Louisiana writes about the recent spate of severe weather that struck Alabama, Missouri, and Georgia, the baseball team bus crash that killed six young college-aged players, and other things. Her heart is heavy with grief.
Saturday, March 3, 2007, 10:09 a.m., C.S.T.~
Dear Journal~
I am sitting here, thinking about those poor people in Georgia, Alabama, and Missouri, places that were hit with the severe storms of a few days ago. As many as 20 poople total were killed by the tornadoes, including a seven-year-old girl in Missouri. I can't imagine what those poor people must be going through, especially the people of Enterprise, Alabama, where as many as 12 people perished. (The president is there now, surveying the damage, and offering words of comfort to the people.) Especially hard hit was the high school there.
I am also thinking of that baseball team from Ohio who were killed in a terrible bus crash while on their way to a baseball tourney in Florida. As you can imagine, they never made it there. The driver of the bus got confused somehow, and he went off the side of a bridge onto a busy highway. Six people were killed in that crash. Yesterday and the day before was a day of tragedy for the United States; we are all left grieving yet again, wondering why God allows such terrible things to happen.
I am included. I often question God, wondering why He allows tragedy to befall His Children; but we may never know the answer. There is a reason for everything, I believe that with all my heart. I don't understand it (He doesn't expect us to), but one day the Answer will be revealed to us in Heaven.
I know tragedy all too well: tragedy is a familliar (if unwelcome) friend in my life. I have lost all three of my birth children, I have lost a foster daughter to AIDS, I lost my beloved mother to cancer, I lost a sister, a brother-in-law, and two small nieces in a plane crash, and I have nearly lost several of my (adopted) children to different illnesses, accidents, or whatnot. It is the worst thing a parent can ever go through; I wouldn't wish this on my own worst enemy!
Thank God we didn't have any tornadoes here (they went east and south of us), but the tornado sirens were busy going off. We spent a good part of the day in our basement/storm safe room, praying, hoping that we wouldn't get hit. (We didn't.) We did sustain some minor roof damage (shingles blown off by the strong winds) and some minor debris littering our yard, but we sailed through the storms in one piece.
Yesterday at work I was taking care of a few victims of the storm; included in this bunch was a woman who broke her back and mangled her leg (it is fixated); she faces a long (if painful) recovery; there is questions regarding her status whether she will be able to walk again. If she does walk again, it will be a miracle.
The children all "weather"ed the storm, but Ronee' was very scared (she does not like storms in any form; she is a storm phobic!). She also wasn't feeling her best because her joints were hurting her, and all she did was cry until the storms passed. All I could do was try to reassure her and hold her in my arms during the height of the storms. She is fourteen, too old to be scared of storms, but she has a legitimate fear of storms, and they bring out the baby in her.
Johnny, her brother, however, was loving it: he loves storms, and he wanted to go upstairs and watch the action outside; but I told him no. He would probably have gotten blown away from the storm winds. He is in a wheelchair, and there is no telling what may have happened to him had he gone out to watch the storm. It shudders me to think of what could have happened to Johnny! His weather radio kept going off, and if you want to hear one of the worst sounds, it is the weather radio sounding off its alarms. Talk about its own built in chill factor! Goshamighty!!
Opal Lee, Vijay, Emma-Ruth, and Emir, our four newest children, were as terrified as the majority of us. They probably never experienced tornadoes or severe weather back in their native lands; this was all new to them, and they were scared to death. They all snuggled against me, and they were screaming hysterically. Again, my "protective mother" radar was on full alert: all I could do was hold them and try to reassure them wiht words of comfort.
I am at work as I write this; I am on break, and I am in the cafeteria, eating my lunch and writing on my lap top. I am working the MICU again, and I am taking care of a woman from that storm that hit Enterprise, Alabama. She has two busted legs, a shattered spine, and a head injury: she keeps fading in and out of consciousness. We don't have her name yet; therefore we can't get her medical history. She remains a mystery.
Right now we call her "Jane Doe", as we do all our patients that we know nothing about until we get the information. Like the woman I mentioned earlier, there is question regarding whether "Jane" will ever walk again. (She was flown in last night.)
I work until 3 today, and am off tomorrow through Tuesday. I was supposed to be off today, but they called me in due to the danged nursing shortage. It may look pretty on my paycheck, but boy, are these extra hours ever hard on my body! I am not as young as I used to be; I am feeling it. I will especially feel it tomorrow! *groan!*
Well, Journal, I am going to finish my lunch (have less than a half hour before I get back on the clock) and put this up. I will write in here agian later. Take care and God bless!
(((HUGS))) and love, your friend, Louie May. :( >tears!<
A very tragic day, three of those young men on that Bluffton College bus graudated from the high school in the town where I live and went to school with my oldest grandson...all three of them survived with injuries...our hearts go out to the other families
love and peace, Carole
Another real life letter examining the world of reality around the characters in the story. Sad current affairs but with hope things will always get better.
One does wonder why God lets things happen.. All things are in his hand, and there is a reason, and as we ponder the whys and wherefores, we can not even begin to fathom it all. Great Write Karen!..........M
Reviewed by d. k
3/3/2007
Excellent recount of the recent events that have happened, written with such heart! That's alot of tragedy for anyone to deal with at one time. Your writing hits the soul!
As with Mother Theresa, God must love you Karen for entrusting you with so much responsibility to ease pain. Thank you for sharing this story. I am very glad to have known you, even if I will never have a chance to meet you. More blessings to you.
Rovella is a beautiful woman with a cold heart whom blames herself for an unfortunate old family secret that is literally ruining her life. This secret impedes a gorgeous woman from having happiness in her childhood, and throughout her life. Dark sec
