Hurricane Wilma... please understand...

<font color="darkblue">It isn't just me... everyone and I mean EVERYONE in South Florida is "Hurricane Weary" as the experts are calling it. Now, we are preparing for "Wilma." The thought that Hurricane Andrew was the first letter of the alphabet and wiped us out 13 years ago.. and this is the last letter of the alphabet..and is the strongest storm in History of the Gulf/Atlantic, isn't lost on anyone here. We all seem to have this impending doom feeling about this one...so it isn't "just me" and my PTSD about storms! <font color="darkgreen">

[b]But I am having a real problem with this impending storm. Though it's a category 5 now, it should drop to at least a 4, maybe more depending upon how much the jet stream affects it... pushes, sheers, or speeds it up. They have already begun evacuating the Florida Keys, and the stores here locally in the 3 counties on the SE coast have begun boarding up. I am nearly paralyzed with inner "fear." There is little more that I need to do, even less that I "can" do in preparation.

Having just come out of 2 months of pain flares... it's almost certain that this stress will flare me again.. but I'm consciously trying to avoid this... seems my muscles and nerves have other ideas. I know the county will be calling to arrange transportation to the shelter. Once again.. I probably won't go... there is no safety in numbers, I've learned. (Contrary to popular belief.) I go south to doctors tomorrow... nothing I can skip as it's physical therapy and psychotherapy both of which are required to help me maintain ...especially necessary in days of storms... plus another doctor visit... grrrr I am "out" of pain meds except for some I've kept back... good thing for that! I don't see my MD till Tuesday.. if that ever comes. I could be SOL rather quickly. <font color="darkblue">

Ok... TODAY I am ok. Nothing is happening today, except more rain and wind from the very presence of the storm south west of us. Probably, not much will happen tomorrow.. traffic will be bad due to the evacuations from the south, and rain which tends to make all drivers act like banshees (no offense to those of banshee origination.) TODAY I am ok. . . . trying not to think about what if for the near future.

Thanks for reading. I'm sure I'll keep you posted.

Ever since I heard the path of the storm I've been thinking of you. I hope you keep yourself safe and if you need to PM me. I will be on tomorrow in the afternoon and off and on on Friday and Saturday. I am praying for you.

Jbug

((((((((((9sky)))))))) please stay safe... and keep us posted

((((((((((((((((((((((((sky))))))))))))))))))))))))

i hope so much for you right now that i can't even put it all here. please know that you're in constant thoughts.

kd

<font color="darkblue">Thanks guys... sigh there just isn't any good solution to a storm this size. But I sure can get selfish and pray that it just sits there and spins itself silly until it dies (that would be torment on those in the area there now.)
They have already upgraded the evacuation for the Keys now, along with non residents, they are telling everyone with an RV to leave. And by tomorrow at noon the residential evacuation will begin. Shelters will open tomorrow. You can't avoid it all... TV, Radio, even the conversations at restaurants, gas stations: all about Wilma... and much reflection on Andrew... as thousands of us who were wiped out south, came up to where I am now afterwards... we all agree, it's almost like that happened "yesterday."[b]

But this isn't Andrew. This isn't the thunderstorms that "caused" my disabling injury. Maybe not knowing just "what" this IS is part of the fear???

I have been thinking of you ever since I saw the path of Wilma. I cannot imagine how people cope with hurricanes like FL (and other places) get ! What we get in wind, rain, tornadoes is bad from the hurricanes.......but I do truly understand nothing like what you all get hit with. I hope you stay safe , but I am more concerned about you being alone. Take care !!!!!

Hang in there sky and you have my best thoughts and wishes...

Hoping this passes as uneventfully as possible and that you are able to cope and recover quickly.

{{{{{{sky}}}}}}}

(((((((((((Sky)))))))))) I'll be thinking of you while I keep an eye on Wilma. I hope you stay safe.

Thanks. It might give us another day to "prepare"... but I 'd rather not put it off too long.. AND it isn't good that it slows down... the only thing that saved us with Andrew is it was over quickly... another 30 minutes and there'd been only coral rock left! They have been draining the canals to try and prevent some flooding (which they didn't do when Rita nor Katrina came through grrr Like they never did this before???) so another day won't matter to us here, as they are draining from Lake Okeechobee... and our canals here stay pretty full.. grrrr maybe they'll get this one right?

Sorry, I ramble. But faster is better... and let's not have it drag into next week, ok? I can't afford to miss physical therapy and talk therapy on Monday lol

((((((((((Sky)))))))))))))

My thoughts are with you. Stay safe.

Sky,
Take care and be safe. I'll be thinking of you.

gg

Dear sky... I hope and pray for your well being. You take good care of yourself and don't you dare forget to keep us posted. Be safe.

Ry

i'm thinking of you...xoxoxo

(((((((((((((((((((((Sky))))))))))))))))))))

(((((((((((((Sky)))))))))))))))

thinking of you and hoping all stays well with you

Sky,
The latest forcast is a catagory 5, which is catastrophic. Can you avoid the direct path predicted?
Lou

I see that. I'm trying to avoid all the news.. my T asked how much I'm protecting myself from information. GAG a level 5 is like, unlivable. Even a 4 is ...nearly dead. Hey Petunia, are you stickin around or going north??? someone told me to go to Jacksonville huh?... after 2 months of pain flare and the inablility to think already... (I couldn't handle the DDS appt today, I mean, I finally found it but I was early and parking cost and... due to inability to figure it out, I came home! grrr stress IS a disability. .. )

I'm not in a good place... psychologicially. I mean .. I would rather jump and KNOW my outcome rather than fear the fear and possible increased pain... can anyone understand this bizarre thinking? I know it isn't good.. but it's still there. I don't feel like I can do this.

i live in fl too sky and im also worried. my family lives in a spot where the hurricane could hit head on. however, you say you live on the east coast, and im sure that once it travels by there you won't get the amount of damage that the direct hit place will. try not to compare this to Andrew...this will hit the southwest while andrew hit the southeast. the southeast might not even be very affected, looking at the projected path right now. it should go right over the southeast and you depending on where you live.

good luck and my thoughts and prays are with you, myself, and my family. good luck to all of us.

(((hereiam)))) (((petunia))))))

((((((((((((((( Sky ))))))))))))))))) and ((((((((((((((((( here )))))))))))))))) and all residents in Florida, I hope you all get through this safely.

Sky asked,

Hey Petunia, are you stickin around or going north???

Geez...I just sat on Interstate 75 North from Sarasota to Tampa for three bumper-to-bumper hours. I usually make that trip in 1 1/2 hours. People are evacuating from Naples I guess. I'm not going anywhere unless this sucker is a 4 or 5.

Stay safe fellow Floridians...

Sky you were the first one I thought of when I heard of Wilma..I hope and PRAY you will be ok..this has to be a really bad trigger for you

Petunia I just read you too are in FL I guess I should have known but I am praying for you and all who are in FL

((((((((Sky)))))))))))
I'm praying for you. Hang in there.

jannibug, mrb, kd, parker, dexter, ozzie, heather, gg, Ryan, fayerody, jmo, Sarah, butterflylady, Lou, silver, hereiam, Petunia, , sleeps, jax, Thank you all for your support.... can you stand me all weekend like this?????