Widows & Widowers Support Group
This community is dedicated to those who have lost a husband, wife, or partner. Anything is open for discussion here, with the hope that we can focus on grief, bereavement, life after loss, and continuing on after a great loss.
Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't been around much, the end of the school year is always stressful transitioning into my summer job with the rafting company and all.
At the beginning of the week a wildfire started in the national forest land behind our house. We had 10 min to evacuate, which meant 10 minutes for me to wrangle the girls (Bri just turned 8) our two dogs, find the damn cats, help Michael who was just in the hospital and for pneumonia and needs help with his wheelchair and decide what of my late husband's belongings were most important (wedding and death certificate, wedding pictures, wedding rings etc.) and be on the road down the mountain.
Of course one of the cats is MIA. Maddy had a complete meltdown. Like one of the worst shes had yet. I had to carry her to the car kickimg and screaming, she screamed all night at the evacuation center at the elementary school we stopped at before driving down to my inlaws in the city etc. Her sister was trying to console her and tell her it was like camping that Snowball is out camping too and we'll see him when we get home etc. Nope. She finally fell asleep in Michael's lap (shes finally comfortable around him which is a godsend)
We were allowed back home last night but are still on a pre evac notice and have to be ready to leave again in 10 min. No structures have been damaged yet despite the fire coming within feet. Of course no sign of the cat. I spent all night looking foe him.She's been making herself sick crying until she throws up not sleeping... god we need to find that cat.
When I had 10 minutes to get the girls animals and David in the car and pack I didnt have time to think about how hard it was. When we got to my inlaws Davids parents after stopping by the evac center in town and the girls were asleep I went out and sat in the car and sobbed.
I know the most important thing is we're all safe (except the unknown Snowball) things are just things. Our house is just David's dream house or was. I have so many happy memories there with him. I'm putting together a safe box of irreplacable documemts pictures and small items so if and when we have to leave again its all right there. Does anyone have suggestions of what should be included
Just I spent out whole week of evacuation thinking about how calmer, more prepared, stronger David was and how at times like this we need him even more.
Thank you so much! That's a great idea, I didn't even think to grab the insurance papers. Eek, I know that sounds so silly I was just so focused on the girls, the animals, my husband's best friend who lives with us after he was paralyzed in the accident that killed my husband because he had no other family, and then of course anything sentimental that is irreplacable and from my husband.
It's going to be a really bad fire season, it's only going to get hotter and drier so now that we're back home I've put together a "go bag" and safe deposit box iI can just grab and throw in the car.
Thank you again!
Kristen
You may need to have some cash on hand, and it's helpful to keep the car's gas tank on the full side.
If the kids have a comfort item, pack that.
Your local Emergency Operations Center and/or state fire department should have some kind of advisory posted online about what to bring to the shelters. They usually recommend you bring your own blankets and pillows or sleeping bags, but check that.
In California, we kept an earthquake kit ready, and in Florida we kept a hurricane kit ready, virtually the same thing! I hope you don't get hit with it.
Stay safe...
https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit
Hope that helps....
I've gotten all the vet records together for the animals (including Snowball the missing cat... we're still holding onto hope that he comes back) the girls medical/vaccination records, birth certificates including my oldest son's, David's death certificate, our wedding license, Michael's recent medical records and all of the insurance papers. I went around the house and took pictures of everything. Thank god we just missed our insurance lapsing, it would be hell to get it now.
I'm kind of at a loss of what I would take that belonged to me and David's. I have a photo album I put together of all our old pictures after a therapist recommended it to me right after he died. Do you have anything of your spouse's that you would take or have taken in the event of evacuation? I just don't want to be stuck in case it happens again trying to figure out what to bring and end up slowing down leaving or leaving some priceless, sentimental items.