Life for me goes on. Today I gained new one armed skills ... zipping myself into a jacket since the weather turned cold and a
t - shirt was a little too chilly outside on its own. Second new skill ... uprighting waste management rolling garbage bin blown into the street with a passing cold front over night. these are necessary for my daily life, but are meaningless in the grand scheme of things that have happened since Monday.
Today marks a week since my injury. Many new experiences for me...many new ways of doing things and realizing what it is like to deal with a daily disability. Life changing, but temporary. The real issues in today's writing are cities across the country from one another, yet so many commonanlities.
Monday's bombings in Boston changed lives forever. Three people killed which changes their loved ones forever. Hundreds maimed and injured ... their lives changed forever depending on the severity of what was dealt them as they went about their business and happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Last night another tragedy...this one too close to home. The people of West, Texas, were going about their daily evening routines when their lives and world as they knew it were changed forever. The local fertilizer plant, closed for the day was suddely on fire...no determination has been made at this time regarding how the fire started. Being dedicated local volunteer first responders, fire and EMS personnel did what they trained to do. A nursing home near with over 100 residents began immediate evacuation procedures. Fire personnel did what needed to be done to address a fire where dangerous chemicals were used and stored. Suddenly, with the force of a meaurable earthquake 400 miles away in Amarillo and the destruction of a deadly bomb, the plant exploded. Deadly results...no definite numbers as of the last report given at Noon today, but known casulities. The nursing home demolished...victims still not determined. An apartment complex flattened upon itself with no warning to the residents. Scores of homes in an eight to ten block radius severely damaged or destroyed as the explosion rocked this small rural town of less than 3000. Windows and doors blown out of homes, businesses and vehicles as far as five miles away. Finally evacuation of the entire town due to possible additional explosions and/or dangerous chemicals in the air that could cause a whole different set of problems.
As with the bombings in Boston, witnesses and bystanders immediately went into assistance mode without thinking of themselves. People from hundreds of miles away immediately made the trip to West to offer assistance ... so many emergency crews that many had to be turned away ... but that is the way Texans operate. When something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.
Too many unanswered questions for both tragedies...so many stories of bravery...so many lucky breaks and stories that are fantastic and horrible at the same time for both of these cities and their residents. The news from West is being delivered with caution ... no exact casulty numbers as continued house to house searches are being done this afternoon. One police officer compared the explosion and destruction to that of the Oklahoma City bombing, yet far greater reaching.
Videos of the actual explosion blast are unbelievable. Footage of the destroyed buildings and residences bring to mind that of an F5 tornado. This comunity has been rocked to its very foundation, yet everyone is pulling together, helping their friends and neigbors in anyway possible and like a Pheonix, this strong community of Czech heritage will rise up from the flames stronger than before. It is the Texas Way...strength in numbers, tradition and heritage.
Always I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love. Again I remind you to tell people you love them daily, often and with deep emotion. We never know what the next second will bring to change our lives forever.
A Ever, Annie
t - shirt was a little too chilly outside on its own. Second new skill ... uprighting waste management rolling garbage bin blown into the street with a passing cold front over night. these are necessary for my daily life, but are meaningless in the grand scheme of things that have happened since Monday.
Today marks a week since my injury. Many new experiences for me...many new ways of doing things and realizing what it is like to deal with a daily disability. Life changing, but temporary. The real issues in today's writing are cities across the country from one another, yet so many commonanlities.
Monday's bombings in Boston changed lives forever. Three people killed which changes their loved ones forever. Hundreds maimed and injured ... their lives changed forever depending on the severity of what was dealt them as they went about their business and happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Last night another tragedy...this one too close to home. The people of West, Texas, were going about their daily evening routines when their lives and world as they knew it were changed forever. The local fertilizer plant, closed for the day was suddely on fire...no determination has been made at this time regarding how the fire started. Being dedicated local volunteer first responders, fire and EMS personnel did what they trained to do. A nursing home near with over 100 residents began immediate evacuation procedures. Fire personnel did what needed to be done to address a fire where dangerous chemicals were used and stored. Suddenly, with the force of a meaurable earthquake 400 miles away in Amarillo and the destruction of a deadly bomb, the plant exploded. Deadly results...no definite numbers as of the last report given at Noon today, but known casulities. The nursing home demolished...victims still not determined. An apartment complex flattened upon itself with no warning to the residents. Scores of homes in an eight to ten block radius severely damaged or destroyed as the explosion rocked this small rural town of less than 3000. Windows and doors blown out of homes, businesses and vehicles as far as five miles away. Finally evacuation of the entire town due to possible additional explosions and/or dangerous chemicals in the air that could cause a whole different set of problems.
As with the bombings in Boston, witnesses and bystanders immediately went into assistance mode without thinking of themselves. People from hundreds of miles away immediately made the trip to West to offer assistance ... so many emergency crews that many had to be turned away ... but that is the way Texans operate. When something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.
Too many unanswered questions for both tragedies...so many stories of bravery...so many lucky breaks and stories that are fantastic and horrible at the same time for both of these cities and their residents. The news from West is being delivered with caution ... no exact casulty numbers as continued house to house searches are being done this afternoon. One police officer compared the explosion and destruction to that of the Oklahoma City bombing, yet far greater reaching.
Videos of the actual explosion blast are unbelievable. Footage of the destroyed buildings and residences bring to mind that of an F5 tornado. This comunity has been rocked to its very foundation, yet everyone is pulling together, helping their friends and neigbors in anyway possible and like a Pheonix, this strong community of Czech heritage will rise up from the flames stronger than before. It is the Texas Way...strength in numbers, tradition and heritage.
Always I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love. Again I remind you to tell people you love them daily, often and with deep emotion. We never know what the next second will bring to change our lives forever.
A Ever, Annie
RSS Feed
