Four Years Ago

 

Thelma

After spending about four days, maybe more,  sleeping from 12 hours to 18 hours each day, I awoke Sunday feeling much better. There had been a huge knot in my very sore throat for a week or more. Both eardrums were hurting. The tinnitus was sooo annoying.

Every day I said I was going to the doctor, but I held on and beat it. Actually, I did not feel like getting ready to go to the doctor. Of course, I did very little otherwise. But, I noticed everything I had to do is still here.

The few hours I was awake each day were to tutor the boy and Wednesday when exbf was here. He is accustomed to my just going to bed when he is here and knows I am really ill, not just lazy.

But, the walking pneumonia (or something) is still with me in the form of a purr when I breathe. At least the doctor won't be treating a horrible sore throat. You know, they always have to look at the throat and gag you with that stick down the throat. Then the doctor will see my poor eardrums.

My iris have all bloomed, even ones I planted last fall. My white wisteria on the wall looks pretty, but the purple on the back fence is not blooming. My yard is filled with bumblebees. For years I was terrified of bumblebees, but they seem to ignore me. The problem is I noticed some hornets. Hopefully, they came from someone else's yard.

The hens gave me two eggs Sunday.

I dreamed, something about sticks.

Four years ago today, our town was ripped apart by a tornado. I don't think I have ever been so frightened. My life went from peaceably stirring something on the stove to heart-pounding, ear-pounding, adrenalin-pushed dash for my life. I was faint and frightened, so I leaned against the bathroom wall. The was vibrating. Only at that point did I scream. There was damage to my house, but I was on the edge of the destruction. Less than 750 feet away, whole structures were destroyed.

There is a basement I could have gone into, but I have to go outside to enter it. So, I would have been outdoors in the midst of it all. I heard there were tornadoes headed this way, but I did not think it would actually hit here. As it was, I had a four-block notice that it really was bearing down on me.

In 45 seconds, it was all over and silent. The whole town lost electricity for 5-10 days, depending on where you lived. The ambulance service had ambulances trapped in the building. Emergency services and Red Cross buildings were destroyed. One fire station was torn up. Churches were destroyed, but not one gas station! There are areas of town I still don't recognize because the trees and buildings, all landmarks are gone.

Your turn
How long has walking pneumonia hung on for you or someone you know? Have you ever been in a tornado?