Hurricane Sandy: The Pre & Post, Post.

So it’s taken me a patch to write the, bitch known equally Hurricane Sandy postal service because........ Because I’m worn out from pre too postal service Sandy hurricane existence. I did produce an interview amongst Scottie J at Diabetes Monitor the Fri afterwards Sandy hit, y'all tin lav read nigh it, HERE. 
And I MUST apologize for my lack enthusiasm on-line these past times few weeks - All I tin lav tell is that inwards Sandy’s aftermath for those that experienced her has left us all feeling a flake tired - And similar nosotros lost a few weeks of our lives - And are simply catching upwards now. 

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I didn’t desire to leave of absence my isle for Sandy. When I’d left for Hurricane Irene I ended staying at my sister's xl miles away, too patch my isle remanded untouched.... my sister's basement flooded too at that spot were downed trees everywhere. 

This fourth dimension to a greater extent than or less I wanted to remain amongst my things too my town, too was real luckily that my friends invited me to remain amongst them.

And thank y'all to staying at their solid (which ironically was ii blocks closer to the beach so mine,) my machine didn't acquire damaged past times the flood. Because on my street the 24-hour interval Sandy hit, the sea literally met the bay, twice afterwards the double total Moon high tides of Dominicus too Monday. 

Growing upwards at the beach y'all larn nigh prepping for a hurricane. 
You larn to stock upwards on bottled water, batteries too to go on non perishable foods similar cans of tuna,;boxes of pasta, apple tree sauce snack packs ,granola bars, canned soups, bread, peanut butter & jelly, etc. 

And if y'all alive amongst diabetes, y'all absolutely brand certain that y'all direct maintain extra insulin too oral meds, insulin ticker supplies, glucose meters, examination strips, ticker batteries too glucose tabs.  
I had so much diabetes supplies inwards my suitcase that I barely had room for my wearing clothing too reckoner too ended upwards putting my ticker supplies, glucose tabs too pills ( the medicine bottles were inwards a 8X10 ziplock bag)  inwards a H2O proof carry-on bag. 

Also, I made certain I had plenty of juice boxes on manus for middle of the dark lows - because I don’t desire to stumble to a greater extent than or less inwards the dark inwards an unfamiliar solid that was  rocking too rolling inwards hurricane winds.

I ended upwards moving my ticker supplies to a waterproof carry-on - So I could convey some wearing clothing amongst me.

And y'all striking the liquor store - Especially if you’re staying amongst friends because y'all never desire to live the hurricane invitee that comes empty handed - Especially when y'all direct maintain no thought how long you'll genuinely going to live a hurricane guest. 

And I did all of the above. And I also filled my machine upwards amongst gas the Fri earlier the storm.

And so I prepped my solid for the storm. I pose my materials that was stored inwards basement on cinder blocks too I pose tarp over the the paintings that on my walls. 

I placed all my identify unit of measurement pictures too albums inwards waterproof rubbermaid storage bins that sealed upwards tight, stacked them inwards the cupboard & pose a plastic tarp over top of them. 

I unplugged my TV too made certain all my tempest windows were shut & taped the within of my windows. 

At 4pm, Dominicus afternoon I ran downward to the beach too took pictures - And I knew that Sandy wasn’t going to live i hell of a storm.

Pier on Dominicus afternoon of Sandy

dunes too dune fencing pre Sandy

Beach /dune fencing on Sunday

Pier

I ran dorsum to my solid too finished organizing my materials too triple checking that I had everything I needed. 
Then I loaded my suitcase, carry-on handbag too groceries into the machine too did some other i time through to a greater extent than or less my house.

Everything seemed inwards order, but I all the same had a l difficult fourth dimension leaving my place. 
It’s difficult to leave of absence your solid when: 
1. Haven't lived at that spot real long too didn't know how tempest potent said it
2. You direct maintain no thought when you'll live back. 

And I kept worrying nigh leaks too the roof blowing off too the windows busting..... too I kept feeling similar I was forgetting something. 

But when the lights went out too so straightaway flicked dorsum on i time to a greater extent than at 6pm Dominicus night, I was outta at that spot too high tailed it to my friends house, ASAP. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ability outage that early on inwards to the tempest - fifty-fifty a temporary i is NEVER a proficient sign. 

When I arrived at my friends home, I handed them 3 bottles of wine, a pie too a dozen cupcakes for the kiddies, pose my insulin inwards the refrigerator too my suitcase too handbag inwards the spare chamber on the 3rd floor. 
Actually my friend’s hubby grabbed my luggage  - And he was like: Kel, y'all moving in?  

Then nosotros ate a hot dinner, drank some wine, watched the intelligence too made certain our phones too my ipad was fully charged. 
ANd so nosotros waited. 

The winds howled similar crazy on Dominicus dark too the solid literally rocked dorsum too forth - It was similar beingness on a cruise ship. At i signal I could literally hear my meds too vitamins pills piece of cake rocking too rolling dorsum inwards forth inwards their bottles. 

Late Mon morn at 11:40 (and correct afterwards my 2nd loving cup of coffee,) the ability went out - And nosotros knew that it was going to live a long day. We all the same had gas so nosotros were able create on the stove top too nosotros lit a burn downward inwards the fireplace too listened to a transistor radio too every at nowadays too then. 
I did elbow grease too acquire on CNN too facebook via the iPad to view what was happening -but information access was spotty. 

Later that afternoon I saw pictures of my dwelling town too electrical current town flooded beyond anything I’d ever seen before. 

And  all I could tell was: HOLY SHIT. 

One of my town's principal streets on Mon during Sandy
pic courtesy of facebook

My CVS on the other side of the river.. I hateful street on Mon during Sandy.

CVS is at nowadays currently shut too beingness rebuilt - And volition hopefully opened upwards earlier the terminate of the year. 

CVS did laid upwards a trailer inwards their driveway to fill upwards RXs and nosotros are real grateful.

Photo courtesy of facebook

And I began getting texts from to a greater extent than or less the globe, George inwards California, my sis inwards Colorado, my sis inwards NJ, my friend exterior of Philly similar Emily, Penny too Donald. My tertiary cousin i time removed inwards Prague CZ, Cherise inwards Indy too my blood brother inwards Hawaii - And so many others. Same goes for facebook postings too twitter. 
Everyone was worried too wondering how my friends too I were doing - AND I APPRECIATE THAT MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW - THANK YOU. 

We were all doing fine honkered downward at my friends house.... We didn’t know what everyone else non inwards Sandy’s path knew. 

We didn’t know nigh Seaside Heights or Brigantine, NJ.  And fifty-fifty though nosotros were a block too a one-half of the beach, nosotros were on dry out Blue Planet because nosotros were i of the highest parts of the island. 

We were mutual depression temperature from no oestrus too a flake crazy from the current of air howling... And nosotros were nervous ... But nosotros were safe too dry. 

The tempest moved quickly. it was originally supposed to striking difficult at ix pm that Mon - During a total moon, but it it moved so speedily too amongst such ferocity that the oculus ended upwards hitting us to a greater extent than or less 5: 45 - THANK GOD - because that's what saved us. 

The tail terminate brought lxxx mile an hr winds too sideways pelting that lasted all night. 

The current of air was deafening too the tertiary flooring was rattling too left me wondering if my hosts had whatever dramamine. 

No ability - But making certain I had the agency to process a depression inwards the dark

Tuesday: Normally the 24-hour interval afterwards a hurricane the Sun shines brightly too everything is still  too eerily placidity - That wasn’t the representative amongst Sandy. Tuesday was gray, rainy,damp too cold.

We all the same didn’t direct maintain power, but y'all could exit too survey the harm - And that’s precisely what I did. I all the same couldn’t brand it onto the beach because the steps to the beach were nether 3 ft of water, but hither are some pictures I managed to take. 

Tuesday afterwards Sandy

Tuesday afterwards Sandy - Can't fifty-fifty brand it to the beach.

A pod floated upwards during High tide on the Mon of Sandy too it's all the same there

Dune fencing is gone

Driving to a greater extent than or less on Halloween afterwards Sandy

Lucy all the same stands overlooking the beach, but sand overtakes Avenue Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 & at that spot are no other cars inwards sight On Halloween

The nights were pitch dark because no streetlights or lamps worked due to the ability outages. And every solid was dark except for the few that were lit past times candle light.

It was surreal to drive to a greater extent than or less my isle at 8pm to recharge my prison theatre mobile telephone too know that the solely calorie-free was coming from the headlights of my Honda. It was scary. 

Wednesday: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 form of martial constabulary went into touching too y'all could no longer move betwixt towns - they were literally checking ID’s at the boarders. And those that had left the expanse earlier the tempest weren’t allowed to acquire home. They couldn’t depository fiscal establishment jibe on their homes, businesses or possessions... And it was infuriating for so many reasons.
Those people who couldn't acquire dwelling were literally left inwards limbo, too those that had flooded homes lost precious fourth dimension to salve their homes too belongings. 
The people on the isle amongst generators had no way of going off the isle to acquire gas to ability those generators because they wouldn't live allowed dorsum on. So fifty-fifty if y'all had a sump ticker too generator to ticker out your basement, y'all couldn't acquire off the isle to acquire fuel for the generator to run!  

Black hawk downward helicopters were flight depression along the shoreline daily to checkout the harm to the coast - It was so crazy hear too view that!

The lack of ability too oestrus was getting to those of us on the island. 
I drove dorsum to my solid to notice the basement flooded amongst ii feet of H2O too the boiler busted. My province lord had the sump ticker but had run our of gas. 
SO I went dorsum to my friend's house. I couldn’t worry nigh what niggling I had inwards the basement, because amongst almost 2 feet of water, I could solely pray that the things I'd stored at that spot weren't totally damaged. 

After I returned to my friend’s house, I sat inwards my machine too charged my phone. I thought nigh all that was going on too all nosotros didn’t know. And so my friends kids came bursting out of the solid too screaming my name: Kelly the power’s dorsum on, the power’s dorsum on!!!! 
All the neighbors ran out into the streets too all the kids were literally dancing too yelling: YAY!!!  THE POWER’S BACK ON!!!

I spent that dark (which was also my Divarsary,) celebrating a vi twelvemonth old’s birthday too the fact that we’d made it through the storm. 

No i I was amongst genuinely knew that it was my 35th Diaversary - And I was OK amongst that - fifty-fifty though I was lamentable bout it.. 
First off, how could I compete amongst a vi twelvemonth who was celebrating his birthday for the commencement fourth dimension ever without having to part it amongst Halloween? Add to the fact that his uncle had broken martial constabulary too ridden his bicycle (with a babe buggy attached behind it ) ix miles through 4 shore towns each way to run across a friend at i of the boarders to alternative upwards a birthday cake. 

And that vi twelvemonth niggling man child had the best birthday, ever! 

I all the same direct maintain all twelvemonth to celebrate my 35 Diaverssary, - And I’d rather celebrate it amongst y'all guys - More on the Diaversary too all awesome cards I received to follow inwards some other post! 

But dorsum to Sandy. I’m glad I stayed inwards my town, fifty-fifty if it was the tempest of the century. 

But what I genuinely wasn’t prepared for was the aftermath too the feelings that overwhelm y'all when y'all view your town too the people y'all honey thrown for loop. 

You can’t educate for seeing the principal street flooded or hearing nigh so many friends who were flooded out too lost everything because of Sandy.

You can’t educate for non having oestrus for weeks ( my boiler wasn’t replaced for 10 days, which meant 10 days of no heat) or driving to a greater extent than or less town too seeing peoples whole lives were literally laid out on the curb to live taken away amongst the trash. 

It’s depressing too y'all tin lav view the stress on peoples faces.

My basement

You view scenarios similar this all over town, fifty-fifty 3 weeks afterwards Sandy. 

11/19/2012

Like when I went to vote on Election Day. At the polls I ran into 12 people that I knew that had lost either their homes, cars or both. 

It became a daily occurrence to view the  Red Cross trucks driving downward the street too announcing that they had hot meals for people. 

And every 24-hour interval since the tempest of seen a barrage of utility trucks, backhoes, trackers too cherry-pickers along the principal too dorsum streets trying to brand things “right."  
And everything was perfectly normal vi miles inland - And that was simply bazaar!

Power Crews

Down the street from my solid 11/20/2012

2 weeks afterwards Sandy

And it’s overwhelming because y'all experience similar y'all can’t assist plenty - And y'all experience guilty for beingness lucky.

And at that spot are times when y'all wonder out loud too to friends: How are things ever going to acquire dorsum to normal?  

For ii weeks at that spot was no identify to purchase a quart of milk inwards a five mile radius - non to bring upwards the fact that all 3 pharmacies were flooded out. 

The principal street looked similar a ghost town, amongst stores all the same boarded upwards too sandbags strewn all over the streets. Sandbags that were supposed to protect, but could not. 

Your feet wound from wearing pelting too or operate boots for ii weeks too at nowadays afterwards iii weeks, it's incredibly weird to continually hear the audio of sand crunching nether your shoes when y'all walk on the sidewalks too streets, fifty-fifty though y'all can't ever view it. 

And y'all direct maintain a novel institute appreciation for all the niggling things inwards life - Like beingness warm, or realizing that your identify unit of measurement pictures weren’t destroyed. 
And fifty-fifty thought your machine had $250 worth of H2O damage, it all the same ran - And it solely took a 24-hour interval to fix. LUCKY.

And when my boiler finally did got fixed, I don’t realize how tired I was from beingness mutual depression temperature all the time. 
It literally took me ii days to warm upwards again. And I knew that I was real lucky to acquire a novel boiler so speedily - because so many all the same don't direct maintain heat. 

After non watching TV for five days it was literally stupor too awe when y'all saw the intelligence too all of of Sandy’s devastation - You can’t direct maintain yourself away from the TV concealment too y'all can’t believe what your seeing, 

You’ve seen too experienced acts of pity commencement manus y'all - And y'all know both exist. 

But y'all all the same direct maintain moments of anger too exasperation. Like when y'all view antique walnut bed frame that was upwards on cinder blocks inwards the basement  - And was your grandmother’s too your mom's amongst H2O damage.

And y'all direct maintain to remind yourself that:

1. It’s solely stuff

2. You could direct maintain had a lot to a greater extent than materials damaged or lost - similar your house, machine & all your belongings 

3. You i lucky bitch to direct maintain a roof over your caput too heat.

And y'all desire to slap the people on facebook who were posting offensive things on both sides the 24-hour interval of too  after the election because of petty statuses. 

And everyone y'all speak amongst feels similar they’ve lost ii too a one-half weeks of their lives. 

But y'all go on going because y'all direct maintain to too because y'all know for a fact it could live worse - You’ve seen the worst on the news.... And inwards the homes too faces of so many of your friends. 

And y'all realize that it’s going direct maintain a lot of fourth dimension for things to acquire dorsum to normal for everyone. 

Even afterwards all thatm  I am all the same so glad I stayed, I genuinely am.  
And things are indeed getting dorsum to normal - Stores are reopening everyday too are desperate for your describe of piece of job organization - so come upwards to the Bailiwick of Jersey shore too shop! 

And Bailiwick of Jersey volition last too Bailiwick of Jersey volition live stronger.... Because that’s how nosotros produce it inwards Bailiwick of Jersey ;)