Home From Louisiana

In my last post, I wrote about my deployment to Louisiana. I had one day in Houma (pronounced “Home-a”), immediately got sick, and ended up in New Orleans, isolating while waiting for results from a Covid Test.

When the results came up negative for Covid (Yay!) I was put to work on the night shift (7pm-7am) at a New Orleans shelter for the remainder of my deployment.

This experience brought up a range of emotions..  It was much harder work than I’d imagined it would be and I’m still exhausted. I’m also inspired by the resilience and resourcefulness of the people of Louisiana as well as the compassion and generosity of so many Red Cross volunteers.

My favorite part of this experience was making friends with the “clients” at the shelter. (I love that they’re called “clients” and not “victims”).

I ask myself whether or not this experience made me “happy”..  After all, my “Carpe Diem” mission has been all about optimizing happiness and minimizing stress.  There was a lot of stress, hardship, and frustration at things that I have no control over.  But there also was happiness I felt and I’ll highlight some of those happy moments below.

Happy Moments:

• Exploring the streets of New Orleans and Woldenberg Park which was walking distance from my hotel.



Getting a pep talk from Malcolm Woldenberg

• My new friends who I met at the shelter, especially Teddy, who spent hours in the middle of the night playing cards and talking with me.

• Hearing the stories of life on the bayou. I couldn’t really understand the thick Cajun accents, but saw the pride in the faces of the people describing their lives and families.

• The Mississippi River

Is that an alligator?

• Making friends with the volunteers and hearing all their stories and experiences about past deployments.

My Night Shift Partner, "Guy"

• Being called “Baby Girl” by the clients (those southerners and their endearments!)

• Seeing the clients care for one another, checking up especially on those who were sick or needed help with wheelchairs.

• Colorful shoes in the streets of New Orleans

• Having dinner with one of my “Houmie” friends, Tracy, when she came up to New Orleans on her day off.

• Getting a text from Teddy today, thanking me for my friendship.

Like most challenges, the harder it is while you’re going through it, the more proud you feel when it's over. And each day got easier as I got to know the people and the routine.

Mostly, I feel gratitude for all I’ve been blessed with. I’ll never take a warm, comfortable bed for granted again.