Kait - It's been a couple weeks since you headed back. We are hopeful that things have gone better than anticipated. Please let us know how things are going for you if you pop in here.

Hello again friends. I just got my cable service back yesterday. Have lots to catch up on and so much information to share. But first must catch a little bit of sleep. Working three night shifts (6pm - 7am) at local hospital. Life is very, very different here now. Long stories to follow. Love, Kait

Hi Kait,
It's great to hear from you. Glad to hear that your back working, this might help get a bit of normalcy back after your traumatic experience. You just might be back to planning the kitchen before too long.

Are out of town people coming or even allowed into New Orleans since the Quarter didn't flood? The news seems to be conflicting sometimes, it's hard to believe most of what you hear.

We are looking forward to some antique shopping and visting the D-Day museum again, that is when allowed and when the area can support this. I for one feel that I will definately appreciate more of what our areas have to offer. Sometimes we tend to see the negative aspects of an area which over shadow the positives. Hopefully, as the rebuilding takes effect the positives will grow.
Have a good day.

Kait, glad to see you're back in communication. Your story is still very much on my mind and I'm anxious to hear what it's been like to come back to New Orleans.

Hey Kait! Good to hear you're online and that some aspects of life in NOLA have returned to normal. Working a 13 hour shift sounds awful though. Not quite "laissez les bon temps roulez," n'est ce pas? Still, I bet anything that smacks of normality feels awfully good now.

Hope to hear more from you when you have the time.

Wow! This just appeared on the internet. What a heartbreaking development...

New Orleans hospital staff subpoenaed
57 minutes ago
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Louisiana prosecutors, probing allegations of patient neglect and mercy killing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, have issued subpoenas for 73 employees of a single New Orleans hospital, a spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office said on Thursday.

Kris Wartelle, a spokeswoman for Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti, said the subpoenas were issued on Tuesday in a bid to compel doctors, nurses and others at Memorial Medical Center to speak to investigators.

A representative of the now-shuttered Memorial could not be immediately reached for comment. A spokesman for hospital owner Tenet Healthcare also could not be immediately reached.

Prosecutors had previously delivered a search warrant and removed files from the hospital, where 34 patients died during Katrina.

Dallas-based Tenet has said the company believes as many 11 patients on the Memorial campus had died before the hurricane but could not be removed before the storm hit.

Witnesses have said conditions at Memorial quickly deteriorated as temperatures soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degree Celsius) inside the building and the sanitation system broke down.

CNN has cited a doctor at Memorial Medical as saying discussions of euthanasia had taken place there, although he said he never saw it performed.

Over 200 patients in nursing homes and hospitals died in the chaotic aftermath of the August 29 storm and several full-scale criminal investigations are underway.

The Louisiana Attorney General's office is examining allegations ranging from abandonment of patients to euthanasia at six hospitals and 13 nursing homes in the state.

Kait,
I just started a post, and it disappeared somewhere !! Who knows, this may show up twice !!

I was glad to see your update -- I think of you and your harrowing experience often -- The things you went through are mind-boggling beyond comprehension -- just so very haunting --

I hope that in some way you're able to acquire a sense of normalcy and inner peace, although your new "normal", I'm sure, will be so different from anything you could have ever imagined --

Please continue to post your updates when you have a chance -

Sending good thoughts your way always --
Chris

Kait,
Great to hear from you! Stay well and keep in touch.

Hello good friends. Thank you so much for the encouraging words. It's hard to even know where to begin.....for the New Orleans area is truly a "war zone". Fully 80% of the city is devastated - meaning the houses had 5-10+ feet of water inside them - and this water stayed there for 3-4 weeks. Some of them were re-flooded by hurricane rita. This water not only destroyed homes, it killed all of the grass, landscape, and most of the trees. It looks like it was bombed. You just cannot even imagine how widespread and total this disaster is until you are on the ground driving through the city and seeing it for block after block, mile after mile after mile. Some of these areas cannot even be rebuilt, they will have to be bulldozed. The pictures on TV cannot capture the scope of it. My childhood home had water OVER THE ROOF TOP!

I am in a neighborhood called "Old Metairie" just 1/2 mile from the city. About 30% of the people in this area had at least 2-5 feet of water in their homes (many are just a block away from me!). These houses can be repaired/rebuilt. We have many grocery stores/small shopping centers/restaurants etc. that are open now with limited hours - usually 8am - to about 7pm. My sister lives about 2 miles from me and she had 4 ft of water in her newly renovated house that she has only lived in for two years. My brother lives in Mississippi and had 22 ft of water. Yes, you read that right: twenty-two feet. His house is between the Gulf of Mexico and the Jordan River, about 4 miles from the water front, but the storm surge was that huge! His house is built on 10 ft pilings, first story has 12 ft ceilings and the water line just touched that ceiling. He was able to save many things from the second floor - everything below was lost. I have several cousins who lived right on the coast (200-300 feet from the water)and their houses are completely gone - meaning there is no structure remaining - just vacant lots. These were huge, well built, older homes. I have at least 20 aunts & uncles & cousins who have lost their homes, almost all of them beyond repair. Almost half of the people I worked with have had water or extensive damage to their homes.

- Being interrupted by unexpected guests, but this is now considered a luxury and a happy occurrence in a city that has lost about 70% of it's occupants! Will continue in next post. Kait

OY cup--Kait, I'm so sorry to read this development...

Kait - This tragedy has been so horrendous. You really bring it to life for us, much more than the news stations. I can't speak for everyone else, but I think of you often since you left Michigan, and really hoped things would go better than anticipated.

I'm so sorry to hear about all the suffering your family has endured. I can't imagine the grief of having your familiar places changed so dramatically. Try to hang in there, and keep us posted when you can.

Kait - my prayers are with you and your family, friends, and neighbors.

Back again. Hardly know where to begin or continue. This is the prevaling sentiment in New Orleans. It is amazing, but people are still somewhat "in shock" here. In fact, I think the depression is worse now.....as the reality of this situation sinks in day after day. Most of my relatives have decided not to rebuild/return to Louisiana. They young ones have been transferred with their companies. The older ones just can bear to deal with the long process. The rest of us are living with the terrible uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring. The big debate here is "should we move away or wait for the rebuilding - and can we really rebuild an entire city?"

The big news this week is that the Army Corps of Engineers said they built the sub level of the levees down to 17 feet. Sonar tests done by the investigators say they are only at 10 feet!! And they are sitting in peat soil, not in solid ground. The citizens are outraged. A meeting of the American Institute of Architects was held here this week and the chief engineers took tours through the old neighborhoods; they were stunned by what they saw and some actually wept. The only solution is to have a completely new levee system capable of withstanding a category 5 hurricane. Without it, I can't imagine anyone wanting to rebuild. Now we have to wait for the final word from Washington.

Meanwhile, we all just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Taking it day by day. I am working again 3 days a week at another hospital. Several are open here, but only on a very limited basis. Anyway, I am so grateful to have a job and my home. A lot of people don't have either one. I do not have the answers yet to what the future has in store for me. I'm going back to my DD in Michigan for Thanksgiving, and fully expect to hear all the pleas for me to move up there. I just can't bear to make those kinds of decisions yet. Maybe after the new year, I'll have more clarity. Thanks for listening. Kait

Kait,So sad to hear about the state of the state in NOLA.I think you're right to let time tell if you'll stay or go.I beleive NO will be rebuild, and be stronger and better then ever before, but it will take a very long time.As a native you have a special obligation to stay and preserve the flavors and traditions of one of our countries most elite cultural centers.NO has made more contributions to food, music and culture then any American city it's size.It breaks my heart when I see it's native sons and daughters being scattered across the country. With each family/musician/chef not returning a part of that unique fabric is torn apart and can never be rewoven quite the same.

You have to do , what is best for you and your personal life, and with so much of your family gone it would be tempting to just leave, but if you're brave enough to stay and help rebuild such an important American community you'll be making a civic contribution that will last for
(hopefully) centuries. Also your scattered family will always come back to visit you ,as you'll be a beacon of tradition and all that represents "home" for the families that have lost theirs.

Thanks again for checking in and giving us updates, I know this forum cares alot about your plight.You represent the best and bravest and we all care a lot about you.

Hey Kait, I can't even imagine the turmoil you're going through. I wouldn't want to have to make the decisions you're facing.

Years ago I knew a woman whose children convinced her to leave her home in CT to move near them in TX. This woman, like me (and I think you) was very attached to the place where she grew up. It was hard for her to imagine living anywhere else, but she missed her children and grandchildren, too. So she moved to TX with one provision, every year in mid May and mid October she returns to CT for two weeks; in spring to see the trees and flowers blooming and in fall to see the fall foliage.

Perhaps if you decide to move away you can keep in touch by making an annual or semi-annual visit at whatever times of year you always felt most happy in New Orleans.

Kait,
Thank you for your continuing posts that give such a vivid first-hand account of NO. I'm sure that at times you must feel that you're living in a bad dream, that this can't be real. So hard, -- the days, weeks, months ahead for you with just day-to-day living, and then all the decisions on top of that. I can't even begin to imagine so much around me in ruin -- I think this is one of those situations, like in a death, where people are told to not make any rash decisions -- to wait awhile -- that it's impossible to make a life-changing decision when your own life is in such turmoil. Time might help you see the situation more clearly. It's just got to be so hard, though. I think that New Orleans was unique to so many areas, in that whole entire families for generations stayed there, as opposed to so many other parts of the country where pulling up roots and moving across country for job or whatever, separates families time and again. That's one of the things that was so charming about NO -- families, roots, porch sitting --
all of that and more.

You continue to remain in my thoughts so often. As others have said, you, more than any news accounts, have made this come so much more alive. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

God Bless -

Chris

Kait, thank you for reminding us that tho this isn't the Headline du Jour, it's still an ongoing bad dream for the majority of your down in NOLA.

As long as you have some, some, level of 'normality' with a familiar home and work, I think you are wise to take your time and consider your options. I've never lost my home in circumstances as you have but I have been evacuated with no chance of return, and that kind of forced departure leaves a lot of 'what ifs' in one's heart and soul.

You'll know what's right for you when the time is right and ripe. Love and wishes for a Thanksgiving with as much peace as you can have.

I agree - - thanks, Kait, for keeping us updated on something that seems to have fallen off of the radar screens in our short-attention-span society. I can't imagine what it must be like to lose your hometown like this. You are in my thoughts.

I am so glad to see how many of you reading this post care about New Orleans (and me!). And thank you for really "getting it". This is truly a unique and special place - a "faded rose" to be sure, but one with a rich, rich heritage, full of marvelously quirky, talented, soulful people. It's a place steeped in tradition, blessed with a strong sense of community, historic neighborhoods and architecture, we have pots full of the best food this side of heaven, and music to heal the soul. (Anyone see the movie Steel Magnolia's?) For all events, from the cradle to the grave, we have a special ceremony to celebrate it. Where on earth can you find a place that hosts a jazz funeral for the death of it's own city?? With a parade winding itself through the ruins? Perhaps it is lunacy. Perhaps it is magic. I just know, we all want to restore it. And of course, it would be wonderful if our infamous history of corruption and crime could fall by the wayside.....and leave us with only the best of the best. This is proving to be a very painful, and slow process...and we can only hope we'll be led in the right direction.

Well, I am off to Michigan for a much needed visit with DD. As much as I have lost, I also have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. I am still alive, living at home, have a job, some of my friends and family members are returning and rebuilding (while living in FEMA trailers), and I have HOPE. Also, I am so lucky to have this forum to talk to! It's just so nice to hear that "other people from far away" care about my city! So, I especially want to thank everyone in the forum for your kind words and encouragement. It has helped me more than you can know....you've been a big part of the "recovery". I wish each of you a happy, happy Thanksgiving. Love, Kait

Kait, that's a wonderful description of what makes New Orleans, New Orleans. It truly is a place unlike any other.

New Orleans news stories continue to tug at my heart, and the ones concerning Thanksgiving and how it was celebrated by people in New Orleans, and far and wide by the displaced residents of New Orleans, were particularly poignant.

The enormity of the whole situation -- a major American city shut down, a distinct way of life swept away -- is still difficult for me to imagine. And on the one hand when I think of rebuilding my answer is an immediate, "of course" but issues like safety in the face of future hurricanes seem completely unresolved. I can imagine how difficult this makes the decision to stay and rebuild for anyone who lives there.

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and I hope that next year finds New Orleans much more completely on the road to recovery.

Thanks for continuing to share your story.

Kait, thanks again for putting a human touch on this story for those of us who don't know anyone from NO personally. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family, and I admire you for your ability to be thankful while you are going through such turmoil.

Kait, your DD is a very lucky woman to have a mom as unselfish and giving as you. Thank you for keeping us updated. Hope your holiday was warm and wonderful~take good care!

Kait, I've been following your story closely, it is a story very dear to my heart. I know quite a few people going through hurricane issues but you seem to get what is important and what you need to concentrate on! I live in Louisiana about 3 hours due west of NO. Hurricane Rita hit us shortly after Katrina hit you. I can't wait for the day NO is back up and running. We belong to the Sanger Theater and will sadly miss the season this year. Keep your chin up and keep on keeping on! I think of you from time to time and come here to check on you. Glad to see you coming back. I hope you have a great holiday season and if you are ever in my neck of the woods, let me know, we'll do lunch!

I big thank you from me too Kait. Truthfully - I came back to this thread to learn what is happening. Sadly, it seems that it is all but forgotten and we have moved on to other things. I remember hearing how this will be the biggest rebuilding we have ever seen....WELL??? What exactly does that mean? Where's the money? Is it happening? I am not overly religous or anything but - god bless you kait. My MIL is a nurse. You are doing good work under dire circumstances.

Kait,

The other day when Oprah had her Favorite Things show, and was honoring those who did so much through Katrina, I was so hoping you were in the audience !!! When they'd show people in the audience, I thought, Well, maybe that's Kait !! It was just such a heartwarming show, and seeing all those people in the audience ... I just kind of multipled your story over and over again, and tried to understand what they'd been through -- True American heroes !!

As always, I continue to marvel at your strength, your compassion, your wonderful way with words that puts much more depth and meaning into Katrina than we ever could glean
from even the best news reporting.

I'm so reminded .. daily .. of my blessings ..
as I put out my Christmas decorations and think of the special meaning behind so many of them -- what they represent by the people who gave them to me -- the wonderful family traditions they inspire ..
I'm so mindful that I have my wonderful treasures, and so many people don't. Emotions always seem to run higher and deeper through the Holidays -- wonderful times, bittersweet times.

I wish you and yours, and your friends and neighbors ..
a holiday season of comfort and healing .. Just know that so many people are thinking of you, and are so moved by your experiences ..

Blessings to you --
Chris

I just want to make sure this thread doesn't scroll off --

Have been overwhelmed past few weeks with family details. Will give long update soon...lots to share. Kait

Looking forward to the update, Kait.

Am I right in thinking that New Orleans has been more in the national news in the last week or two than it has been recently?

There's the debate about whether or not New Orleans should hold Mardi Gras --there are those who think the city has no business doing this since about 75% of the residents are still unable to return, many because utilities have yet to be repaired in their neighborhoods. and it would be better for the city to put their resources towards getting things fixed, rather than holding a celebration.

There's the continuing debate about levy construction -- how much, how fast, can the city ever truly be protected from a category 5 hurricane even with levys, etc. And the federal government has just kicked in 3 billion for levy construction, I believe.

The escalating cost of rentals in New Orleans. Seems that it was a pretty undervalued rental market before the storm and it is now a more expensive market, which shuts many former residents out.

The number of people who are unable to return to their house, who will end up defaulting on their mortgage because they are unable to carry both the cost of their temporary housing and the housing they can no longer live in.

And I've heard/seen/read lots of others lately.

This whole story continues to amaze me. The thought that such a large and distrinctive American city could be dismantled in a few days' time and (from the looks of things) be radically changed forever is just unbelievable -- I am unable to grasp the enormity of it.

Well it has been a very emotional week for me and my family. We were finally able to hold a funeral service for my beloved (ex) mother-in-law. I'm not sure if this issue has made the national news or not, but over 1,000 people died in the storm and there are still a few hundred "bodies" that have not been released. The identification process has been horrific and painstakingly laborious. They wanted to make absolutely certain that each person was "absolutely and positively identified without any mistakes." Rita died on August 29th, and was finally laid to rest on December 14th. I cannot believe the effort I had to put forth over the past 3-1/2 months to get her back here. My ex-husband is an only child and lives in Nevada, so I have been the one to make the necessary arrangements. I am hoping that this will allow us (especially my DD) to have some closure and healing now. She was such a precious and loving person. Although I have been divorced from her son a long, long time, she and I remained very close and spoke weekly for almost 40 years. My daughter (from her son) was just the apple of her eye. We will all miss her very much. I'm rarely, if ever, ill....but the incredible stres and strain has finally gotten to me and I now have really bad upper respiratory infection for the past several days - had to miss work. I've read through everyone's comments and will post a final Katrina update about New Orleans as soon as I feel better. I have been through a lot of trials in my lifetime, but I have never experienced anything like this. We have had the death of many loved ones, and it is also a death of our city. There was an incredible editorial in the New York Times recently, if anyone else saw it. More soon, Kait.

Kait, thank you for continuing to post. The loss of your mother-in-law was so tragic, and the difficulty you had in securing her remains sounds painful. I hope that knowing she has finally been laid to rest brings you and your daughter comfort.

I hope you're feeling better. You've been thru enough in the last few months without having to deal with illness.

The NY Times editorial you mentioned was excellent. I've linked to it for anyone who'd like to read it.

Here is a link that might be useful: NY Times editorial

Kait, I'm so very sorry you've had such a difficult time trying to give Rita a proper burial. I know she was your exMIL but the your love for her shines through is each of your posts. Obviously she felt the same way about you. I do hope you were peacefully able to lay her to rest and begin the healing process as you mentioned. Grief is difficult enough without having to fight cityhall in the process.

I do hope you're allowing some time and space to care for yourself. Please know that even though we've never corresponded (I don't think we've ever even posted to the same thread) I do think of you and others in your situation frequently. Even those of us who only saw this horrific chain of events on TV will be forever changed.

Take care and be well. Please continue to give us updates. What we hear from you is so much more real than the nightly news.

Kait - I, too, continue to watch for your updates. Your story has really stayed with so many of us, and really makes us realize how much the suffering continues as we go about our "hectic" holiday plans. You have really reminded me how much I have to be thankful for.

Not only have you and DD had the loss of your MIL, but to have to fight to get her a proper burial is unimaginable. Please hang in there. Things have got to get better in the coming months. The strength you have shown from prior to the storm, during the storm and thru today are such an inspiration to me.

Hello again friends,
I am up long after New Year's Eve midnight having one last glass of bubbly, decided to sneak in here and write one last post on this topic.

I am continually amazed by the incredible inpact and scope of hurricane Katrina. We are still riding the roller coaster of hope vs. dispair and uncertainty. There are many signs of rebuilding here, but mostly on the outskirts of New Orleans proper. Many of my friends and coworkers are hopeful of returning to newly rebuilt homes sometime in spring (a fitting renewal!). About 70% of New Orleans proper is still a disaster zone and uninhabitable. Vast areas of the city remain untouched since the storm. The city planning committees (emphasis on pleural) are trying to reach some consensus on a citywide rebuilding plan. There are difficult decisions to be made.....and it is evident that some neighborhoods will have to be bulldozed and made into green space. Of course, there are cries of racism and "classism", but the hard facts are: the earth has no color and money consciousness. Mother nature did not discriminate. Bad land is just that....bad land. I have friends in multimillion dollar homes - and they, like the poor, are going to have to abandon them for the greater good of community safety and cohesiveness. It is so sad, but it is going to be necessary. New Orleans will definitely be a smaller city for a very long time, maybe forever. But smaller can be good, in fact better and definitely safer.

We have come to learn and somewhat adjust to new norms. Such as the Burger King around the corner closes daily at 3:00pm now. We are still without many amenities. So many families had to relocate out of the region (enroll kids in new schools, etc.) and many of them will be returning to us in January. So hopefully this will bring more workers to the area. However, housing is still at an extreme shortage. A small 2BR 1BA apartment can rent for as high as $2000/month. A small 1BR 1BA (and by no means luxury, in fact borderline undesirable) will go for $1000/mo. - there are long waiting lists for these. Many construction workers are actually living in TENTS in designated areas for about $300/mo. Utility bills have DOUBLED in cost. We still have mail delivery problems - I just got a letter dated October 6th! Life on every level is different now. It is surreal.

The failure of our city, state, and federal government to respond appropriately to such a disaster is a disgrace to the whole nation. There was an interesting article in our local newspaper last week about the massive reconstruction program in europe after WWII - the USA donated 13 billion dollars in aid in 1947, which is equal to 100 billion dollars in today's economy. We have allotted 250 billion dollars to the war and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. I do believe congress will apportion more money for us, as well as the Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama coasts (who do not get nearly enough press coverage about their catastrophic loss). And of course, we are praying for a commitment to build the levee system to withstand a category 5 hurricane. I am sure many of you have heard of the scathing reports of the Army Corps of Engineer's criminal negligence in faulty building of the levee system here. There have been many meetings with great engineers from all over the world - taking a look at the magnificent job done by the dutch.

To the average person living here, our daily lives go on and we are picking up the pieces day by day. Those who lost their homes have either temporarily or permanently moved elsewhere. The rest of us here try to support our local economy, neighbors, friends, and families. Every time a local grocery store, restaurant, or shop opens up for business again, a long line starts to form outside. Strangers hug each other, pats on the back, and greetings of "welcome back" abound. We are resilient, and not as foolhardy as we are portrayed. Although I personally think having Mardi Gras this year is probably not the best thing to do. It brings a huge amount of cash flow into the city, but I do think it sends the wrong message. Like many others, I plan to stick it out one full year here. If we receive full support of the government at all levels, and are given a rational and safe plan for rebuilding neighborhoods AND the levee system AND an appropriate wet-lands ecology package....then we will stay and continue to make the sacrifices inherent in living in disaster zone. If not, then I, like many many others will decide to move away. I try not to think about that too much right now because there have been so many changes on every level in such a short period of time - it just becomes overwhelming.

I want to thank each of you again for listening to my story, this piece of history. Your kindness and understanding has meant so much to me. I hope I have been able to give you a more personal glimpse of New Orleans life, and that you can take with you an appreciation of the good people here - of all colors and classes. If anyone is interested in reading local stories (our newspaper is outstanding now!) you can go to the website
www.nola.com and it is fascinating.
We are finally beginning the process of emotional healing, and I know this will be a long, long journey. I hope my city recovers and that I can live the rest of my life here, but only time will tell. I have reached some level of equilibrium for now. I think it is fitting on the last day of 2005 this should be my last post to this thread. I am looking forward to 2006 with a little more hope in my heart, peace of mind, and generosity of spirit. I wish each of you a Happy, Happy New Year. Life must go on, I will meet you in the discussions posts - my cabinets have arrived - I have a kitchen to do!!!
So much love to you all, Kait

Kait, Thank you for this letter. I come to this thread often to read about you and the life you have now. Most people in our country can only 'imagine' how this has affected people. But with your written word you are bringing them closer to reality.

I live in the ravaged area of where Hurricane Rita hit. This area has lots and lots of damage and we are still recovering. Maybe in many many years both our areas will be somewhat normal again and we will rejoice in this mess being a distant memory.

Here's to hoping 2006 is all that you desire. Happy New Year Kait.

Kait:
Thank you for documenting your journey back towards normal in nola. My own family is just putting back the pieces of their lives in Texas following Rita. Friends in the NE are continually surprised to hear that everything is still not "over." Having lived on the Gulf Coast and spend much time in NO, I am saddened at the enormous toll these storms have taken in human, emotional, economic, and environmental terms, as well as the stunning blow to a unique culture. Let us all welcome 2006 with its promise of rebuilding a brighter future and hope the government acts responsibly at every level. The larger world is very interested in our progress and actions.

On a personal note, congratulations on getting your cabinets delivered. I sincerely hope you are able to secure workers for the installation and that it goes quickly. I know it is very hard when you are competing with the overwhelming volume of repair work that need to be conducted in your city. Warmest wiches for a safer New Year and a beautiful new kitchen.

riverrat1 - Meant to ask you earlier, where in LA are you? Did your home sustain any damage? I think a lot of people forget abour hurricane Rita coming on the heels of Katrina...

AnnaLeeF - Were you on the Mississippi gulf coast? We sold our summer home in Waveland about 5 years ago. That house was one of three houses left standing on our street about 6 blocks off the beach.

Kait,
I'd like to save this thread for my DDs & grandchildren (one day, fingers crossed!) - you have so elonquently provided a first hand account of a major historical event and your words should be documented and shared with later generations. Thank you.

All the best to you and yours in 2006!

Kait, you've got mail!

Kait, not Missisippi, although I have visited and worked there when I lived in Memphis. I grew up in TX between Beaumont and Port Arthur, where Rita blew through at 120 mph.

Kait, May God bless you, as well as all those who've suffered (and continue to suffer) through this tragedy.

Kait and riverrat, best wishes to you both and your communities for the coming year. Thank you for sharing your stories.

Kait's posts are a piece of history documented from the inside.

The early posts may be very useful for the investigations of the hospitals. That broke my heart to see an investigation launched after I read Kait's contemporaneous description of what happened.

I don't know the ethics of sharing these posts in a more public space. Although this is a public internet space a kitchen forum conversation thread is a back door and hardly has the same exposure as it would elsewhere.

Some of my professional work is with archives and the issues surrounding documentation and I know there are more more important human issues right now. But future generations will be grateful if Kait's eye witness posts don't get shuffled off into cyperspace neverland. My gut feeling is that it is Kait's decision and not one of the readers who must save these posts and see that they have a future life. (Kait are you listening.)

I wish you the best, Kait. You've given us a gift of your voice and story. Thank you.

Hello again friends. I continue to be amazed by your kindness and concern.

Paulines and Elizabeth10029 - if you are back in here reading, yes by all means please feel free to save these posts. ALL OF YOU have my permission (and gratitude) to keep or share what I have written. I am humbled by the thought that my words have meant so much. There are so many more stories here that need to be told.

The political firestorms have been whipped up to a frenzy over the past few weeks. I am sure many of you have heard on the national news the statements our mayor, Ray Nagin, made this week during his MLK celebratory speech about making the city of New Orleans "chocolate". Well, of course, the whole city is now in an uproar. I really think he is suffering from "Katrina fatigue". This mayor was very, very well liked by the most of the city - all different races. Now, he has become a symbol of division. And this comes at a time, when we must really pull together and present a rational, unified front. I am embarrassed and concerned about the damage he has done - the whole world is watching us. And I think the image he put forth is so misleading. While to the outside world it appears that there is a huge racial divide - in reality, New Orleans incorporates her diversity far better than many other cities. One of my dearest friends of 30+ years is african american - and she has spent the past few months living in my home. Our families vacation together every year. My other best friends are indonesian, hispanic, and greek - I am the "token wasp!" I have wonderful friends from as far away as Syria and VietNam. And I am not uncommon. Most New Orleanians work with, laugh and play with, cry and mourn with the many diverse people here. The problem arises when poverty and crime are added to the equation. I have no answers, only more questions. As do the other good people (of all races) who live here. We shake our heads in dismay and write letters to the editor!

We are in dire need of effective leadership - and it is sadly lacking. The initial rebuilding plans for the city were just released and are being evaluated now. There is just no way possible to make everyone happy. We have to choose safety over everything else. Some people are simply not going to be allowed to rebuild their neighborhoods. It is so sad, tragic. But it would be insane to allow these people to live in harms way - even if they really WANT to! Desperate times make for desperate decisions, and some people just cannot believe or trust that the engineers and experts are telling the truth about where to rebuild or not. The next few months are going to be critical ones - will the city of New Orleans succeed in creating a plan for rebuilding better and stronger and wiser than before? Or will history repeat itself? Can we get congress to give us Netherlands-quality category 5 hurricane levees? Are we valued?

President Bush visited last week and commented that "this is looking like the New ORleans I remember". Well, that was voted as the most ridiculous statement of last week. He saw the French Quarter (which did not flood at all) and the Garden District (which did not flood at all). It's just unbelievable. Only 30% of New Orleans has lights. That's right. It is pitch black at night. And cold. No heat, no lights, no phones. My friend's neighborhood - about half a mile from me - still has no working phone lines. Not one single person I know, who lived in the areas of New Orleans that flooded, has been able to move back into their house. People in Jefferson Parish (suburb of New Orleans, where I live) are able to rebuild now and some have been able to move back. It is absolutely still a disaster zone. And it will remain so until the city institutes a viable rebuilding plan - which appears to be months away yet.

I am leaving tomorrow to visit DD back in Michigan for a week. It will be wonderful to get away from the daily bombardment of Katrina news. Of course, she calls almost daily (and usually right after the 6pm news) and at the top of her list is "Mom, why don't you sell your house and move up here?" Honestly, I do think about it. But, I have decided to give it one year here and if we cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel by then...well, I will have to make some very hard decisions. Meanwhile, I will play with precious grandson, enjoy the clean beautiful snow of Michigan, and my beautiful DD, and leave the troubles of New Orleans behind for a while.

Kait, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to share your life experience with us. I've read so many articles about Katrina and New Orleans, seen so many TV documentaries, heard so many radio programs on the hurricane and its aftermath, but nothing has given me such a clear understanding of all of the dimensions of this terrible hurricane as your heartfelt posts. Thank you.

Kait,
How are you doing . . . one year later ????
Have thought of you often throughout the year . . .

Chris

Thank you kitchencrazychris for thinking of me. I'm still here in "post-Katrina-land". I've had to wait a solid year to finish my kitchen renovation that was supposed to take place the week Katrina hit us. Most of the cabinets are up now, just awaiting a few pieces that had to be replaced - carpenter comes back Monday. Granite gets installed next Friday. Electrician is here now....it's a crazy house now....will catch up with everyone later in the week. Kait

Kait, I only tonight ventured to this side of the forum -- by accident at that. I read your accounts for the first time.

Houston is feeling more division that a year ago too. Our mayor who has done so much and who led when no one was leading is starting to take the brunt of frustrations here. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to be mayor of New Orleans.

This brings back memories. We had a fire at a senior apartment development a month or two before Katrina. My sons had a bake sale and we donated things to the residents. I saw the Red Cross working in our neighbor hood for the first time and thought about how surreal that was.

Then Katrina came, and we all went through closets and pantries again, pulling out more clothing, towels, blankets, housewares, furniture, food and water -- making special shopping trips to load up and donate even more. Items we bought to prepare ourselves were donated to others. Moms went out and bought up school supplies already on clearance to make sure the children coming to our school had all the things they needed. We got school tshirts for the kids. People were lined up in car lines to drop off items at a church serving as one of many Red Cross shelters. Nothing was enough.

Still aching, we faced Rita. We went through all the same exercises again -- and waited and watched as it looked like she was heading straight for us. Many of our friends left town, even though we live 60-70 miles inland. With a nasty Category 5 storm filling the Gulf and looking straight at us, we wondered if they were right and we were wrong. But if you looked at the roads, there was nowhere to go. That last morning, they said it was too late to leave, but we were still wondering. But Rita wobbled and went to the east. We would up on the dry side.

That night, the wind howled. I was very glad we pulled everything outside in. I learned that our new high school was a Red Cross shelter (we took our patio chaises for the elderly and sick the afternoon before and somehow found more food, water and blankets), and as soon as it was light enough to see we were fine and that the roads were clear enough, I took off for the school and spent the day working in a Red Corss shelter.

It was such an incredible summer -- in an unbelievable sense. Never could you have imagined feeling so blessed to be able to keep digging deeper and to keep giving. We were touched by stories of the families of friends. Even now, a year later, a family from Louisiana bought a house near us. It sat vacant for some time, vitctim of a bad divorce and more. We're very happy to have them bring life back to the house, and hope it will bring life back for them -- even if it's just a bit of a restart that takes them back home later on.

The newest addition to our own home is a product of Rita. We have a black lab pup whose mom was out during Rita when the fences were blown down. We weren't looking for a dog when a friend told us about the pups her inlaws' neighbors had. We first met the sister -- named Rita -- adopted by another friend. We were suckered and drove 5 hours there and back that Super Bowl Sunday to get a puppy we'd never seen.

You wouldn't be at all suprised to know she is fun and loving, energetic and playful -- and very strong. She was spayed this week, and she didn't even stop to think about acting the least bit delicate.

We had a tough time naming her. She was born Dec 4th, and Holly and Noel were on the list. So was Windy (like the song). The boys agreed on Coco. Had I read this thread a year earlier, she might have been Kait.

Love and hugs from a Texas neighbor.

What a wonderful, giving heart you have,lastcatx. The past year has been one of the most powerful, life changing times in my life (and I am 56). The events surrounding hurricane Katrina have brought out the very best in people and, unfortunately, the very worst. New Orleans is still suffering horribly - from the lack of leadership/vision, the unconscionable delay in getting those federal funds to the people trying to rebuild their lives, and the now out-of-control crime!!! I am watching the 10pm newscast while writing this, and a reporter for local NBC station is interviewing many politicos from Houston (it is part of a week-long special). I feel the need to apologize for the horrible behavior of some of the evacuees.....and I know the whole world is now Katrina-weary (and oh, are the locals here REALLY over it!)and especially Houston. The good, hardworking people here are just as fed up as the rest of the world. It becomes more evident with each passing day, that I will have to move away from this place that I loved so much. Irony is, I have to finish my renovations first (the granite has been delayed for 2 weeks!) - I might not get to enjoy all this hard work. Thank you for you kind, kind words and for taking the time to help so many people in need. And, Coco sounds like a perfect name to me. Hope she is bringing lots of joy to you and boys! Love, Kait

Kait -

What an amazaing story! My brother lives in Gulfport Ms., so I know that the area is still a long way from "normal".

Please keep us posted.

God Bless!

a bump up of an amazing first person account. Kait, if you still visit here - let us all know what's up. I just heard mention from two New England friends that their churches are sending groups down to help with the reconstruction. This has gone on for so long. I guess the blessing has been more personal time with your daughter & grandkids.