Re: Some Katrina observations from the scene

The following is from another resident with a distinct pov, someone we
work with:

This is a dispatch from New Orleans from Dr. G____, a pathologist who
recently moved from Wilmington:

Thanks to all of you who have sent your notes of concern and your
prayers. I am writing this note on Tuesday at 2 p.m.. I wanted to
update all of you as to the situation here. I don't know how much
information you are getting but I am certain it is more than we are
getting. Be advised that almost everything I am telling you is from
direct observation or rumor from reasonable sources. They are allowing
limited internet access, so I hope to send this dispatch today.

Personally, my family and I are fine. My family is safe in Jackson,
Miss., and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in
New Orleans.
I figured if it was my time to go, I wanted to go in a place with a
good wine list. In addition, this hotel is in a very old building on
Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. Many of the
other hotels sustained significant loss of windows, and we expect that
many of the guests may be evacuated here.

Things were obviously bad yesterday, but they are much worse today.
Overnight the water arrived. Now Canal Street (true to its origins) is
indeed a canal. The first floor of all downtown buildings is
underwater. I have heard that Charity Hospital and Tulane are limited
in their ability to care for patients because of water. Ochsner is the
only hospital that remains fully functional. However, I spoke with them
today and they too are on generator and losing food and water fast.

The city now has no clean water, no sewerage system, no electricity,
and no real communications. Bodies are still being recovered floating
in the floods. We are worried about a cholera epidemic. Even the police
are without effective communications. We have a group of armed police
here with us at the hotel that is admirably trying to exert some local
law enforcement. This is tough because looting is now rampant. Most of
it is not malicious looting. These are poor and desperate people with
no housing and no medical care and no food or water trying to take care
of themselves and their families. Unfortunately, the people are armed
and dangerous. We hear gunshots frequently. Most of Canal street is
occupied by armed looters who have a low threshold for discharging
their weapons. We hear gunshots frequently. The looters are using
makeshift boats made of pieces of styrofoam to access. We are still
waiting for a significant national guard presence.

The health care situation here has dramatically worsened overnight.
Many people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many other
guests have unusual diseases. ... There are (Infectious Disease)
physicians in at this hotel attending an HIV confection. We have
commandered the world famous French Quarter Bar to turn into an
makeshift clinic. There is a team of about seven doctors and PAs and
pharmacists. We anticipate that this will be the major medical facility
in the central business district and French Quarter.

Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens on Canal under
police escort. The pharmacy was dark and full of water. We basically
scooped the entire drug sets into garbage bags and removed them. All
under police excort. The looters had to be held back at gunpoint. After
a dose of prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.

In all we are faring well. We have set up a hospital in the the French
Qarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients today. Many
will be from the hotel, but many will not. We are anticipating dealing
with multiple medical problems, medications and and acute injuries.
Infection and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems. Food
and water shortages are imminent.

The biggest question to all of us is where is the National Guard. We
hear jet fignters and helicopters, but no real armed presence, and
hence the rampant looting. There is no Red Cross and no Salvation Army.

In a sort of cliché way, this is an edifying experience. One is
rapidly focused away from the transient and material to the bare
necessities of life. It has been challenging to me to learn how to be a
primary care phyisican. We are under martial law so return to our homes
is impossible. I don't know how long it will be and this is my greatest
fear. Despite it all, this is a soul-edifying experience. The greatest
pain is to think about the loss. And how long the rebuid will take. And
the horror of so many dead people .

.

Relevant Pages

  • e-mail from a New Orleans pathologist
    ... and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New ... Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. ... Overnight the water arrived. ... care for patients because of water. ...
    (sci.med.transcription)
  • Re: e-mail from a New Orleans pathologist
    ... > and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New ... > Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. ... > care for patients because of water. ...
    (sci.med.transcription)
  • Re: e-mail from a New Orleans pathologist
    ... and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New ... Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. ... Overnight the water arrived. ... care for patients because of water. ...
    (sci.med.transcription)
  • Subject: hurricane
    ... and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New ... building on Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. ... Overnight the water arrived. ... in their ability to care for patients because of water. ...
    (sci.med.diseases.hepatitis)
  • Subject: hurricane report from front line
    ... and I am now a temporary resident of the Ritz Carleton Hotel in New ... building on Canal Street that could and did sustain little damage. ... Overnight the water arrived. ... in their ability to care for patients because of water. ...
    (sci.psychology.psychotherapy)