In the Wake of Katrina and Wilma
New Orleans as we know it is gone. I see the surreal pictures and was glad it wasn’t my back yard. Then comes the rain and more rain. I see the banks of the Ipswich River Swell. I see the Merrimack at 6 feet over it’s limit. I watch with the rest of Massachusetts to see if a 173 year old dam in Taunton MA will hold. as the water level reaches record heights in my state.
As I help my parents clean up their basement after water overpowered their sump, I wondered about health issues due to flooding. I found a great article on what steps to take after a flood at the EPA’s website http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/flood.html
It all adds up to varying types of stress, economic, hydrostatic, and mental. I wonder if the rains of October will result in long reaching health issues? As Dam’s and Sump’s fail I start to think about the failure of personal coping mechanisms for stress. I did some quick research about stress mangement. I wonder if post traumatic stress disorder is possible in the wake of massive flooding, I also wonder if the incidences of stress related disorders like GERD, High Blood Pressure, and depression will go up. Personally, my favorite stress management tool is yoga. (Note to self start practicing Surya Namaskar daily again!)