Forums · Surviving Rita
I can truthfully say this ranks as one of the worst experiences of my life. There are so many stories to tell, but I don't know where to start. I'm sorry if this is a bit jumbled, but I'll try to put this into some sequence of events.
We evacuated our home on the Thursday before the storm hit. James had gone to his office to secure everything and take back-up copies of data. Meanwhile, I was watching the very rural highway in front of my house, which no one hardly drives on become a virtual parking lot. It was being used as an evacuation route for people in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area. My father in law at one point drug out his water hose to the side of the road so people could at least get water. The little convenience store, just a mile from our home, witnessed a tragedy. A woman had stopped to use their restroom, walked out, turned to the lady behind the counter and said "I don't feel so good". She then dropped dead. I've also heard that an infant passed away in the parking lot of the school.
We got out of the area by using back roads and only encountered a few traffic jams. Rather than heading north, as most people were doing, we headed west to some of my family in Marble Falls. We waited out the storm there. Gas was scarce, but we were very cautious. We would stop at out of the way places that weren't too crowded and fill up even if we had only burned a quarter of a tank. This ensured us of not having the added problem of not being able to find gas when we need it. Gas was a precious commodity. During one stop for supplies, I literally guarded our gas cans with a pair of 45's. And yes, they were being eyed by some less than savory types. Looking back, I'm amazed I did it.
James' father stayed behind to guard the houses (we live next door) and to care for his elderly mother who refused to leave. Miracle of miracles, our phone service stayed intact during the entire storm and we were able to get updates from him. Both houses made it fine, but my father in law's barn was destroyed and a big tree limb fell on our front porch steps. We were very fortunate.
After the storm, we inched our way home and pleasantly found almost no traffic, but gas shortages were still an issue. Using the same method we did in going, we didn't have much problem. We came back the Monday after the storm and of course had no electricity. We stayed about a day and 1 night, but I pitched a wall-eyed fit to get out of there. I was getting sick, Brianna was lethargic and not eating. We later learned the temperatures that day had been 105 degrees. It was a miserable night, and a whole story in itself. The closest town with electricity was 80 miles away, and they had been partially ransacked by people heading out, so things there were very limited. They had absolutely no hotel vacancies, not even in the little hole in the wall dives. If fact, there were no hotel vacancies in a 100 mile radius and James was expected back to work, so we had to be in commuting distance.
I would say every other house in this area suffered some sort of damage. Some more severe than others. The biggest problem for people has been trees. I have seen several mobile homes that were literally split in half from falling trees. Just a little ways down the road from us is a nice, sturdy looking brick home -- the back of the place is completely gone now. It looks like a bomb exploded. Our nearest neighbor has no roof on his home. We were exceptionally lucky.
Knowing I couldn't stay there another night, I called my cousin in College Station and asked if we could come over, and she kindly took us in. The next day, my mother-in-law called to say that she had electricity in a house she owns in town. The place sat vacant for 10 years and is being renovated. Suffice it to say, my mother-in-law and I do not get along and we had way too much of each other during all of this. Tensions were extremely high, but we had no choice but to stay there. Brianna and I were limited to one room, which thankfully had a window unit. We got our mattress out of our home and carried it there to sleep on the floor. This is as close to "roughing it" as I hope I ever get. After staying there about a week, my biological mother's electricity came on and we stayed with her until they developed strep throat. During that time, James came down with food poisoning. We found a cheap motel in a town about 80 miles away that had a few vacancies. We jumped at the chance to stay, and spent our last night there.
Our electricity was restored last Thursday. We came home and scrubbed and cleaned on the place. A lot of things had been thrown around in the rush to get out and the fridge and freezer were seriously nasty. Friday morning, I was greeted with a case of food poisoning myself. (I have a theory that some of the local fast food places haven't been too cautious on their health standards after the storm). I'm feeling better, but very weak. Several people have been hospitalized with this stuff.
It is going to take some time to get everything back to normal. We drove around yesterday and looked at some of the damage in nearby towns. This storm didn't get much coverage in the media, but I have seen things during all this that I never thought I would see. Looking at it, it is almost like watching a movie, it is very surreal: Tanks being taken in on our rural highway, food lines, mangled buildings that you pray no one was in. The people walking around look like they could be extras in a "Night of the Living Dead" movie. I've been through hurricanes before and never evacuated, we always rode them out This was unlike anything I've ever been through and never want to experience anything like it again.
I've got some pics that at some point I'll post. It is hard to imagine the destruction a storm like this can produce until you see for yourself. Please say a prayer for the folks whose lives have been turned upside down by this catastrophe, those who are living without electricity and running water in scorching, brutal temperatures, and those who have lost loved ones as a result of this storm. The media is largely ignoring the situation, but conditions are really bad in some of our neighboring communities. I'm not comparing what happened to us with the Katrina catastrophe, but I will say there are a number of people suffering badly from this. We are about $2,000 poorer, and lost about 2 weeks out of our lives; but we survived it and are thankful we had a home to come back to. Others were not nearly as fortunate.
We evacuated our home on the Thursday before the storm hit. James had gone to his office to secure everything and take back-up copies of data. Meanwhile, I was watching the very rural highway in front of my house, which no one hardly drives on become a virtual parking lot. It was being used as an evacuation route for people in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area. My father in law at one point drug out his water hose to the side of the road so people could at least get water. The little convenience store, just a mile from our home, witnessed a tragedy. A woman had stopped to use their restroom, walked out, turned to the lady behind the counter and said "I don't feel so good". She then dropped dead. I've also heard that an infant passed away in the parking lot of the school.
We got out of the area by using back roads and only encountered a few traffic jams. Rather than heading north, as most people were doing, we headed west to some of my family in Marble Falls. We waited out the storm there. Gas was scarce, but we were very cautious. We would stop at out of the way places that weren't too crowded and fill up even if we had only burned a quarter of a tank. This ensured us of not having the added problem of not being able to find gas when we need it. Gas was a precious commodity. During one stop for supplies, I literally guarded our gas cans with a pair of 45's. And yes, they were being eyed by some less than savory types. Looking back, I'm amazed I did it.
James' father stayed behind to guard the houses (we live next door) and to care for his elderly mother who refused to leave. Miracle of miracles, our phone service stayed intact during the entire storm and we were able to get updates from him. Both houses made it fine, but my father in law's barn was destroyed and a big tree limb fell on our front porch steps. We were very fortunate.
After the storm, we inched our way home and pleasantly found almost no traffic, but gas shortages were still an issue. Using the same method we did in going, we didn't have much problem. We came back the Monday after the storm and of course had no electricity. We stayed about a day and 1 night, but I pitched a wall-eyed fit to get out of there. I was getting sick, Brianna was lethargic and not eating. We later learned the temperatures that day had been 105 degrees. It was a miserable night, and a whole story in itself. The closest town with electricity was 80 miles away, and they had been partially ransacked by people heading out, so things there were very limited. They had absolutely no hotel vacancies, not even in the little hole in the wall dives. If fact, there were no hotel vacancies in a 100 mile radius and James was expected back to work, so we had to be in commuting distance.
I would say every other house in this area suffered some sort of damage. Some more severe than others. The biggest problem for people has been trees. I have seen several mobile homes that were literally split in half from falling trees. Just a little ways down the road from us is a nice, sturdy looking brick home -- the back of the place is completely gone now. It looks like a bomb exploded. Our nearest neighbor has no roof on his home. We were exceptionally lucky.
Knowing I couldn't stay there another night, I called my cousin in College Station and asked if we could come over, and she kindly took us in. The next day, my mother-in-law called to say that she had electricity in a house she owns in town. The place sat vacant for 10 years and is being renovated. Suffice it to say, my mother-in-law and I do not get along and we had way too much of each other during all of this. Tensions were extremely high, but we had no choice but to stay there. Brianna and I were limited to one room, which thankfully had a window unit. We got our mattress out of our home and carried it there to sleep on the floor. This is as close to "roughing it" as I hope I ever get. After staying there about a week, my biological mother's electricity came on and we stayed with her until they developed strep throat. During that time, James came down with food poisoning. We found a cheap motel in a town about 80 miles away that had a few vacancies. We jumped at the chance to stay, and spent our last night there.
Our electricity was restored last Thursday. We came home and scrubbed and cleaned on the place. A lot of things had been thrown around in the rush to get out and the fridge and freezer were seriously nasty. Friday morning, I was greeted with a case of food poisoning myself. (I have a theory that some of the local fast food places haven't been too cautious on their health standards after the storm). I'm feeling better, but very weak. Several people have been hospitalized with this stuff.
It is going to take some time to get everything back to normal. We drove around yesterday and looked at some of the damage in nearby towns. This storm didn't get much coverage in the media, but I have seen things during all this that I never thought I would see. Looking at it, it is almost like watching a movie, it is very surreal: Tanks being taken in on our rural highway, food lines, mangled buildings that you pray no one was in. The people walking around look like they could be extras in a "Night of the Living Dead" movie. I've been through hurricanes before and never evacuated, we always rode them out This was unlike anything I've ever been through and never want to experience anything like it again.
I've got some pics that at some point I'll post. It is hard to imagine the destruction a storm like this can produce until you see for yourself. Please say a prayer for the folks whose lives have been turned upside down by this catastrophe, those who are living without electricity and running water in scorching, brutal temperatures, and those who have lost loved ones as a result of this storm. The media is largely ignoring the situation, but conditions are really bad in some of our neighboring communities. I'm not comparing what happened to us with the Katrina catastrophe, but I will say there are a number of people suffering badly from this. We are about $2,000 poorer, and lost about 2 weeks out of our lives; but we survived it and are thankful we had a home to come back to. Others were not nearly as fortunate.
Carrie, I am so sorry for what you and your family have been through! I am so glad, however, to hear that you are all safe and that your homes are still intact. (((Hugz))) It sounds like it was a terrible and trying ordeal.
I'm glad as well that you are all feeling better. Having to evacuate and everything that went with that would have been enough...but then to have to deal with food poisoning on top of all of that...Ugh!
It's so good to hear from you and we've all been thinking about you! I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers...as well as all those who where affected!
I'm glad as well that you are all feeling better. Having to evacuate and everything that went with that would have been enough...but then to have to deal with food poisoning on top of all of that...Ugh!
It's so good to hear from you and we've all been thinking about you! I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers...as well as all those who where affected!
Carrie, what an awful time you guy's have had. ((hugs)) Then on top of everything food poisoning too! Uggh! That's terrible. I bet your right, that some places aren't being as careful in their food prep as they should be. I hope that your now able to get back to 'normal life'. It must be so good to be home.
((((Carrie, James and Brianna)))) So sorry for all the you have been there. Thank goodness you are all ok and I am glad to learn that Rita didn't take your home. Sorry that you and James have had to endure food poisoning on top of this. I have kept you and all those affected by Rita (and Katrina) in my thoughts and prayers. So many have lost so much. =(
As Trin noted we have been very worried about you (and all in Rita's path) it's great to know your ok and back home. Hugs, Cat
As Trin noted we have been very worried about you (and all in Rita's path) it's great to know your ok and back home. Hugs, Cat
Thanks guys. Things are slowly returning to "normal". Stores are beginning to start stocking merchandise again, although I had trouble today buying sugar -- one of the area's main suppliers is located in Beaumont and everything there is shut down.
The food poisoning situation is much better. I still have some tummy rumblings, but nothing like it was. That really took the wind out of my sails. I don't think I'll be able to look at a slice of pepperoni pizza for a long while.
My house is slowly but surely being straightened up and returning to a semi-spiffy state. I've never considered myself a "neat freak", but I don't do well with mess and chaos either. I've got a few rooms left to clean up and I'm kinda looking forward to tackling the job.
The whole mother-in-law problem has eaten on me. I'm old enough to realize that some people aren't going to like you regardless of what you do, so you might as well pat your fanny and thumb your nose at them. I'm just glad I don't wake up everyday feeling angry and bitter.
It has been a difficult ordeal for everyone who has been involved with the storm. I've heard tales of violence, heroism, greed and extreme generosity and saw it with my own eyes. Things like this really bring out the best or the worst in people.
This has gone on record as being the largest evacuation in American history. Back when Texas was fighting for independance, there was an incident called the "Runaway Scrape" in which settlers fled the advancing Mexican army. I had a little taste of what those folks must have felt like, only this was no flesh and blood enemy.![[Sigh]](graemlins/ohwell.gif)
The food poisoning situation is much better. I still have some tummy rumblings, but nothing like it was. That really took the wind out of my sails. I don't think I'll be able to look at a slice of pepperoni pizza for a long while.
My house is slowly but surely being straightened up and returning to a semi-spiffy state. I've never considered myself a "neat freak", but I don't do well with mess and chaos either. I've got a few rooms left to clean up and I'm kinda looking forward to tackling the job.
The whole mother-in-law problem has eaten on me. I'm old enough to realize that some people aren't going to like you regardless of what you do, so you might as well pat your fanny and thumb your nose at them. I'm just glad I don't wake up everyday feeling angry and bitter.
It has been a difficult ordeal for everyone who has been involved with the storm. I've heard tales of violence, heroism, greed and extreme generosity and saw it with my own eyes. Things like this really bring out the best or the worst in people.
This has gone on record as being the largest evacuation in American history. Back when Texas was fighting for independance, there was an incident called the "Runaway Scrape" in which settlers fled the advancing Mexican army. I had a little taste of what those folks must have felt like, only this was no flesh and blood enemy.