Saturday - October 3, 2015..
Happy Birthday to MEEE!!!
The big 34!
SINCE we knew there was going to be some weather stuff going on with Hurricane Joaquin and some special front/pressure system that was supposed to mix things up for our area, Roger and I went out Friday night so we could be good and hunkered down Saturday and Sunday.
Mom and dad kept Hailee.
She had a ball, of course..
So did we.
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Clearly, from the look on Roger's face.
Then,
Sunday - October 4, 2015
No one was prepared for this.
All of the weather meteorologists had a feeling something catastrophic was going to go down with all the indications and weather patterns (I love me some doppler radar, but I'm no meteorologist...).
It rained.
and it rained.
and rained.
(And its been slightly raining all day today too. We've had dry times but it hasn't completely stopped yet)
it was 6:30 am Sunday morning and I couldn't sleep just thinking about everything.
So I turned on the TV.
Joaquin was heading back out to sea but Charleston was flooding from all the rain coming in from the 2 weather systems wedged in place.
It was like a faucet had opened up and it was pouring water into the midlands.
Like several inches per hour.
Fast.
We had no idea what to expect.
The news coverage was 24 hours straight.
Dams were breaking.
Rivers were breaching their banks.
Homes were flooding.
People were trapped in cars.
People needed to be rescued from cars and homes.
Bridges and roads were crumbling.
Hailee didn't understand why we needed to watch the news constantly and not pay her any attention.
She doesn't get it.
She's 6.
I wonder how much of this she will actually remember.
Because she knew we were safe.
We were okay.
Even though so many others are not..
You have probably seen the pictures.
I stayed in my home.
Where it was dry, warm, safe.
People were losing electricity.
Water lines were bursting.
The water outside wasn't safe.
The water inside wasn't safe.
People were still trying to drive around amidst the horrific flooding.
County wide curfews were issued.
First Responders worked tirelessly day and night, trying to rescue and make sure everyone was safe.
911 calls were completely backed up.
People that worked in the hospitals had to stay there, not leaving, sleeping and keep on working.
(I was there last year during the huge winter storm, I know..)
The Governor closed all Schools and government offices Monday.
We were in a state of emergency.
OPCON 1.
Full fledged emergency.
Emergencies that disaster personnel prepare for.
Drill for and train for.
Everyone was urged to stay indoors.
Huge interstates have been shut down.
Back roads have been completely broken up.
Our ground and soil was not ready for this.
A thousand year event.
Devastating rainfall.
Just watching the news was heartbreaking.
Not even 10 miles away, people were losing everything they had.
We never so much as had a big puddle on our street through this whole thing.
And peoples homes are destroyed.
Not even 25 miles away stores and businesses and streets were under water.
Buildings were crumbling.
And it's not over yet.
All the rivers haven't even crested yet.
Just a few hours ago, there was another mandatory evacuation like 25 miles from where we live.
Another dam had been breached.
More lives were in danger.
So far, I think I read there have been 5 weather related casualties.
And it's not over yet.
People are going to have to start going back to work.
Cleaning up.
Reorganizing chaos.
Hailee's school is out again Tuesday (tomorrow).
Some of the schools are serving as temporary shelters for those displaced.
I don't know how many have officially been put out of their homes, but any number is a bad number.
I cannot even imagine.
Losing everything.
We still have a warm, dry home.
Groceries in the fridge that I can make meals.
Clothes.
Beds, bathrooms, running water, electricity...
A car that wasn't damaged from flood water..
Clean water.
But that can change instantaneously.
And it's not over yet.
Praying for all that have lost and for all we have yet to face.
Roger and I are going to try to work tomorrow.
I have patients to see whom I've been worrying about all weekend long.
Patients who I cannot even get to because all of the bridges leading into Columbia have been shut down.
Hopefully they will be open soon.
And I'll see my Lexington peeps tomorrow if the roads are clear.
Grandparents are on the stand-by in case Roger has to go rush out to plumbing problems (which I'm sure there will be many).
So, so thankful for all we have during this sad time.
Happy Birthday to MEEE!!!
The big 34!
SINCE we knew there was going to be some weather stuff going on with Hurricane Joaquin and some special front/pressure system that was supposed to mix things up for our area, Roger and I went out Friday night so we could be good and hunkered down Saturday and Sunday.
Mom and dad kept Hailee.
She had a ball, of course..
So did we.
Clearly, from the look on Roger's face.
Then,
Sunday - October 4, 2015
No one was prepared for this.
All of the weather meteorologists had a feeling something catastrophic was going to go down with all the indications and weather patterns (I love me some doppler radar, but I'm no meteorologist...).
It rained.
and it rained.
and rained.
(And its been slightly raining all day today too. We've had dry times but it hasn't completely stopped yet)
it was 6:30 am Sunday morning and I couldn't sleep just thinking about everything.
So I turned on the TV.
Joaquin was heading back out to sea but Charleston was flooding from all the rain coming in from the 2 weather systems wedged in place.
It was like a faucet had opened up and it was pouring water into the midlands.
Like several inches per hour.
Fast.
We had no idea what to expect.
The news coverage was 24 hours straight.
Dams were breaking.
Rivers were breaching their banks.
Homes were flooding.
People were trapped in cars.
People needed to be rescued from cars and homes.
Bridges and roads were crumbling.
Hailee didn't understand why we needed to watch the news constantly and not pay her any attention.
She doesn't get it.
She's 6.
I wonder how much of this she will actually remember.
Because she knew we were safe.
We were okay.
Even though so many others are not..
You have probably seen the pictures.
I stayed in my home.
Where it was dry, warm, safe.
People were losing electricity.
Water lines were bursting.
The water outside wasn't safe.
The water inside wasn't safe.
People were still trying to drive around amidst the horrific flooding.
County wide curfews were issued.
First Responders worked tirelessly day and night, trying to rescue and make sure everyone was safe.
911 calls were completely backed up.
People that worked in the hospitals had to stay there, not leaving, sleeping and keep on working.
(I was there last year during the huge winter storm, I know..)
The Governor closed all Schools and government offices Monday.
We were in a state of emergency.
OPCON 1.
Full fledged emergency.
Emergencies that disaster personnel prepare for.
Drill for and train for.
Everyone was urged to stay indoors.
Huge interstates have been shut down.
Back roads have been completely broken up.
Our ground and soil was not ready for this.
A thousand year event.
Devastating rainfall.
Just watching the news was heartbreaking.
Not even 10 miles away, people were losing everything they had.
We never so much as had a big puddle on our street through this whole thing.
And peoples homes are destroyed.
Not even 25 miles away stores and businesses and streets were under water.
Buildings were crumbling.
And it's not over yet.
All the rivers haven't even crested yet.
Just a few hours ago, there was another mandatory evacuation like 25 miles from where we live.
Another dam had been breached.
More lives were in danger.
So far, I think I read there have been 5 weather related casualties.
And it's not over yet.
People are going to have to start going back to work.
Cleaning up.
Reorganizing chaos.
Hailee's school is out again Tuesday (tomorrow).
Some of the schools are serving as temporary shelters for those displaced.
I don't know how many have officially been put out of their homes, but any number is a bad number.
I cannot even imagine.
Losing everything.
We still have a warm, dry home.
Groceries in the fridge that I can make meals.
Clothes.
Beds, bathrooms, running water, electricity...
A car that wasn't damaged from flood water..
Clean water.
But that can change instantaneously.
And it's not over yet.
Praying for all that have lost and for all we have yet to face.
Roger and I are going to try to work tomorrow.
I have patients to see whom I've been worrying about all weekend long.
Patients who I cannot even get to because all of the bridges leading into Columbia have been shut down.
Hopefully they will be open soon.
And I'll see my Lexington peeps tomorrow if the roads are clear.
Grandparents are on the stand-by in case Roger has to go rush out to plumbing problems (which I'm sure there will be many).
So, so thankful for all we have during this sad time.