JACKSON, Tenn. — May 8, 2003 — Following, is a compilation of stories involving 51社区 faculty and staff in the moments before and after the May 5 tornado. Send your story to Todd Starnes, Director of University Communications, tstarnes@uu.edu.
Helping God's creatures
My story is related to my husband's veterinary medicine practice here in Jackson. On Monday, many of his employees were unable to come to work; therefore, Monday afternoon I went to the clinic to help. Fortunately, my registered nursing skills allowed me to assist in some much needed surgical procedures with my husband.
Many animals were injured during the storm due to the flooding and the hail. I am thankful that all those that were treated at Jackson Animal Clinic have survived. Thanks to Dr. Dockery for allowing us to assist others in our community in time of need.
Susan Walker, M.S.N., R.N.
Director of Health Services
Double dipping
On Thursday afternoon, I was admitting my mother to Jackson General when they issued a Code Yellow. We sat in an inner office for about half an hour and then they sent us up to mother's room. We had to wait in the halls until the all clear. That was just the beginning. She spent a part of two nights sitting in the hall outside her room including Sunday night.
That night my husband and I were in the closet at home with our Siamese cat listening to the tremendous hail storm assailing our house.
Meanwhile back at the hospital, there was no electricity. We gingerly made our way from our house in North Jackson along an eerily quiet Highland Avenue, watching for traffic at the lightless intersections.
Later that afternoon, Mother's doctor decided emergency surgery was in order. As she was going down to the operating room, the rest of us were ordered down to take shelter in the basement. We munched on sandwiches along with the rest of the crowd and waited for word. Since then, Mother has gone to SICU and now to her room.
During the stay in SICU, there were numerous warnings and watches that she knew little about. Then as soon as she got to her room at about 1 p.m. today, we heard on television about the storm that passed through Eaton and Trenton. She lives just north of that area, which fortunately escaped the latest round of storms.
My sister refers to our two emergencies as "double-dipping."
Carol Weaver
Biology