The Dreaded E-word

Anyone who has never been forced to evacuate their home cannot imagine what a logistical and emotional nightmare it can be.

The possibility of evacutation is a way of life in New Orleans, it's true. Tonight I heard the E-word on the local news for the first time this year and so the hurricane hype has begun. Ok, maybe that's not fair - after all there is a certain level of responsibility to residents who live in Hurricane Alley. Maybe it's just my dread of another hurricane season that makes me so sensitive to any mention of hurricanes and evacuations before June 1. I mean, can they not at least wait until June 1 to begin the hurricane media orgy? *sigh*

Evacuation stories abound here - everyone has a horrific experience to share.

My evacuation for Katrina was a rushed experience because she came upon us so quickly. I remember on Friday not having a care in the world and on Saturday my whole world changed. I was lucky because I evacuated with the hubs and my mother-in-law in the wee hours of Sunday morning. We were practically the only vehicle on the inter-state even though it was already in contra-flow. The prep for the trip was a whirl-wind of boarding up the house for about 4 hours while the dogs barked and howled (animals are intuitive like that) and my mother-in-law asked the same questions over and over. It was unnerving. We evaced with the two of us, my handi-capped mother-in-law, 2 dogs and 1 cat in a Monte Carlo. Yeah. Very little room left for clothes and valuables. We had to leave our other cats behind simply because we didn't have room and that means putting out copious amounts of dry food and water and litter pans. And hoping they would survive. Not fun.

For Gustav last year it was a different yet even more difficult story. We had installed hurricane windows and shutters on the house so the board up was easier. But this time we had both the mother-in-law and the father-in-law living with us. And I had a hubs who refused to leave because of our Katrina experience with being banned from returning to our home. This time it was myself and the two elderly people on a 10 hour trip that normally takes 6. This time it was bumper to bumper traffic and the worry of how I would handle the possibility of assisting my passengers should they need a pit stop. The drive to my parents home was exhausting and emotionally draining. My husband was left behind and I had no idea if he would be alive after the hurricane passed. I will forever be in debt to my parents for taking us in, finding a sitter for my in-laws and supporting me.

My hubs and I have discussed preliminary plans in case of evacuation again this year. Mother-in-law is in a nursing home now, but father-in-law still lives with us. We have come up with two scenarios:
1. I evacuate with mother-in-law to wherever the nursing home has designated. Dad stays home with hubs.
2. I evacutate with dad, mom goes wherever nursing home has designated and hubs stays home.

Either way, hubs is staying put.
Either way I am leaving with one of them.

After the painful experience of Katrina, most New Orleanians have a plan. I just hope we don't have to implement it this year.