The hardships and agony that Katrina would bring in her aftermath continues to this date as flashbacks. We had no transportation as both cars in the household succumbed to the flood waters wrought by Katrina's storm surge. There was no way to check on the condition of MY home as we had no phone service and cell phones could not pick up a signal.

The carpets in the house were soggy and "squished" when walking on them. We were all very tired and traumatized and tried to bring normalcy to what was abnormal. We constantly swept water from the kitchen floors as there was a continuous seepage from the carpets in the house. We kept our shoes on while in the water knowing that was not going to protect us from possible contamination. The 7 and 8 year old boys were sent upstairs to stay dry. The 2 yr. old girl stayed in her highchair and the 17 day old baby girl in her bassinet.

Our preparations for bed that evening were not the greatest but it was all that could be done. Although we had shut off the main power supply leading into the house, the boys were not allowed to sleep upstairs. We wanted everyone close in case there was more to deal with. The two baby beds were in fine condition so the two little girls had a dry place to sleep. My daughter and her husband slept in a soggy bed The boys and I slept in the living room. One slept on an air mattress and the other in a recliner. I laid on a sofa that was wet but not soggy. Believe me there is a vast difference. At least twice during the night my daughter got up to fix a bottle for the baby. I lay there watching her and tears would well up in my eyes. She had been so happy just 17 days before with the new arrival in her family. In an instant, what life was a short time ago had become another reality. One of vast devastation!

August 30th ..... A rising sun greeted us and brought back the unbearable heat of August. It is a suffocating heat that requires drinking plenty of fluids to ward off dehydration. The baby was being affected by the heat. We would sponge her down and take turns fanning her. I was very worried about her but wouldn't voice how I felt. She could die. Please Lord NO! We kept the windows open and on rare occasions we were able to create a draft. There are no screens on the windows and various insects came inside. The biting flies were the worse. The 2 yr. old girl had fly bites all over her body. Another worry that she could contract a disease.

What ice we had melted in the refrigerator along with the rotting meat. As a morale builder for the worried parents, I would tell them that help was coming soon as it had during hurricane Camille. Water and ice was brought to our doors and in rural areas dropped from helicopters. So we held on to that hope and waited.

more to come ........