[StBernard] Safe or unsafe...that is the question?

[Westley Annis]

Sorry everyone for making this worse than what it may be. It was me who
started the trend of fear concerning the health issues in St. Bernard. I
wasn't trying to scare people, but rather to express what my own personal
fears are. Please understand that my fears aren't for the immediate, but for
the long term first of all. St. Bernard has ALWAYS had a higher than normal
cancer rate...can this jump even higher following the storm, this we won't
know for years. Second, I have two daughters (4 MONTHS AND 2 yr old) who
were both premature and will have to be watched for years, currently one has
a nebulizer for treatments daily. My fears are for not only  what's in the
ground, but our community was a close knit community- sleep overs were an
every weekend occurrance. I fear those who have redone their homes to the
best of their knowledge, and the knowledge provided wasn't good enough. Then
what about those who are "rebuilding" homes for profit. Some subcontractor
may cut corners and mold continues to grow in these homes behind the walls
where no one can see? What about those who were just unscrupulous? There are
people who only gutted 4 ft up on there walls because that's where the
waterline was. My boyfriend's family stayed, the water went higher, but
that's been the gauge everyone has used- the waterline. Anyway, what if one
of my daughter's sleeps at a friends, spends a few weekends there, etc. My
fear isn't the immediate, even though every time we stay, both have come
home sick, but rather the long term. I not only fear the oil, but what
biological nightmare between the sewage, dead people/animals, gas, oil, etc.
etc. etc. all mixed....what biological storm is waiting around the corner.
As I traveled around this weekend, I heard "a bug" is going around...my
question, is it a bug or something worse? And as many of you stay, like any
animal, your body will develop immunities that those who aren't there daily
won't have. SO for those who have not been sick, think about the reasons why
those of us who aren't there daily do get sick? 
  I don't bemoan ANYONE for wanting to go home, I never realized how much I
missed it until this weekend enjoying Mardi Gras. BUT as I have said all
along, my kids are more important than me. Second, the neighborhoods won't
be the same. In my neighborhood alone, I know who has recently purchased
homes on my block. I know before the storm, they would have never been able
to purchase in the area and I know how they kept there homes before and the
neighborhoods won't be the same. I don't begrudge people moving into better
areas, but will they be able to financially maintain them to the standards
they were before the storm- gardens, pools, etc.
 
   I wish I could return home, but the unknown and the untold won't let me.
Don't be mad with me or Jer for having these fears. Let's face it, there are
too many instances where the all mighty dollar was more important than
people, otherwise we wouldn't need people like the EPA, DEQ, and the Bucket
Brigade- think about it really. In the dark of night in your heart of
hearts, do you really believe that we were told EVERYTHING? Hell our
officials may not have been told everything, so we wait and we pray and we
hope...I just chose to hope and pray elsewhere and hope to return before I
die. Just remember and report yours and your families good health...it may
be the only gauge the world will have in knowing whether or not St. Bernard
is okay.
 
Wendy Hall