Thursday, May 20, 2010

After the Storm

(This is part two of our tornado story. I recommend that you first read my last entry, Tornado!)


There, in the darkness of our small bathroom in the middle of our house, silence was golden! We hoped that silence meant the tornados were gone; but without power we had no way of getting vital information. We crept out of the bathroom and through the hall; it was immediately evident that something major had happened! Inside, our walls were in tact and things were in place; we could hardly see out the windows of our house because they were steamed up and covered with small bits of debris.

Closer to the windows, it was obvious that the green (foliage) was lower then it was supposed to be. In fact, nothing seemed to be as it should be. I couldn’t see what was wrong exactly, that is, until we opened the doors! Shock was the only word for what we saw! Shock, because we were not expecting it.


The front yard was scattered with black and white debris, which eventually visualized in our
brains as our roof shingles and vinyl siding. Trees were down everywhere and tree branches intertwined with resemblances of our porch furniture and lawn ornaments. Our white picket fence and arbor were leaning to the east and decorated with smashes of our heavy wood Adirondack chairs, while little angels, more roof tiles and white siding lay torn around the fence posts.

Out back, my once shade-laden coffee patio and terraced landscaped living areas were now hidden under a blanket of fallen trees. On the southeast corner of the hill,
rising from a newly unearthed pile of dirt, was a large tree trunk sprawling with fingerlike roots in the air. Beneath the uprooted tree, rose the feet of my little boy and girl statues, who had the unfortunate fate of being buried head first in the dirt. The aroma from my herb garden smelled fresh and yummy, as if parts of it were freshly picked.


After a quick check on our neighbors and another round
of warning sirens, we wandered around lost in our own yard. Eventually, Jeff began checking the damage to the structure and integrity of the house, while I assessed the fallen trees and ruins of my outdoor paradise. One look was enough for Susan; she wanted none of it! She said a few choice words and went directly back inside to sit in her rocking chair. Helicopters began immediately flying overhead and emergency vehicles appeared shortly thereafter. Cars driven by family and friends of those living in the ‘tornado zone’ began appearing, followed shortly by insurance adjusters, contractors and shysters.

It seems that what makes this type of thing so
difficult at first is the suddenness of it all. You close a door and open it moments later to a changed worldI felt like we were Peter, Susan and Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia. They had hidden inside a dark wardrobe and found a secret door in the back. Passing through it led them into Narnia, a new world of odd and exciting things. Although this new view of mine was not awesome or wonderful and I saw no talking animals, it was however, filled with unusual things to discover. My mind hardly had time to switch gear, so the first hour or more was simply spent wondering around in disbelief assessing the damage.


Eventually our minds dealt with the shock, making room for reality. Jeff began making what would turn into days of calls to insurance companies, businesses, contractors and suppliers. About two hours after the tornado had hit, police in cars appeared with bullhorns checking on people. “Is everyone there okay?” they shouted. We gave the thumbs up. We felt blessed- we were alive! “I am putting yellow tape on your mailbox. Please don’t remove it.” He echoed from his bullhorn. Then, off to the next house he went, until everyone on our country cul-de-sac was accounted for.

I woke up the morning after the storm- reorienting my brain... “Your house was hit by a tornado, Karen! There is chaos outside!” I found it hard to believe all over again. This post-tornado week has been filled with power company trucks trying to restore electricity, tree trimmers trimming along the power lines, police cars guarding the neighborhoods from those who don’t belong, strangers wanting jobs and handing out business cards,and contractors on roofs and ladders. The sound of generators running has become familiar all over again. It doesn't seem so long ago that the ice storm took out our power and running water for ten days. We are building on what we learned back then. Oh, and those oil lamp I was filling the day of the tornado have been a great blessing.

As you can imagine, the chaos of it all has caused Susan to be more confused then ever. In fact, the talk everywhere of tornados has caused her to wonder when it is expected. She has no memory that she already survived the real thing (an F4), although she definitely seems more scared of the word ‘tornado’. I believe the trauma made her worse; she isn’t handling it well. Her favorite things to do this week are sleeping and praying.

One week to the day after the tornado hit, volunteers from Jeff’s work showed up to help out! They spent an afternoon with chainsaws and gloves removing most of the downed trees! Again, we were blessed and extremely grateful. There is no doubt that God has walked with us in the midst of the storm! And guess what? At the end of the storm, there was a rainbow! It stretched its spectrum of color in the distant sky so wide that it seemed to encompass our lives in the promise it reflected. Thank you, thank you, Lord of All!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Tornado!!


We were hit by a F4 tornado Monday evening! Knowing that the day was a perfect set up for severe weather, I kept an eye on the news throughout the afternoon. Included in my afternoon chores were: filling oil lamps, checking flashlight batteries, moving outdoor objects into secure places, taking down wind chimes and bird feeders and storing water- just in case… As I lined both hallways with pillows and blankets, I explained to Susan that if I asked her to get into the hall, she needed to move quickly. Throughout the day, Susan and I had talked about tornados as we watched the news. Susan’s hope that a nap would take the bad forecast away, did not work.

The local weather forecasters were asking folks to be where they needed to be by five that evening; so when Susan’s nurse called to schedule her visit, I advised her not to show up if the weather was not stable. When Jeff arrived home before three-thirty, we ate an early dinner so that everyone was fed- just in case... After dinner, Jeff decided to take a short nap. Why not? It surely seemed as though I had the latest predictions all under control. I watched as severe storms brewed in northern Oklahoma and far to the west of us. Lucky us, so far no storms seemed to be churning in our part of the state, not yet. I felt rather sure of my interpretations of things after spending the past thirteen years living in the middle of tornado alley.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the weatherman reported that the National Weather Service just issued a tornado warning for Oklahoma County! I heard the sirens sounding outside and reminded Susan that we may need to go into the halls to take shelter soon. Kiara and I touched base over cell phones and laughingly reminded one another of our love.The storm seemed to be on the west side of the city. Since we are on the east side, I figured we had some time. After all, I didn’t want Susan getting bored with hunkering down too soon and leaving in the middle of the real thing; so I waited. Peeping my head into the bedroom, I told Jeff that we were presently under a warning and that I would let him know when it looked bad. I wandered outside to check things out and found myself dancing freely under the brilliantly still perfect sky.


Gliding back into the house where Susan nervously sat watching the forecast, the sound of large hail began hitting the house and bouncing around in the yard. Alarms ringing loudly, Jeff and I went from back porch to front checking the skies. Probably it was the precarious look of the western sky that caused me to finally take Susan to the hall and set her on the pillows and blankets there. I covered her with loads of fluff and asked her to wait until I looked at the sky again. If you are screaming at your computer right now, I hear you, really I do! Yes, we knew we should be hunkered down already, but perhaps we don’t take them as seriously as we should because this is not an altogether rare thing here in tornado alley; or perhaps we are just- well, not very smart.

Either way, Jeff and I stood photographing this dark front as it moved over the trees heading our way. Finally, I think I said something about how idiotic we were and we better head inside quick! Jeff made what turned out to be a brilliant move as he put his key in the door and secured the deadbolt! I began re-covering confused Susan, who lay there yelling for more pillows. Soon, she had all the pillows, leaving Jeff and I with one for each of our heads.

In the hall, everything went dark and silent for about ten seconds. Then, a loud suction noise began gurgling through our pipes. Jeff insisted that we move into the small bathroom right beside us. Susan had no idea what was going on anymore, so we dragged her (with her pillows and blankets) and laid her across the bathroom floor. I felt the walls vibrating as I crouched between the gurgling toilet bowl and my confused mother-in-law! “Karen, duck lower!” I heard my husband command. “I love you, Jeff.” I returned the sentiments. All the while Susan was grumbling about her aching legs and her uncomfortable position. Having quite enough, I impatiently blurted out something like, “Susan, we are trying to save your life here! You are just going to have to keep quiet and be patient!”

We listened as things quieted down, all but Susan that is. It was dark and silent and perhaps it was over, we thought out loud. Suddenly in the background I could hear Mary (my sister in Alabama) on the other end of the cell phone yelling, “No Kare, there are more tornados! We are watching it live right now! Don’t go out there!” Oh yeah, (her voice reminded me)I had called her sometime before we took shelter! I could hear what she was saying, but we didn’t listen. Instead, we did what seemed logical in the midst of ill-logic. We went out!

Cracking the bathroom door open just enough to squeeze through, Jeff exited first and I followed. Around the dark hall corner we crept cautiously. All at once Jeff caught a glimpse out the back window and screamed that we needed to get back in the bathroom because more were coming! It wasn’t until later that he told me that what he saw was streaks of debris flying by the back windows so quickly that everything was unidentifiable!

We again crouched cozily together in the small dark bathroom as the noises returned. Suction- gurgle- deep humming- vibration noises- and Susan’s low-pitched whines! Everything seemed surreal. Finally things calmed down again. This time we waited in the dark, wishing that we could hear a weather report. Mary’s voice was now silenced by the loss of reception sometime during the last whirlwind of activity. Crouched there, we three seemed so disconnected from the rest of the world. There was no way to know what to do next or what was going on out there!

P.S.I will write part two of our tornado story very soon. But as you know, because I am writing this, we are alive and reminded of God’s power and love!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Long Walks


I love long walks; especially long walks in lovely places. Sneaking in a walk these days is as familiar a feeling as the years when my children were small. I dress for my walk early and wait for the right time when Susan is resting in her room. Finally when she is,I take off out the door like a streak of lightning from an impending sky. A storm is brewing and the lightning can’t be stopped.

Today I strolled through my secret garden, simply enjoying the serenity of the seclusion and the new life growing from evey bush and tree. I was amazed to see what surprises were peeping up from the earth to greet me: purple iris', lillies and vinca. Eventually I was in the open field again and discovering little peaches and pears peeking through on the fruit trees. As I walked along the fence line, I impulsively began directing honeysuckle and wild berry vines between the fence wires, twining them in and out like a weaver weaving a basket. Then on the peak of the hill I examine the damage the bucks have done to the pine trees that Jeff and I had planted several years back.

I was lost in my happy peaceful world of nature where I truly commune with my God. There, it is easy to forget that I have things to do inside; I just stroll and hum and dance with the tunes of nature. It was glorious, until quite by accident I caught a glimpse of the back of my house and the shut door! I had left it open, I was sure of it! I love the breeze on a cool day rushing into my house. The closed door was not unlike a flashing red light in the middle of my paradise! It warned me that Susan was up and about and owning the house! When she is alone in the house she rearranges, desanitizes, confiscates, explores and all sorts of things that I don’t even want to know about.

Needless to say, my walk was cut short as I sprinted toward the house and without so much as a slowing down, I leaped through the back door. I immediately spotted Susan rummaging through the kitchen with a napkin ready to be filled with any edible thing she might come across. I looked at the freshly baked banana apple oat muffins! The healthy ones that aren’t as sweet as Susan likes her things. The lid was ajar! No, not my healthy muffins, I pined silently.

It isn’t as though Susan can’t have snacks. She can and she does- plenty of them. It’s just that I like my food in one piece, not touched by others and not already bitten out of. Am I being unreasonable here? In this kitchen, when lids are ajar, the cupboard and floor around them are generally speckled with crumbs. Often the food in the containers are broken, bit, or on the side- that is, if it is still there at all. Go ahead, laugh; I know it’s pretty silly. I really do. I think I should just finish my walk. It will be good for me. In fact, I will! That is, as soon as Susan pretends like she’s sleeping again.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Mama's and The Papa's


We came home to find everyone still alive and getting along rather nicely in our absence. Katrina’s loving care for her Grandmother certainly exceeding my own care for her. In fact, I think Susan enjoyed the change as much as I did! Katrina made delicious meals, bathed Susan, took her on outings and even invited guests into our home.

Of course, Susan did have her moments on the edge, but overall things went splendidly. What would I have done if Katrina could not have come? I really don’t know. I am sure that not having a getaway plan causes burnout to caregivers more then anything else. There needs to be a plan for time out in any job with a high burnout rate. A time of refreshing and renewing of mind, spirit and body. Any caregiver needs to take this seriously and so do those who love them or support them. Thanks Katrina and Kyle for supporting Jeff and me.

True to form, Susan’s antic’s kept humor in the home while we were away. One night in particular, Katrina had dinner guests, including Kyle’s grandparents. Susan enjoyed having visitors and apparently wore her ‘Susie-Q’ face; the pleasant one that brings out her charm and makes her smile a lot at others. She loves nicknames; I think having one for people (or they for her) makes her feel closer to them, like they are close enough to have nicknames.

So on this particular night, when meeting the Grandparents, who are obviously younger then Susan (at least it is obvious to everyone else), she asked them if it would be okay if she called them Mama and Papa!!! I hear that the gracious visitors obliged Susan by telling her that, “yes” she could call them Mama and Papa. The funnies part is that Susan thinks she is much younger then she is, so to her this seemed perfectly appropriate. Besides, Mama and Papa didn’t seem to mind.

(This picture of Susan tells it all, doesn't it?!)