When I can't write, I talk

Hi everyone,

I have attempted to tell you about my experience over the last 5 weeks. I have about 5 different drafts and I just can’t seem to say what I want or to finish them.

Ironically, I have wanted to start recording podcasts to go along with my articles and so I guess this is my first official podcast.

For anyone new, I just am kinda jumping right in here so bare with me.

If you are confused about what this publication is because you just subscribed and this is your first email/post and none of what I’m saying here makes sense. I apologize.

Feel free to scroll around the home page and I highly recommend starting with the series Seasons Change. This is the first of a 5 part series that breaks down every week of the menstrual cycle month.

These 5 articles also have an audio read available. Hope you enjoy.

For those of you who have been following me from the beginning, thank you. And thank you for your support through this very difficult time.

A special shout out to my girl

Shelby Tutty, MHA

with The Periprofessional. She has held my hand through this crazy time and has been beyond supportive. Shelby, I hope we get to meet eachother face to face soon. You are amazing and are doing amazing work.

To provide visuals of the story I am telling you, here are some pictures:

Hope! In the form of Spanish speaking French Canadians. I thought I was hallucinating. Glad I snapped a picture.

My camping dishwashing station.

My son preparing food for our neighborhood spaghetti dinner. The meat was a gift from a friend that was delivering supplies from GA.

My husband is so resourceful. He made this shower pump that I still use today to wash my face. Water is not allowed to get in our faces yet.

My husband made this porta-potty for me. Inside was a 5 gallon bucket with pool noodle taped around the rim.

Search and rescue helicopters flying overhead daily and then helicopters bringing supplies and then helicopters being used to place power poles. Incredible.

Less than a mile from my house. Coils from the plastics plant floated miles and miles away. Those are submerged semis and the French Broad is somewhere behind all of that.

This was the reason I-40 was shut down. I-26 on the TN line has a bridge out. They are making progress and soon it will reopen. Also I-40 to TN is closed still.

This was right down the road from me. This image was everywhere you looked. I didn’t get many pictures of downed trees and powerlines because I was in shock and numb to seeing it absolutely everywhere.

This was taken 1 month post hurricane. This is in the Swanannoa area. It is about 6ft high. And piles like this are everywhere.

This was once a beautiful soccer complex. It has over 10 fields. My son grew up watching my husband play here and he played here too. The astro turf sits under about a foot of mud.

Many bridges look like this one all over the area. This one leads into the soccer complex. This was taken 1 month post hurricane.

These are stilts that once had a row of houses on stilts here. All that is left are the stilts. The houses are no where to be seen in this area.

World Central Kitchen stole my heart. It is an on the ground first responder of meals. Please check out their website and their mission and consider donating.

My husband loading the truck to take food to a latino communtiy close by.

A few weeks post Helene. This is the Biltmore Village, known for it’s upscale shopping and of course the entrace to the famous Biltmore Estate.

River Arts District a couple weeks post Helene. This area was revitalized by over 600 artists who all suffered great loss to businesses and artwork. This is a devastating blow to the creatives here.

River Arts District post Helene.

The force of the water rushed debris against any standing structures. This is along the River Arts District.

Swanannoa area 1 month post Helene. Entire residential communities were wiped out.

Swannanoa River Neighborhood 1 month post Helene.

I finally took a nature day and found my happy place. It was an internal struggle to go and I fought survivor guilt and yet I went for my health. It was everything I needed. I cried when I saw the crystal clear river here.

Thanks for letting me process this here.

Looking forward to starting the podcast and excited about the next article I am currently researching.

…stay tuned…and

Go With The Flow,