Natural Disaster Trying To Get A Grip - Tornadoes

[Monarch]

Hodge, even though we are in Minneapolis the wind howled all night and I could hear the thunder and see the flashes of lightening. I went outside this morning and my patio furniture was all over the yard, jeez that wind is strong! I can't imagine how much worse it is in the South west part of the state, it is pretty flat down there. My husband is retired Army Nat'l Guard and he helped cleanup and get people organized after the Comfrey and St. Peter tornadoes, I think he was a bit traumatized by it all. He really felt for the people, he said one older gentleman came up to him asking for some materials to help cleanup his house, so my hubby (Chris) asked him what he needed and the guy just started crying and asked for a couple of trash bags because there might be a few things left he could salvage but everything else was gone. It tears your heart up. We both helped out after the Floods up in the Fargo area, natural disasters suck. Hell, I am from Vero Beach, FL originally which has been Hurricane alley, my parents are in complete panic every hurricane season now. They have decided to move to Hawaii, don't know if that is much better but it sure is nice there.

Hang in there everyone.

 

[hodge]

Monarch, they clocked winds of around 60 mph around here. It blew off part of our eaves which then got hung on an electrical wire over our yard! Luckily, someone came out pretty quickly to get it down.

I'm glad to hear you're okay, veiled. We were concerned about you.

 

[Monarch]

Hodge, sorry to hear that it has lightened up here in the last couple of hours but it is a bit chilly out. Glad to hear that everyone is alright so far.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Right now my dogs are under me and are following me all over the house. The storm is so loud. It is literally shaking the house. It is getting so loud and shaking the furniture I started to cry and the lighting is not letting up. My daughter was clinging so hard. Hubs is trying to now get us in bed but I feel I need to stay awake.

He has her in our room this moment as this is happening as I signed on but he is still trying to get me there as I started to cry. Shit it is too scary. I found my shoes and have the closet ready. All I can do really.

Sorry it is just a ramble. My girl was asking why did the thunder turn off the TV and the storm is so strong. I am hitting panic and trying so hard not to. Hubs got an idea of how bad it is in my head seeing tears.

 

[piglet]

Hey Veiled - I hope that by the time you read this the storm has passed. I can't imagine what it's like for you and your family in a tornado zone.

Thinking about the effects, I guess it would be the whole uncontrollable thing about tornados that would freak me out. PTSD-wise, I'm guessing that it's shooting the hypervigilance thing off the scale.

It's good that you have your tornado closet. Keep reminding yourself that you are prepared as you can be.

Take care of yourself!

Piglet.

 

[Nam]

Oh Veiled! I'm so sorry! I totally understand the testing of the sirens sending nerves haywire! When I was going through the worst of the PTSD, we lived right across the street from the siren. It was about a 1/2 a block away. We could see it spinning.......every time it came around toward our house, it would rattle our windows and you couldn't even hear yourself think. Since moving from that house to California and now back, we live about three blocks away from the same house. I still hear it, but not nearly as much! First Wednesday of each month at 10:59am for one minute. Makes me wanna hide!

I'm not sure what I would do without a basement, but I'd be running to the nearest one if I heard the sirens go off. I'd have a duffel bag with things that comfort you (and your little one) water, first aid kit, flashlight, radio, batteries, food, etc., all ready to go. Being prepared is best I think.

My oldest daughter is deathly terrified of thunder (or any loud noise for that matter..). She runs to the basement with her pillow and sleeping bag and hides for the duration of the storm. It's harder to hear the thunder in the basement, but upstairs it can rattle the windows. My husband likes to go outside! And me, well, I'm comforting the 'lil ones.

I hope you feel more secure soon and when the tornado season is over, you can breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to fall.