita Roy, I am taking care of a little girl who was brought into our sick bay unconscious. When we examined her, we were dismayed to find out that she is in a coma. She can't be more than three years of age at the very most, and she appears to be more dead than alive; yet I know she is alive because she has responses to deep pain stimuli, and her little chest rises and falls with each breath from the ventilator that is currently assisting her breathing. We don't know anything about her--her name, her age, or where she is from--, but we are hoping and praying that she pulls through. Until then, all we can do is wait, hope, and pray that the little one doesn't have any physical or brain damage.
As you can see, work is stressful at best, but we are trying to help people who are in need (only made worse by the disaster that has struck the land). I am just glad that we have Venkatesh Arjuwal here to help translate for us who don't speak (or understand) Hindi or Sri Lankan. He is a Godsend, and he too is overcome with emotion, as these are HIS people. To see them suffering so only upsets him greatly; it upsets each and every one of us.
But on to much pleasant, happier things: I was happy to hear that Ronee' made it through "the cut". That is terrific news!! I am sure she is relieved that the auditions are overwith and done! Please, by all means, let me know IMMEDIATELY as soon as you find out anything! I wish I could have been there to support her, cheer her on, but I am sure that Ronee' had enough "familial support" with you guys there! (What song did Ronee' sing, and did she look nice? I bet she was one of the best ones there! [But then I CAN say that; I am her MOTHER, for gosh sakes!])
Has Johnny still been acting bored or jealous towards Ronee'? I honestly don't know what is going on between him and Ronee', but I pray (and hope) that it stops SOON! Johnny and Ronee' used to be the best of frieds besides brother and sister: now it seems that any little thing can get them to become so angry at one another!!
I am so worried about Johnny: he seems so sensitive in nature, and I am worried what would happen if something were to happen to him (or to Ronee'), and how it would affect them. I wish I knew what was going on in his young mind, and he is entering such a difficult period in his life (as if he doesn't have more than enough to deal with now as it is!!)! I wish I could be there right now, so I could give Johnny a reassuring word or a hug!!
Well, honey, I will let you go for now. I just got back to "my home away from home", and considering the circumstances that I am now facing, we will have to learn to make the best of it all and go on. With God's mercy and grace, I know without a shadow of a doubt that we will make it! It is also time that we get something to eat before we go back to doing the same thing all over again tomorrow! I love you all so much, and I miss you more than you will ever know! Please give our children all my love, and give them plenty of Mama-style hugs and kisses! Tell them that I will see them in about a week or so, and I will also see you too! Oh, how I look forward to when we will be in each other's arms again! Please take care, be CAREFUL, and God protect each and every one of you from harm and danger!
~With all my love,
Your loving wife (and mother), Louisiana May. :( >tears< (missing you all so much!) XXXXXXOOOOOOXXXXXOOOOO
They are right the smells and the sights stayed with me and it has been years ago since Camille. You continue to tell this story with a passionate feel for them.
A page-turning novel about a relationship between best friends that is interrupted because of betrayal , deceit, sexual promiscuity and pregnancy happens!
Wednesday evening, January 12, 2004, Sri Lanka time~
