It started early Friday morning. That would be the 11th of August. Carrie had spent the night. My foot surgery was now 3 days in the past and I was mobile by use of a knee walker. Everything I do since that surgery now takes triple time. Carrie and I had rehearsed this new development and she knew she would be responsible for assisting her own school preparations. I had her lay out her school uniform, her socks, shoes and backpack. We were prepared.
Friday morning and as planned, I rolled to her bedroom on the knee scooter and roused her to start her day. Carrie is very compliant. She dressed, refused breakfast and grabbed her book bag and lunch bag as we headed for the car. Standing in the carport, we looked out into the pouring rain. Of course my car was not on the carport but parked out in the rain.
Getting into the car was going to take some effort. I would have to roll myself to the passenger side, get the door open, maneuver the scooter as close to the passenger seat as possible, slide off the scooter on one leg, hoisting that leg over the scooter while picking up my useless left foot and dragging it into the car all the while the rain is a deluge. This wasn't going to go well. Carrie had already unlocked the car and tossed in her book bag and lunch bag while trying to keep dry beneath an umbrella she grasped in one hand. Unsuccessful attempt at keeping dry, we decided to go back into the house and discuss a new plan of action while she got a new uniform shirt and relief herself of the drenched one she now wore.
By this time, I was contemplating just skipping the whole school experience. The husband walked into the room and announced that all the Lafayette Parish schools were closed. Carrie was back into her pajamas and settled in with the laptop before I could get my one shoe off. (I can't wear a shoe on the surgery foot side).
It rained and rained and rained. Throughout the day, into the night and the next day, the rain came down. This rain was not in droplets but in sheets. The coolies filled up, the road became invisible and the water crept toward homes and businesses. Reports were coming in of houses inundated with water. Eight inches in the homes, then 3 ft. with automobiles submerged and power lines down and the rain kept coming down.
What started Friday has now maintained it's grip on the southwestern part of Louisiana. Homes are ruined. It appears this is an historic flood, not seen since the early 40's. Records are being broke for water levels and flood levels.
We are mostly home bound with most of the roads in the area closed and impassable. The local TV stations broadcast videos of all the water and where shelters are open.
I watched as boats went in to the big new hotel on Pinhook Street to rescue the people staying there. The cars they used to get to shelter from this storm were now only visible by the rooftops. The locals were floating toward the hotel in their boats to rescue.
By Sunday the streets were lined with household furnishings, slabs of broken soaked sheetrock which once defined living spaces in the houses that flooded. Mattresses, sinks, cabinets and clothes left in waist high piles; boats and canoes beached now that only yesterday were pulling people from their homes, the cleanup has begun.
Carrie will be spending the next days In my home. The daughter's home and car were underwater. I mourn the fact that I cannot be much help to anyone during this time. I'm bound to the knee scooter waiting for healing from foot surgery. I watch the news reports and view the devastation around me while being extremely thankful my home stayed dry.
FEMA has already been activated and daily notices of the parishes awarded help has been broadcast informing flood victims of where to find help. It's going to be a touch couple of months coming up for the town of Lafayette and the state of Louisiana because the Rain Came Down.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
It's Been A While
Well, Good morning! I can't remember the last time I posted anything or what the last thing discussed on this blog.
I'm sitting here in an almost reclined position, my left foot elevated on a pillow per doctor's orders. Today marks seven days since surgery and seven days of being grounded. I'm not allowed to stand on that foot. No weight baring at all for six weeks so I have five more weeks of scooting around.
A friend loaned me a knee scooter which is now my main means of transportation. It's much easier then using crutches and I can sail quickly across the tile floors in this house. Getting into the bathrooms, which are small, is accessible with my little purple scooter. I have the laundry room sink set up to wash my hair in the double sink there. Toothpaste and toothbrush sit beside the single large stainless steel sink. The faucet at that sink pulls out and allows me to kneel on my scooter, lean in to the sink and wash and rinse my hair. The office bathroom is used for toileting and the hall bathroom for bathing. A shower chair dominates the tub where I can scooter in to it, and sit on the edge while pulling myself across it and into the tub. The shower head detaches allowing me to control the flow of water. As soon as I get onto the shower chair, I use a white garbage bag to encase my cast. Getting the wound wet at this stage is a big no-no. Should that happen, I've been instructed to contact the surgeon's office ASAP. We don't want any chance of infection to occur and nasty stuff can grow in wet, warm and enclosed areas. A doctor's appointment has been scheduled for the 17th of this month. Hopefully the cast will be removed and a boot applied. I won't be allowed to walk but at least I can remove the boot for showers and when I'm not up and about on the scooter.
About that surgery thing. I had a retrocalcaneal reduction with Achilles tendon repair. Basically another bone spur grew out the BACK of my heel into the Achilles tendon. The tendon has to be detached, the calcaneal has to be shaved down which removes the spur and the Achilles has to be reattached. A popliteal block was used during surgery which kept the leg from the knee to the foot totally numb for 24 hours. I had to take very little pain meds!
The Achilles has a poor blood supply so keeping it elevated is critical to decrease swelling so the area can get maximum blood flow for healing and I want this surgery to be successful. I had this same surgery a few years ago on the right foot. I'm sure there is a blog on here somewhere about it.
Currently, I'm watching the Olympics and the election. Donald Trump provides a comedic view of politics and is most entertaining. I still believe, as I did at the beginning of his appearance on the political stage, this is all shtick. I find it hard to believe that this man really believes any of what he says. I've always thought he says outrageous things and tries to best himself in crudeness as a pawn of the Democratic party. I've always believed, also, that he works for the DNC. I believe that the blue collar workers have bought his act hook, line and sinker and that he is "one of them", this man that was raised so far away, above and beyond any blue collar worker; is clueless to their plight and their struggle. His lack of political correctness appeals to their base instincts..something I will never believe he actually lives but understands and preys upon that.
Today I pull myself away from my sofa; the anchor of my past week. I'll get a shower soon and get dressed. That sounds like such a menial task but to me it takes time and planning.
The click, click of my scooter as I roll around the house, maneuvering around the furniture, rolling forward, backward and sidling up to objects, announces my passage. I'm out of here to start my day.
I'm sitting here in an almost reclined position, my left foot elevated on a pillow per doctor's orders. Today marks seven days since surgery and seven days of being grounded. I'm not allowed to stand on that foot. No weight baring at all for six weeks so I have five more weeks of scooting around.
A friend loaned me a knee scooter which is now my main means of transportation. It's much easier then using crutches and I can sail quickly across the tile floors in this house. Getting into the bathrooms, which are small, is accessible with my little purple scooter. I have the laundry room sink set up to wash my hair in the double sink there. Toothpaste and toothbrush sit beside the single large stainless steel sink. The faucet at that sink pulls out and allows me to kneel on my scooter, lean in to the sink and wash and rinse my hair. The office bathroom is used for toileting and the hall bathroom for bathing. A shower chair dominates the tub where I can scooter in to it, and sit on the edge while pulling myself across it and into the tub. The shower head detaches allowing me to control the flow of water. As soon as I get onto the shower chair, I use a white garbage bag to encase my cast. Getting the wound wet at this stage is a big no-no. Should that happen, I've been instructed to contact the surgeon's office ASAP. We don't want any chance of infection to occur and nasty stuff can grow in wet, warm and enclosed areas. A doctor's appointment has been scheduled for the 17th of this month. Hopefully the cast will be removed and a boot applied. I won't be allowed to walk but at least I can remove the boot for showers and when I'm not up and about on the scooter.
About that surgery thing. I had a retrocalcaneal reduction with Achilles tendon repair. Basically another bone spur grew out the BACK of my heel into the Achilles tendon. The tendon has to be detached, the calcaneal has to be shaved down which removes the spur and the Achilles has to be reattached. A popliteal block was used during surgery which kept the leg from the knee to the foot totally numb for 24 hours. I had to take very little pain meds!
The Achilles has a poor blood supply so keeping it elevated is critical to decrease swelling so the area can get maximum blood flow for healing and I want this surgery to be successful. I had this same surgery a few years ago on the right foot. I'm sure there is a blog on here somewhere about it.
Currently, I'm watching the Olympics and the election. Donald Trump provides a comedic view of politics and is most entertaining. I still believe, as I did at the beginning of his appearance on the political stage, this is all shtick. I find it hard to believe that this man really believes any of what he says. I've always thought he says outrageous things and tries to best himself in crudeness as a pawn of the Democratic party. I've always believed, also, that he works for the DNC. I believe that the blue collar workers have bought his act hook, line and sinker and that he is "one of them", this man that was raised so far away, above and beyond any blue collar worker; is clueless to their plight and their struggle. His lack of political correctness appeals to their base instincts..something I will never believe he actually lives but understands and preys upon that.
Today I pull myself away from my sofa; the anchor of my past week. I'll get a shower soon and get dressed. That sounds like such a menial task but to me it takes time and planning.
The click, click of my scooter as I roll around the house, maneuvering around the furniture, rolling forward, backward and sidling up to objects, announces my passage. I'm out of here to start my day.
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