Ulog 27: Sadness Overcomes Me

Tree knocked down by Hurricane Maria in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Hi ULOG and the rest of the Steemitverse, today has been a day full of emotions too many to be exact.

9/11 Memories

Today commemorates the attack on innocent civilians all in the name of pure hate and nothing else. Pure evil struck 17 years ago my beloved family hang-out spot and wonderful childhood memories of my first school trip to The Twin Towers as we mostly knew them by.

Floods of emotions overcome me as how my son and I were miraculously saved by that horrible day—more than once on that same day! We could had been in one of those planes, we could had been caught under and right across the twin buildings eating our favorite Krispy Kreme donuts at Millennium Hotel.

Both of my siblings I could have lost, but was spared too on that fateful day, unbeknownst to any of us. Heck neither of them even knew they were inches away from each other! One was in NYC from who knows where to attend a Tai Kwon Do tournament when towers began to fall and debris scattering and told by cops to run. Oh running is something he could do as well as martial arts—he was the family athlete after all. The other sibling was in the same area for I believe job training and he too heard the cops saying run! He sadly, witnessed hard thumps on the floor and on cars— they were bodies, bodies from those running from the flames and collapse of the Twin Towers. People were actually holding hands and slamming on concrete. Something we never saw while watching all the chaos live on tv. I had two witnesses one of these people actually worked with the NYC Mayor and has never fully recovered. PTSD is horrible.

Hurricane Florence

Before Hurricane Maria was about to hit my friend’s were hysterically calling me to seek refuge, one in particular was pretty hysterical. I will forever be grateful for all the concerns, suggestions and support. Today, is my turn to be concerned for them having experienced firsthand a hurricane of the magnitude which is expected to now arrive to their respective areas: North Carolina and South Carolina.

Hopefully they do not get to experience not even half of what I did. Maybe, only maybe this time the government will get it right and do better with them. I am hoping much more for them, that it actually dissipates and they never get to experience what we did here.

Hurricane Isaac

While I am concerned for my friend’s in the areas that are at risk in the USA, they are concerned for me, for us. Once more and without being a year yet we might get on the same day as Florence is to visit them, Hurricane Isaac is to visit us. Ironic isn’t it?

This time the slightest storm can create major havoc. The infrastructure is very weak, people are still living under blue tarps. Many like I, survived all the aftermath but with significant physical issues. All as a result of poor leadership and government (FEMA, POTUS) timely response. Water and food was for a very long time scarce. Basic necessities were difficult to get by, more so, for the chronically ill, handicap or those in rural, mountainous areas.

Another hurricane can mean more lost lives, the medical system is at its weakest many have left the island to go to the states. Shortage of doctors and specialist is at all time high.

Mother and I are far worse now health wise, it is so bad I oftentimes find it very difficult to write out of pain and exhaustion. Mother fractured her spine again, this time spinal surgery was a must and she is soon to receive shoulder surgery. She also needs a knee and possibly hip surgery. I endure pain every single day, am unable to visit a chiropractor or neurologist, because my health insurance don’t have any. I must constantly be careful of movements as to not end up paraplegic, all the while trying to help my Mother with daily needs and requests. God help us.

Faith

You might be wondering how I have yet to lose my mind, well there’s a verse in the holy book, the Bible, where it states, “ask and you shall receive,” and another that says, “leave your worries to God.” Though I am human, I faulter, I am weakened by my humanness. It is through my faith and by asking that I am strengthened when I am so overwhelmed. I ask in prayer.

Escapism

I am thankful to be able to create art as an outlet to frustrations. I get to do something distracting and positive. Art is something I can leave a piece of me instead of a boring diary.

A positive outlet stumps a negative thought. 🐸

Feel free to join me in prayer for everyone in Puerto Rico and the East Coast of the USA.

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