She is HOME!!!

I spoke to my aunt this morning... After MANY days of being in the 12 ft deep water and floating on an air mattress to sleep... she is HOME SAFE!! ALL of my family has been accounted for and are safe and sound!! I am the only one remaining in New Orleans... and that's cuz I'm working at one of only 3 remaining hospitals in the city. Normally we have about 500 patients in the building at any time... but today we have less than 150. Our hospital is not shutting down, we are just changing gears and no longer evacuating patients... we have begun to accept more patients and gradually they hope to bring the hospital back "online"... though I don't feel the community has enough remaining people to support it. Our hospital has had baby lullaby playing several times this morning... it plays when there is a baby born in our facility... there is new hope... ok I'm crying again... I also found out that my cousin and her 2 boys also arrived, bringing the grand total of people at our little community to 19 people!! (14 adults and 5 children) Wow... a little village of our own... I can't wait to go home... I don't like this, being away from my kids and sleeping on stretchers to survive... UGH... but this too will pass... OH OH OH... the latest news is that I'm told that tonight we will have a hotline set up for employees to see the changes in our benefits system... as of now the "network" we knew and used, no longer exists!! So I don't know what the change will be but I'm hoping I'll be able to get my surgery done anyway... before December :sighs: it keeps getting pushed back but I just can't give up!

Nurse Kat, I'm so relieved to hear that you and your family are okay. If there is anything that I can do to help you or anything that you or your children need, please let me know. I'm in GOnzales and we now have power and phones. I will be glad to help. Do you know if Dr. Kennedy will continue to see patients? I am a patient of Dr. Kennedy, she did my Lap band surgery in Feb. 2005? I'm so relieved to hear that things are getting better in NO. Have you been at work at the hospital this whole time? How were things there? Hang in there and let me know if I can do anything to help!!!! GOD BLESS US ALL... Dee

At this point we don't know when the docs will be starting clinic visits again. However if you need a fill now, there is a quote below that gives you the info on a Baton Rouge doc that's doing fills for now... The following is a quote from Frances Spencer, regarding a WLS patient meeting (state-wide) and physician follow ups: "The meeting will be Thursday around 6:30 right off Interstate 12 at Sherwood Forest. I was thinking this is good because this is the end of town near Denham and close to you. Dr. Karl LeBlanc is located in the Physician's Plaza at Our Lady of the Lake and he and his bariatric partner Mark Hausmann have agreed to do fills and aftercare for patients displaced by the storm and also for those who had their surgeries at centers in New Orleans and Covington. They don't charge for fills and aftercare and are ready" Good Luck for now... I will let you know when I know more.

Hi Kat, Praise God all your family is safe. Do you know anything about the Hospitals in Covington and Slidell? I am a patient of Dr. Clark Warden and was waiting to have my surgery at the new hospital in Slidell. I don't know the name. Dr. Warden is with the Surgical Specialist of LA. I don't know how he and his family are doing or any other doctors in the group. If the Lakeview Reg Med Center wasn't hurt maybe I can still have my surgery there. I only liked one release and was to get that on 8-30-05. All was cancelled and I just wait. I am not in my home since I still do not have power.(no air) If you can let me know anything about these doctors or hospitals please let me hear. Thanks so much! I pray God's blessing on you and all the medical staff at your hospital for your dedication and willingness to serve others. Keep listening for the Lulaby,as you said there is NEW LIFE in New Orleans again. Ya'll are in our prayers up here in Mississippi. Keep smiling, Jan Brown, granjan

Dee, OH is working on coordinating getting medical help to all postops as well as getting protein sources. Have you contacted them? If not, I'd suggest sending an email to them with "PostOp Needs Help" or something like that in the subject. You can reach them at [email protected] According to a previous post send the following info Who you are Where you are presently located How we can contact you What sort of assistance you need God Bless all of you there. CArolyn

Soooooo glad you were able to speak with your aunt. I know that you have carried a heavy heart waiting for that moment. Also glad that your cousin and her 2 boys are accounted for as well. I await the day you are backwith your kids and going home. In the meantime, we are here to help any way we can. I placed a request to my WLS support group and will be getting larger sized clothing on Tueday to send to meet some of the needs those around where your mom is can be met. Hope the new benefits system can keep you on the best schedule possible to meet your surgery dreams. I'll keep good thoughts for a "before December" date as well. Hugs and Love, Carolyn

Hi Kat, We here in California have been sending a lot of prayers toward you and other**** by this disaster. I know you've got a LOT on your plate, but we are starting a clothing drive and would like to get it to whomever needs it. We will probably collect mostly larger size clothes. We usually do many clothing exchanges, but want to put that on hold for those truely in need. If you know of anyone or a local organization that might want to recieve some clothes, please let me know. You can reach me through the "email" button here. Take care of yourselves and each other. -Donna

Done