Hurricane Katrina

Here is some knowledge on one of the most destructive hurricane to hit the U.S. For New Orleans and many people around the world this will be one hurricane that won’t be forgotten.

As the center of Katrina passed South-east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, winds downtown were in the Category 3 range with frequent intense gusts and tidal surge. Hurricane-force winds were experienced throughout the city, although the most severe portion of Katrina missed the city, hitting nearby St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall in eastern St. Tammany Parish. The western eye wall passed directly over St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.In the City of New Orleans, the storm surge caused more than 50 breaches in drainage canal levees and also in navigational canal levees and precipitated the worst engineering disaster in the history of the United States. By August 31, 2005, 80% of New Orleans was flooded, with some parts under 15 feet (4.6 m) of water. The famous French Quarter dodged the massive flooding experienced in other levee areas. 

Between 80-90 percent of the residents of New Orleans were evacuated safely in time before the hurricane struck. Despite this, many remained in the city, mainly those who did not have access to personal vehicles or who were isolated from the dissemination of news from the local governments. The Louisiana Superdome was used to house and support some of those who were unable to evacuate. Television shots frequently focused on the Superdome as a symbol of the flooding occurring in New Orleans. The disaster had major implications for a large segment of the population, economy, and politics of the entire United States.

As the eye of Hurricane Katrina swept to the northeast, it subjected the city to hurricane conditions for hours. Although power failures prevented accurate measurement of wind speeds in New Orleans, there were a few measurements of hurricane-force winds. From this the NHC concluded that it is likely that much of the city experienced sustained winds of Category 1 or Category 2 strength.

Katrina's storm surge led to 53 levee breaches in the federally built levee system protecting metro New Orleans and the failure of the 40 Arpent Canal levee. Nearly every levee in metro New Orleans was breached as Hurricane Katrina passed just east of the city limits. Failures occurred in New Orleans and surrounding communities, especially St. Bernard Parish. The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) breached its levees in approximately 20 places, flooding much of east New Orleans, most of Saint Bernard Parish and the East Bank of Plaquemines Parish. The major levee breaches in the city included breaches at the 17th Street Canal levee, the London Avenue Canal, and the wide, navigable Industrial Canal, which left approximately 80% of the city flooded.

Most of the major roads traveling into and out of the city were damaged. The only routes out of the city were the westbound Crescent City Connection and the Huey P. Long Bridge, as large portions of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge traveling eastbound towards Slidell, Louisiana had collapsed. Both the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and the Crescent City Connection only carried emergency traffic.

Levee breaches in New Orleans also caused a significant amount of deaths, with over 700 bodies recovered in New Orleans by October 23, 2005. Some survivors and evacuees reported seeing dead bodies lying in city streets and floating in still-flooded sections, especially in the east of the city. The advanced state of decomposition of many corpses, some of which were left in the water or sun for days before being collected, hindered efforts by coroners to identify many of the dead.

References

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans\

www.katrina.noaa.gov

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Hurricane+Katrina&qpvt=Hurricane+Katrina&FORM=IGRE

The summer of 2005 I came home for summer break from college. I can remember clearly one week after I left New Orleans Hurricane Katrina hit. It amazed me that the Sunday before when I left to return back to Grambling State is was such a beautiful day. Some of my younger cousins were also stuck here. I can remember two of them telling me about their experience being air lifted off their roofs or swimming on bed mattress. These things just broke my heart because I could not help them at the time. When I heard on the news what was happening to the city and not being able to contact my family was the hardest thing for me. I was blessed that my phones were still working and I could remember 2 months after the hurricane hearing my mothers voice for the first time. That was the first time in years being that happy to hear the sound of her voice. She seemed not to have a care in the world. Even though I knew that was because she did not want me to worry. But unfortunately  I knew so much more. The happiness in her voice could never cover the things I saw on the news. It just hurt to hear that she could not take my uncle with her. He was left at a hospital because she could not travel with him. I was glad that she did leave but it would be several months that anyone would see my uncle and that hurt the most. From that moment on my world turned upside down. I had to plan a trip to see her and it would have been my first trip out of Louisiana but I was going to Texas just to see her. Everyone was affected by this hurricane but children suffered the most.

Week 2 Semester 2 Cerebral Palsy

 This week blog assignment I chose to do a topic that was not given as an example as an attempt to inform some of you on a topic that is rarely discussed. Cerebral palsy is a rare birth condition that affects many families across the world today. This condition does not change. The only thing that change is some people live through it and others die. On several ocassions I saw lawyers on television talking about it. And because at those moments I didn't know anyone with it, I wasn't a concern for me.

Unfortuatually, while attending Grambling State University I was standing outside one night and looked at the sky and the sight was just beautiful "so many stars were out that night". The next morning I received a call that someone real close to me had died at 6 months from this rare birth condition. Unfortually, there is no cure for celerbral palsy.



Research Information 1 What is Cerebral Palsy?

Berger stated that it is a disorger that results from damage to the brain's motor centers.  People with cerebral palsy have difficulty with muscle control, so their speech and/or body movements are impaired. (Berger, 2012, Pg 116)

Research Information 2 What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by injury or abnormal development in the immature brain, most often before birth. Signs and symptoms appear during infancy. In general, cerebral palsy causes impaired movement associated with exaggerated reflexes or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteadiness of walking, or some combination of these. 

http://www.maycolinic.com/health/cerebral-palsy/DS00302


Research Information 3 What is Cerebral Palsy?
 
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and to maintain balance and posture. Usually they do not get worse over time. People with cerebral palsy may have difficulty walking. Cerebral palsy happens when the areas of the brain that control movement and posture do not develop correctly or get damaged. Early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear before 3 years of age. Babies with cerebral palsy are often slow to roll over, sit, crawl, smile or walk. Some babies are born with cerebral palsy; others get it after they are born. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatment can improve the lives of those who have it. Treatment includes medicines, braces, and physical, occupational and speech therapy.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cerebralpalsy.


Cerebal Palsy Statisic

• Cerebral palsy affects about 1 in 278 children.
  
• There are about 764,000 children and adults in the United States with cerebral palsy.
  
• Each year, about 8,000 babies and infants are diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
  
• Half of people with cerebral palsy use assistive devices, including braces, walkers, and wheelchairs, to help them be more mobile.
  
• About 30% of children with cerebral palsy have seizures

_{AAP Policy Statement. The Apgar Score. PEDIATRICS Vol. 117 No. 4 April 2006, pp. 1444-1447.CDC. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Accessed: April 2009.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/ddcp.htm Dodge NN. Cerebral palsy: medical aspects. Pediatr Clin North Am - 01-OCT-2008; 55(5): 1189-207.Krigger KW. Cerebral palsy: an overview. Am Fam Physician. 1-JAN-2006; 73(1): 91-100.United Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy - Facts & Figures. Accessed: April 2009.
http://www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/11/10427/10427-10427/447}






Here is a chart from Canada on Celebral Palsy



http://www.metiscentreresearch.ca/stat_tables/cerebral-palsy-did-heshe-get-diagnosis-doctor-nurse-or-health-professional-province-and-



She was the most beautiful little girl I known. She almost look like a baby doll. Her eyes were such a beautiful brown with a smile that only the chosen one would receive from her. Who would have known she wasn't going to live to see her first birthday. It wasn't until the day of the funeral that I learned that coffins really did come in all sizes even shoe box sizes. This was something I realized was the hardest thing my family would have to faced. And it was burying a beautiful little girl who died of this a rare birth condition called celebral palsy.

Week 1 Semester 2 The Birth Of Geraldine-Racquel

For this assignment I was determined to get as much information about my birth from my mother because she was the best source. I also spoke to my aunt who also gave me some information about this person.

My mother said she was so excited when she found out she was pregnant. My mother went to all scheduled appointments so she could make sure that I was a healthy baby when I was born. Whatever the doctor ordered, she complied and did just that. The most special moment for her was when she found out she was having a girl. She always wanted a daughter and hoped that we would be close and the best of friends. The first thing she did when was named me. I asked her why was that so important and this is what she told me. "Since I was a little girl I  always wanted a beautiful little girl. And I was going to name her Racquel but my mother died before you were born so I named you Geraldine after my mother and linked on Racquel because that was the cutest name I ever heard."

On February 10, 1981 she said she went into the hospital because she was having severe pains and she wanted to make sure I was ok. Her doctor deceided that he induce her labor because I was ready to come. But she told him no because she wanted me to be born on Valentines Day. However, I had my own plan. I was ready to get out the womb and come into the world. My mother was in labor 10 hours and it seemed like forever. She told me, "I had to tell the doctors stop the pain and lets start again tomorrow because I couldn't handle it." I arrived February 11, 1981 and that was the best day of my mothers life. However, I had jaundice (yellow coloring of the baby's skin-usually beginning on the face and moving down the baby) so I had to stay in the hospital two weeks after I was born.

My mother couldn't come get me when I was released from the hospital so my great-grandmother sent my aunt and uncle to come get me. My aunt said laughing, "girl your unvle drove so slow on the way home that I wanted to tell him pull over and let me drive even though I knew I couldn't. Your uncle driving made me feel like he thought you would fly away if he drove any faster."








Resources
http://www.yahoo.com/jaundice

3 Ideals that are important meaningful to me

I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities and potential of each child.

No two children are alike. Each child has their own way of doing things. All children learn and grow differently, and it is very important to recognize and acknowledge. Nurturing and encouraging these unique abilities is essential to a child's future.

I-1.4—To appreciate the vulnerability of children and their dependence on adults.
After reaching a certain age, children begin to show signs of independence. While essential to their growth, it is important to remember that they are still children and need guidance and instruction. They may be doing things on their own, but still need a guiding hand by their parents and teachers to continue their growth. This is an important stage in a child's growth.

I-1.5—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children's social, emotional, cognitive and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.

A creative and nurturing environment is needed to foster skills that will carry a child throughout their life. Positive reinforcement to a child's contributions will instill a sense of belonging and importance. Children want to feel important, and recognizing that need is a big step in their growth. Acknowledging their deeds, good or bad, builds their character and teaches them right from wrong.

 

The reason I chose these three are because it explains the relationship because self, the child and adults.

Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf