Hurricane Gustav Psyc Impact

Nurses General Nursing

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Latest storm track has Hurricane Gustav, cat 3+, aiming right at New Orleans.:bluecry1:

Our family got clobbered 3 years ago by Katrina and now it looks like the same thing all over again.:down: They live in Slidell.

The family consists of Father and Mother in their 50's, two granddaughters in their 20's in nurses training, and 3 great grandchildren 5 and under.

They are all headed our way here in Texas to safety.:nurse:

Any suggestions as to help them with the stress would be most appreciated--especially for the babies.

Help Please.

Bo

We are grateful that things were not worse this time around! I hope all is well with you and your children. I did have some thoughts that may be helpful for you with your kids.

As the Director of the medical triage unit at the New Orleans Convention Center after Katrina, I experienced something quite profound that changed my perspective. As the father of three, it is something that I'm trying to teach my kids. The victims had two distinguishing characteristics: They believed they were powerless and their focus was on themselves. Those that not only survived but thrived believed the opposite. They believed that they had the power to make a difference and they focused on the needs of others. It may be helpful with your children to celebrate that you had the ability as a family to evacuate and that you were not powerless. Then it may be encouraging for your children to make something for other people that were impacted by the storm.

I will never, ever forget the impact of a man named Augie. He was in the triage unit and had lost everything except for a few bags of stuff. That night he went around with his blankets and covered up all of the elderly folks. Despite his tragic loss he found joy in helping others.

Food for thought. I hope that helps. I have Augie's story in detail posted on my website with his picture. Perhaps your children would be encouraged by it.

I will join the rest of the wonderful folks in this forum in praying for you and your family.

Dan

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Specializes in Tele, Acute.

It's over, back from Birmingham but still in hotel room near Slidell. I still have no power. All is good at home, my son went back yesterday, no damage.

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes, they really helped keep us safe.

Our patients will be back tomorrow so I am ready to go back to work tomorrow night. Packed uniforms and everything before I left town knowing that I would probably have to return to work before I went home. And, I also wanted to have work clothes with me in case I could not get to the house or it got flooded.

I'm ready to go back! The other team has been there since Saturday morning so I know they are ready to go home. Just don't know how many nights I will work in a row. Hopefully things will be back to normal by Monday.

Thanks again for all the prayers.

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Specializes in Psych/Substance Abuse & School Clinics.

God bless you all for your resilience and faith. Prayers continue to go your way, each & everyone.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
We are grateful that things were not worse this time around! I hope all is well with you and your children. I did have some thoughts that may be helpful for you with your kids.

As the Director of the medical triage unit at the New Orleans Convention Center after Katrina, I experienced something quite profound that changed my perspective. As the father of three, it is something that I'm trying to teach my kids. The victims had two distinguishing characteristics: They believed they were powerless and their focus was on themselves. Those that not only survived but thrived believed the opposite. They believed that they had the power to make a difference and they focused on the needs of others. It may be helpful with your children to celebrate that you had the ability as a family to evacuate and that you were not powerless. Then it may be encouraging for your children to make something for other people that were impacted by the storm.

I will never, ever forget the impact of a man named Augie. He was in the triage unit and had lost everything except for a few bags of stuff. That night he went around with his blankets and covered up all of the elderly folks. Despite his tragic loss he found joy in helping others.

Food for thought. I hope that helps. I have Augie's story in detail posted on my website with his picture. Perhaps your children would be encouraged by it.

I will join the rest of the wonderful folks in this forum in praying for you and your family.

Dan

Thank you Dan you really made this man come alive in the story! I wonder how he is today - what he's doing - etc...

It's over, back from Birmingham but still in hotel room near Slidell. I still have no power. All is good at home, my son went back yesterday, no damage.

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes, they really helped keep us safe.

Our patients will be back tomorrow so I am ready to go back to work tomorrow night. Packed uniforms and everything before I left town knowing that I would probably have to return to work before I went home. And, I also wanted to have work clothes with me in case I could not get to the house or it got flooded.

I'm ready to go back! The other team has been there since Saturday morning so I know they are ready to go home. Just don't know how many nights I will work in a row. Hopefully things will be back to normal by Monday.

Thanks again for all the prayers.

Thank God! Thanks for letting us know :)

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...no I'm not a nurse (yet), but I stayed at a Holiday Inn...lol. I want to add that my B/F and I stayed here in New Orleans for the storm. It was rough here. The power in our city and many many other parishes, lost power. Some lost water supply also. They couldn't even flush toilets. The older folks with special needs finally came home yesterday. I know that Sildell, Baton Rouge, Terrebonne, Houmas, and Lafourche were hit the worst. I know there a few more ares hit as bad, but I tell exactly who they are. There is an RN living across the street from us. She was, and still, gone through the entire ordeal. I know she was working her butt off. The local hospitals were running on huge generators. My heart, thanks and prayers go to all the nurses that stand strong during these special times of need. They ARE the heartbeat of America. Thanks again, Sharon

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
...no I'm not a nurse (yet), but I stayed at a Holiday Inn...lol. I want to add that my B/F and I stayed here in New Orleans for the storm. It was rough here. The power in our city and many many other parishes, lost power. Some lost water supply also. They couldn't even flush toilets. The older folks with special needs finally came home yesterday. I know that Sildell, Baton Rouge, Terrebonne, Houmas, and Lafourche were hit the worst. I know there a few more ares hit as bad, but I tell exactly who they are. There is an RN living across the street from us. She was, and still, gone through the entire ordeal. I know she was working her butt off. The local hospitals were running on huge generators. My heart, thanks and prayers go to all the nurses that stand strong during these special times of need. They ARE the heartbeat of America. Thanks again, Sharon

ha ha cute about the Holiday Inn ;)

How can anyone not love Sweetea!

Brave, you two, waiting out the storm. Glad you are ok!

l

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got power back yesterday,

my son [in pineville] still has not had any power since monday

the storm was bad in central la but i can imagine what it was like down south..praise be to God we did have more losses than we did

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Specializes in Tele, Acute.

Got power back yesterday but did not get home until this morning because I did Thur and Fri night at work and stayed in a hotel near by.

Now its time to clean up around here. My son was here the whole time (went to higher ground during the storm).

I have an alligator sitting on the property next door, they named him Bubba! He had a major treat the other day when my neighbors and my son emptied the refrigerators. I bet his belly is so big he can't move. I can see him from my second story deck, as long as I can see him I'm ok. He cannot really get on my property, but I am very cautious. There have been many critters on this bayou since the storm.

Now I'm not running from hurricanes, I'm running from gators. God bless Bubba, he is probably gonna be dinner on someones table soon. Only been out here on the Bayou for a year. Just got finished with the sale of my house in N.O. from Katrina. Still in the process of buying this house I'm living in now. It is a lot of fun here, all friends and some family.

Clean up to will include getting my garden out of my living dining room (mostly large potted plants) it looked like a forest in here when I came home. Gotta get some sleep, will keep posted.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
Got power back yesterday but did not get home until this morning because I did Thur and Fri night at work and stayed in a hotel near by.

Now its time to clean up around here. My son was here the whole time (went to higher ground during the storm).

I have an alligator sitting on the property next door, they named him Bubba! He had a major treat the other day when my neighbors and my son emptied the refrigerators. I bet his belly is so big he can't move. I can see him from my second story deck, as long as I can see him I'm ok. He cannot really get on my property, but I am very cautious. There have been many critters on this bayou since the storm.

Now I'm not running from hurricanes, I'm running from gators. God bless Bubba, he is probably gonna be dinner on someones table soon. Only been out here on the Bayou for a year. Just got finished with the sale of my house in N.O. from Katrina. Still in the process of buying this house I'm living in now. It is a lot of fun here, all friends and some family.

Clean up to will include getting my garden out of my living dining room (mostly large potted plants) it looked like a forest in here when I came home. Gotta get some sleep, will keep posted.

Grandee - Oh, my dear!!! We live in NE Louisiana, and when you mention Bubba, it still makes my hair stand on end!! I was housesitting for my father a few years ago while he was down south in Bogalusa, La visit my aunt and my doggie just went nuts, barking, scratching at something in the laundry room. He never ever did things like that, so I went in to check on the noise. He was an inside dog, and not used to anything, varmit or otherwise that didn't look or smell like him.

As soon as I got to the door and turned the light on, I found what he was barking at - a snake!! And, some women say they don't do windows, well, this girl doesn't do snakes!!!

Couldn't even think of a way to "catch him", PLEEAASSE! I aint going to try to catch him!! So I went with the good old standby, calling the police. I know they were probably chapped, but I did NOT at least call 911. The deputy fro the local SO arrives, not very happy with the call or situation, and found me after that length of time, standing up on the kitchen counter, and my dog actually got up by himself jumping up into a kitchen chair then up on to the kitchen table! It did take a while to find the little sucker, but finally removed him from the premises. He said, while trying to catch his breath, that I did the right thing because it was poisonous. In the neighborhood where he lives, right up behind his house, there is a bayou that when it floods, the water can get right up into the back yard.

I'm sure that the S.O. got a good laugh after that call, but like I said, I am not about to try to get rid of that myself!! Bubba would not live long there either - we have had 2 or 3 on our street after a flood back in the early 70s when we had to sandbag.

Don't you love living in Louisiana?!?

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

Hey all - I know one thing, when my s.sons found out they were out of school from Tuesday until next Monday, both boys said, "Oh wow! That's even better than a snowday!" Uh, OH!!! This is SO much worse than anything like that!"

My canine babies are still adjusting to being able to go back outside to potty. They got rotten this week! The mini daschund wants me to hold an umbrella over her while she goes! Below, they are shown enjoying their inside treat!

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in Tele, Acute.

Thanks Anne for the laugh, I needed that. Yesterday, i spent all day cleaning and putting everything back outside. My living room looked like a jungle.

Today, I am cooking a huge pot of Meatballs and Spag, I will bring some over to the hospital because, Like me, thay are sick of fast food.

My room and my car are the agenda for today also.

Bubba is gone, he moved on to the next family that just got home and empting their frig. He is gonna be about 2000# after all that food. However, his in a man and cannot be trusted. :chuckle He will have us for supper If he gets close.:chuckle

Just kidding bout the male thing.

Please keep in touch. You have been wonderful.

Here comes Ike! :eek:

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
He had a major treat the other day when my neighbors and my son emptied the refrigerators. I bet his belly is so big he can't move.

Ooo not a good way to make him leave my dear!!! SCARY!

As soon as I got to the door and turned the light on, I found what he was barking at - a snake!!

YAHHHHHHHHHHH!

Hey all - I know one thing, when my s.sons found out they were out of school from Tuesday until next Monday, both boys said, "Oh wow! That's even better than a snowday!" Uh, OH!!! This is SO much worse than anything like that!"

They will have to make it up, yah?

Today, I am cooking a huge pot of Meatballs and Spag

Ohmigosh, you just got me to salivating, haven't had those kinds of carbs in SOOO LONG! (slurp!)

Glad you all are ok - thanks be to God :)

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