Katrina

Well the national guard has finally arrived in New Orleans. How many days has it taken now? I can't even begin understand the magnitude of the issue and difficulties of getting the help in there but read Michael Moore's open letter to President Bush. He makes a very good point by saying "Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this! " Apparently Congress is going to be probing why the guard was ready to be deployed but wasn't.

I am drawn to the stories of the hospitalized and the medical staff. No running water, no electricity, Apparently bodies are being put into stairwells of the hospitals, they are running out of bottled water and food. The stench of death everywhere. There are stories of nurses having to hand pump ventilator dependant patients. Can you imagine how frightening it must be to know that your breathing is dependant on this person pumping air into your lungs- while you lie there unable to speak?

I can't imagine having to make decisions on triaging patients - who will live - having to black tag people and watch them die. Knowing that without the disaster they may have lived with your help. Imagine running low on supplies and deciding who will get what is left. Imagine doing all of this with your safety at risk.

I know of a nurse (through another nursing friend of mine) who worked in an isolated area that had a big crash and they were taking care of the victims in the nursing station and having to decide who would be able to get the little oxgyen or morphine they had on hand. That has got to really affect someone for the rest of their life, I would think.