Home Again - Day 4
It is Thursday, just before Labor Day, and we are all back in Atlanta, 95 days from leaving for Seattle. We flew back a northerly route to avoid Katrina, which resulted in Atlanta being a wetter place than Seattle. In fact, it rained a lot more in Atlanta over the 5 months than where we were.
Before we left, I returned the car we were loaned. It was such a perfect example of the goodness of perfect strangers. As I was riding my bike back to the house, I happened upon a Goodwill store. Since it had come from another of their centers, I had to stop, donate it and walk the last few miles home.
John grew anxious to get back and irritable over the last few weeks and days. When we finally got back, he went inside, got his car keys and left to see friends. He had told only one that he would be back and wanted to surprise them, which I think he was able to do.
After a couple of days of connecting, John's energy level dropped and he has been resting today. In fact, he has some congestion and a sore throat. Because it takes so little to cause real risk, I spent some time on the phone with Emory and his doctor. They felt that his scheduled visit tomorrow should be sufficient, unless he spikes a fever.
Even with all the help from family and the Georgia Tech yard crew, there is so much to do that it is overwhelming. I'm tired and am adjusting to the idea of living with long-term lingering worries, rather than adrenalin fueled fears. Debbie feels much the same.
There was a young transplant patient from Atlanta who returned early this year and is now playing high school football again. He got a well-deserved newspaper spread, though playing football isn't that good an idea for someone when it might be their own blood they could spill. John's return was overshadowed by the apocalypse in Louisiana and along the coast. I went back to the office as we were looking for thousands of employees and their families in the area.
It all seems a terrible reminder of how nature and neighbors can turn on one another. At the same time, so many have helped us out and are helping those in need now. It's hard to know which view of it all is right - the gifts of strangers and happening upon a thrift store or the cyclone of wind and violence from the south. Life and human nature are fragile things.
Before we left, I returned the car we were loaned. It was such a perfect example of the goodness of perfect strangers. As I was riding my bike back to the house, I happened upon a Goodwill store. Since it had come from another of their centers, I had to stop, donate it and walk the last few miles home.
John grew anxious to get back and irritable over the last few weeks and days. When we finally got back, he went inside, got his car keys and left to see friends. He had told only one that he would be back and wanted to surprise them, which I think he was able to do.
After a couple of days of connecting, John's energy level dropped and he has been resting today. In fact, he has some congestion and a sore throat. Because it takes so little to cause real risk, I spent some time on the phone with Emory and his doctor. They felt that his scheduled visit tomorrow should be sufficient, unless he spikes a fever.
Even with all the help from family and the Georgia Tech yard crew, there is so much to do that it is overwhelming. I'm tired and am adjusting to the idea of living with long-term lingering worries, rather than adrenalin fueled fears. Debbie feels much the same.
There was a young transplant patient from Atlanta who returned early this year and is now playing high school football again. He got a well-deserved newspaper spread, though playing football isn't that good an idea for someone when it might be their own blood they could spill. John's return was overshadowed by the apocalypse in Louisiana and along the coast. I went back to the office as we were looking for thousands of employees and their families in the area.
It all seems a terrible reminder of how nature and neighbors can turn on one another. At the same time, so many have helped us out and are helping those in need now. It's hard to know which view of it all is right - the gifts of strangers and happening upon a thrift store or the cyclone of wind and violence from the south. Life and human nature are fragile things.
