Trying to stop the flooding!

by Cora

Flooding in southern Louisiana is inevitable. Mom and Dad were told we didn't need flood insurance when they bought the house, so they didn't bother. Money had been tight with all of the moving and the changing of jobs, so they had to cut a little somewhere. Jack and I loved our new yard. At times when it would rain hard, there would be a big puddle on the south side of our house, and Mom would let me go in it to get my frisbee, but I never thought it would be bad here.

Aug. 2008 hurricane Gustav came to visit us. Mom and Dad were trying to figure out what they were going to do. mom was going to go to Texas and Dad wanted to stay. Mom just couldn't leave Dad, so we went to a friends house. 6 adults, 4 kids, and 2 adults in a small house, but it was fun. The kids kept me sane from all of the noises outside, and Dad stayed out in the garage with the guys and Mom and the ladies played cards and did puzzles. The next day after the hurricane passed, we went home. Everything looked fine. The ditches had water in them, but we weren't too worried. Then the rain came..... the water rose 2 feet in 4 hours. It happened so fast, that there was not much we could do. The cars were parked up on an incline in the yard, and Mom and Dad loaded us up in the truck and we went to stay with more friends. The water didn't get into the house which we are all grateful for, but it was an eye opener.

Our house is built on pillars and it is about 2 - 3 feet off the ground if not more. It looks like a boat house!!!

Mom had just got flood insurance at the end of March, and the same weekend she had called in to get it, we had a hard rain, that happened through the night. The thunder was so hard, that it shook the house. As we woke up, the water had gotten up to 6 inches under the car port, but was gone by the time we had looked outside. The mud and sugar cane stalks were all over. It had been enough. Dad stayed home and cleaned up his shop and the car port, but we had enough. That rain shouldn't have flooded us that easily, so we contacted our Parish (county) councilman and they came out this afternoon and cut down the brush in the ditches. Hopefully this will help keep the water flowing, so we don't have anymore trouble. At least for a simple rain.

What else could be wrong?

by Cora

Mom has been doing very well with this bed rest thing, but today, she was very bored. She called whoever she had thought would be off and able to come over, or even take her to get her nails done. She told me that Dad doesn't like the purple she did a few weeks ago. He likes the french manicure she gets, but she has to have someone else do that.

Dad was going to take her to get her nails done until she got a call from her Doctor. Mom told us that she has this thing called Placenta Previa now. While Mom and Jack took a nap in the big chair I did some research on it. Placenta Previa is when the placenta forms over the cervix, and as most of you know Mom's cervix isn't that strong and that is why she had that surgery (cerclage) and she is on bed rest. Anyway, the placenta could cause some bleeding that could be detrimental to the baby and to Mom, and that wouldn't be good. The placenta could also move away from the cervix and that is what we are praying for. If it doesn't move, Mom will have to have a C section, and if that is the worst thing that could happen then we will take it. There are other things that could happen, but I didn't read those, because I know in my heart that the placenta will move.

After Dad arrived home from work, we all took a ride to Mike and Cotina's new property. We brought the pictures of the new baby to show Mike and Cotina and the we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house. On the way home Mom had asked Dad if he had to go to Mississippi again next week for work, because she had heard he might. I think she wants him to stay home now with all of this going on. Dad reassured Mom that he had made the decision to stay home until we have our healthy baby home safe and sound. I like to hear that he isn't going anywhere too, because I worry when he is gone, but I know he can take care of himself and he knows that I take good care of Mom.

Please keep my Mom and the baby in your prayers.