My mom is still the coolest.

My mom, who makes planes land to save lives, has shipped out to Baton Rouge with less than 12 hours notice. She's been helping to set up, clean out and get running a hospital that was abandoned in the flood. They've already started seeing patients and are setting up clinics in local schools and public buildings.

She's working with limited medical supplies, armed escorts and stifling temperatures in the 90's. (No A/C). She's been eating MREs and bottled water. Through my dad, she reports:

"...the smell of rotting food and dead bodies is everywhere, and the level of filth in the hospital and the schools is appalling. The hospial was abandoned in haste in the face of the hurricane, and perishable food was left in meat lockers and coolers and refrigerators, which then lost power. Patients were evacuated by staff, but the dead remained behind in the morgue and in the OR. When she and others are not treating patients they are cleaning - shoveling, mopping, scrubbing, bleaching, disinfecting, bagging, hauling."

...and treating what patients come in. She fears that as the word gets out, the facilities will be overwhelmed and they will run out of supplies. Their support and supply infrastructure is non-existent and re-supply is spotty and inconsistent at best.

She sleeps on a cot in the hospital when she's not out working.

Did I mention that my mom will be 61 years old in November?

Awesome!! Go, Mom Go!

--maddog