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   An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans

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Topic: An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans (Read 165 times)

luci
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An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans
« on: Sep 1^st, 2005, 12:47pm »

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NOTE: The following is an email from a Doctor in
New Orleans. He is a friend of friends of ours.
I'm passing it on for all to read..............
*********************************************

Thanks to all of you who have sent your notes of concern and your prayers.
>
> I am writing this note on Tuesday at 2PM . I wanted to update all of you
> as to the situation here. I don't know how much information you are
> getting but I am certain it is more than we are getting. Be advised that
> almost everything I am telling you is from direct observation or told from reasonable sources. They are allowing limited internet access, so I
> hope to send this dispatch today.
>
> Personally, my family and I are fine. My family is safe in Jackson, MS,
> and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New Orleans. I figured if it was my time to go, I wanted to go in a place with
a good wine list.

In addition, this hotel is in a very old building
> on Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. Many of the
> other hotels sustained significant loss of windows, and we expect that
> many of the guests may be evacuated here.
>
> Things were obviously bad yesterday, but they are much worse today.
>
> Overnight the water arrived. Now Canal Street (true to its origins) is
> indeed a canal. The first floor of all downtown buildings is underwater.
> I have heard that Charity Hospital and Tulane are limited in their
> ability to care for patients because of water. Ochsner is the only
> hospital that remains fully functional. However, I spoke with them today
> and they too are on generator and losing food and water fast. The city
> now has no clean water, no sewerage system, no electricity, and no real
> communications.
>
> Bodies are still being recovered floating in the floods. We are worried
> about a cholera epidemic. Even the police are without effective
> communications. We have a group of armed police here with us at the
> hotel that are admirably trying to exert some local law enforcement.
> This is tough because looting is now rampant. Most of it is not
> malicious looting.
>
> These are poor and desperate people with no housing and no medical care
> and no food or water trying to take care of themselves and their
> families.
>
> Unfortunately, the people are armed and dangerous. We hear gunshots
> frequently. Most of Canal street is occupied by armed looters who have a
> low threshold for discharging their weapons. We hear gunshots frequently.
>
> The looters are using makeshift boats made of pieces of styrofoam to
> access. We are still waiting for a significant national guard presence.
>
> The health care situation here has dramatically worsened overnight. Many
> people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many other guests
> have
>
> Have unusual diseases. They are unfortunately . 'We have better medical
>
> letter. There are ID physicians in at this hotel attending an HiV
> confection. We have commandered the world famous French Quarter Bar to
> turn into an makeshift clinic. There is a team of about 7 doctors and PA
> and pharmacists. We anticipate that this will be the major medical
> facility in the central business district and French Quarter.
>
> Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens on Canal under
> police escort. The pharmacy was dark and fool of water. We basically
> scooped the entire drug sets into gargace bags and removed them. All
> uner police
>
> excort. The looters had to be held back at gun point. After a dose of
>
> prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.
>
> In all we are faring well. We have set up a hospital in the the French
> Qarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients today. Many
> with be from the hotel, but many with not. We are anticipating to
> dealing with multiple medical problems, medications and and acute
> injuries. Infection
>
> and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems. Food and water
>
> shortages are iminent.
>
> The biggest question to all of us is where is the national guard. We
> hear jet fignters and helicopters, but no real armed presence, and hence
> the
>
> rampant looting. There is no Red Cross and no salvation army.
>
> In a sort of cliché way, this is an edifying experience. Once is rapidly
> focused away from the transient and material to the bare necessities of
> life. It has been challenging to me to learn how to be a primary care
> phyisican. We are under martial law so return to our homes is
> impossible.
>
> I don't know how long it will be and this is my greatest fear.
Despite it all, this is a soul edify experience.
The greatest pain is to think about
>the loss. And how long the rebuid will be . And the horror of so many dead people .
>
> PLEASE SEND THIS DISPATCH TO ALL YOU THING MA Y BE INTERSTED IN A
> DISPATCH From the front. I will send more according to your interest.

> Hopefully their collective prayers will be answered. By the way suture packs, sterile gloves and stethoscopes will be needed as the Ritz turns
> into a MASH Hospital.

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"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and
can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

luci
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Re: An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans
« Reply #1 on: Sep 1^st, 2005, 1:33pm »

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A few days ago volunteer Nurses were asked to come.
Now with them trying to evaculate everyone out of the city
that wouldn't be wise.

There are so many stories to report, it's difficult to post one.
go to www.comcast.net and read all the headlines.

The President has asked his Dad and Bill Clinton to
head up a fund raiser for the victims.

Evacuation of the Superdome has resumed.

25,000 refegees are being transported to San Antonio.

Fats Domino, wife and daughter have not been
heard from this week. They live in a low lying area.

Arron Neville hasn't located 3 Nieces.

The sad stories go on and on and on.
What makes this sadder than the Tsunami, is so
many people have family and friends they know
that are missing.

Eleven people have died in the hospital today.
Can it get worse? Sadly, YES Cry

« Last Edit: Sep 1^st, 2005, 5:20pm by luci »

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Pocket
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Posts: 1437

Re: An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans
« Reply #2 on: Sep 1^st, 2005, 2:45pm »

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Oddly, I ran into a limo driver and his wife at WalMart today. That's his livelihood. I asked what their plans were and how everyone was coping. I said there is a donation of needed goods being set up, plus a Sal.Army distibution point in town if they or anyone they know need it,and Texas Workforce for job searches. He said they were OK for a while. A minister donated the use of a lake house and there are 15 refugees living there. He won't be able to work here since there's not much use for a limo driver in a small town, so they are trying to decide about moving on to another bigger city where they have relatives and friends. He's worried about his kids. He can put his kids in school here in Texas. He was told that even if they can go back to NO in several months, the schools will be out of commission for at least 2 years. Education in general will be set back, kids will graduate at 19 and 20 instead of 17 and 18. I asked about their needs, and he said most of the group were OK for the short term, but they had one young couple with them that have a little baby and they are short on money for formula and diapers, etc. I told them about the donation center, then asked what size diapers, I'd just get some now. But, the couple had gone to another distribution center 20 miles down the road so for now, they'd be OK.

These people looked a bit shell-shocked. The long term ramifications of the disaster are just hitting them. Their house is in a flooded area. I can imagine how I'd feel being uprooted suddenly like this. He asked where my family members had been living, and was able to confirm what was flooded, what was still dry. I told him about finding the WWL weblink, and the "where is.....?" pages, and gave him my phone number. Like most people, we'd been feeling helpless TO help but we can at least answer questions.

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Pocket
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Re: An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans
« Reply #3 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 11:54am »

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We have heard of another doctor, a resident in one of the hospitals. His father is a doctor here. They are desperately needing supplies. Patients are dying at an alarming rate. I hope they've started evacuating the sick by now, but I realize they have to secure the safety of the city first. I'm watching the relief convoy headed into the city. I hope they will be able to distribute aid without danger to their own lives.

Our distribution center here only was asking for toiletries, diapers and wipes. I'm sure there are going to be more requests later. Church groups are feeding the evacuees at the local motel. The kitchen of the motel has been closed for some time. The Salvation Army is distributing funds through our city judge. So, we bought a big lot of the items requested, and will contribute to the Salvation Army for the monitary needs here in town. I'm sure the churches will be soon start asking for money to buy the food.
So, for now, we're donating here in our town, and later the Red Cross will get our donations. It won't be long and all of Texas will be overwhelmed by the needs of the refugees.

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luci
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Re: An Email From A Doctor In New Orleans
« Reply #4 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 12:00pm »

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Yes, Texas will be overwhelmed, but Texas has
big shoulders and is ready to help those in need.

In fact, I'm sure Texas is already overwhelmed.
Who would have ever thought people would
be in the middle of this kind of devastation?

Today and this weekend will cross a
milestone in getting people out and the
sick care and medicine so badly needed.

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"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and
can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

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