other handwritten snippets
written morning of son's accident, sitting in hospital, sounds cryptic because it's written on a tiny notebook kept in purse:
Tuesday morn
@6:35 am Karen comes to door, tells me there's been an accident, goes up with me to call police. Gave them allergy info. They sent police officer to pick me up. I dress fast, brush teeth, go out to wait. He pulled up, had Matt's bike, I put under stairs. On way out of FSH we saw John. (son's boss)
At hospital I'm taken to a room and told Matt was going into surgery, serious, death possible--I knew that.
Then I was left alone. I considered whether they would mind if I used the phone there. I decided to call Barbara (to spare Dawn) and then figured out how to call Len with my spring card. While I was on the phone the chaplain came in. When I was off he took me to the waiting room for surgery. Barbara came and then Len (they "delivered him to my custody"). The doctor came out finally and told us about the clot, the possible bruise and the bolt in Matt's head, as well as the piece of bone they took out so the brain could expand more.
We were directed to the ICU waiting room.
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Friday Oct 20, 1989 (following Loma Prieta quake)
Dear Mom,
Finally today we got electricity and running water. A storm is coming and may bring mudslides, falling trees, and further lack of power.
I am starting on the kitchen. Everything that was in the fridge that we couldn't eat is lost. Some other dry goods ended up wet on the floor. I have food for a few days but no funds to replace it after that, or do laundry, or for gas.
We're going to try to stick it out in the house tonight because the wind is scary in the tent and it's getting cold. [note: it was hot the first couple of days]
I have filled up buckets with water in case we lose our electricity--and therefore our water pump.
Emotionally we're exhausted. The adrenalin is running out and we're just sick of dealing with the hardships, the constant fear of another large quake, and grief for what we've already endured.
I refuse to even think of leaving. I've heard a few people talk of moving. But I love Santa Cruz. Ultimately nowhere on Earth is safe if it's your time.
Salvation Army is giving out packages of food and blankets. I want to wait until I run out of food before I go. I'm sure they're getting new shipments periodically. I have so little gas in my car that I want to make my trip to town when I really need to.
Finally I have access to TV and radio. Much of Santa Cruz is relatively ok. The damage was concentrated in a few areas. Beach flats, where I used to live in '80, was one of the damaged areas, old Spanish-style buildings. Glad I don't live there anymore!
Lakshmana spent last night in Capitola with a friend who had water and electric. So he got a shower. I drove to a friend's house today and got a hot bubble bath and hot chocolate with whipped cream. It was great! Then I came back to electricity. It looked really stormy when I got back this afternoon so I ran around putting cooking and camping gear inside and putting tarps over things, doing dishes and filling buckets with water.
I just pray for a night with few or no aftershocks. I've got to sleep so I can clean more stuff up tomorrow.
A neighbor is taking the kids to a movie tonight so I'm getting a real break. I need it.
I may continue this tomorrow before I mail it out. I want to watch the local news while I can.
Tuesday morn
@6:35 am Karen comes to door, tells me there's been an accident, goes up with me to call police. Gave them allergy info. They sent police officer to pick me up. I dress fast, brush teeth, go out to wait. He pulled up, had Matt's bike, I put under stairs. On way out of FSH we saw John. (son's boss)
At hospital I'm taken to a room and told Matt was going into surgery, serious, death possible--I knew that.
Then I was left alone. I considered whether they would mind if I used the phone there. I decided to call Barbara (to spare Dawn) and then figured out how to call Len with my spring card. While I was on the phone the chaplain came in. When I was off he took me to the waiting room for surgery. Barbara came and then Len (they "delivered him to my custody"). The doctor came out finally and told us about the clot, the possible bruise and the bolt in Matt's head, as well as the piece of bone they took out so the brain could expand more.
We were directed to the ICU waiting room.
------------
Friday Oct 20, 1989 (following Loma Prieta quake)
Dear Mom,
Finally today we got electricity and running water. A storm is coming and may bring mudslides, falling trees, and further lack of power.
I am starting on the kitchen. Everything that was in the fridge that we couldn't eat is lost. Some other dry goods ended up wet on the floor. I have food for a few days but no funds to replace it after that, or do laundry, or for gas.
We're going to try to stick it out in the house tonight because the wind is scary in the tent and it's getting cold. [note: it was hot the first couple of days]
I have filled up buckets with water in case we lose our electricity--and therefore our water pump.
Emotionally we're exhausted. The adrenalin is running out and we're just sick of dealing with the hardships, the constant fear of another large quake, and grief for what we've already endured.
I refuse to even think of leaving. I've heard a few people talk of moving. But I love Santa Cruz. Ultimately nowhere on Earth is safe if it's your time.
Salvation Army is giving out packages of food and blankets. I want to wait until I run out of food before I go. I'm sure they're getting new shipments periodically. I have so little gas in my car that I want to make my trip to town when I really need to.
Finally I have access to TV and radio. Much of Santa Cruz is relatively ok. The damage was concentrated in a few areas. Beach flats, where I used to live in '80, was one of the damaged areas, old Spanish-style buildings. Glad I don't live there anymore!
Lakshmana spent last night in Capitola with a friend who had water and electric. So he got a shower. I drove to a friend's house today and got a hot bubble bath and hot chocolate with whipped cream. It was great! Then I came back to electricity. It looked really stormy when I got back this afternoon so I ran around putting cooking and camping gear inside and putting tarps over things, doing dishes and filling buckets with water.
I just pray for a night with few or no aftershocks. I've got to sleep so I can clean more stuff up tomorrow.
A neighbor is taking the kids to a movie tonight so I'm getting a real break. I need it.
I may continue this tomorrow before I mail it out. I want to watch the local news while I can.