Dispatch from New Orleans (OT)

[Guest guest]

Poncho,

Thank you for this dispatch. I am from New Orleans and have kept my

eye on the news. I have many freinds in NO whom I cannot reach, and I

also have family in Baton Rouge and cannot reach them either.

It is frustrating to have pancreatitis and be too ill to do what I

would like to help. As a nurse I wanted to join one of the medical

teams that went to the gulf in response to a call for help. I may have

done it, if my right knee wasn't out with this ruptured Baker's Cyst

and torn meniscus.

What I did do was sign up for a training session at the American Red

Cross to be able to volunteer for their national call stations.

Indianapolis is one of the few places that are receiving the 1-800

calls placed to the ARC.

Tull was called upon yesterday to create over 300 computerized medical

records for refugees that were brought to Indianapolis from New

Orleans last night. ( " ...and I helped! " he said, with a smile).

Has anyone else thought about helping? Katrina may be OT (off topic)

but actually, the stress that this may have caused some, can certianly

play a toll on our pancreatitis.

Karyn , RN

Executive Director, PAI

[Guest guest]

Karyn wrote "

> Has anyone else thought about helping? Katrina may be OT (off topic)

Karyn,

Although I haven't helped, other than making a substantial

contribution to the American Red Cross earlier this week, we've had

some first hand reports via my son, . After spending his family

leave here he left Tuesday to return to his base in Altus, OK. As

soon as he arrived back on base, he left with the C-17's to ferry

heavy equipment and supplies to Biloxi. Ever since, he's been flying

refugees and equipment back and forth, taking the displaced people to

Shepard AFB in Texas.

He called again tonight, sounding very tired and depressed. We had

seen his plane in one of the segments of the national news earlier in

the week. He said it was just too AWFUL, and heartbreaking, to see

the destruction and to talk with the people who had lost

everything....he was too dispirited to say much more tonight, and

ended the call by saying maybe he'd be able to talk more about it

another time.

I think perhaps what he's seen in person is worse than what we've

imagined, or seen from the media, to have affected him with such

withdrawal.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.