Remembering Joplin

I was just browsing through some old e-mails looking for something specific when I hit an e-mail that made me remember that there are other people out there who are not just waiting for Friday to end so they can start the weekend, but are waiting for disaster to end so they can just start living again.

I've worked with a woman in the CS department at St Johns Regional in Joplin, MO for quite some time now but its not like a constant communication thing. I know that two Thanksgivings ago she got a 20 lb turkey because her whole family was joining them for Thanksgiving. I know her daughter wore a purple dress to her prom three years ago. I know that they just added a Starbucks down the road from the hospital (in a city that literally had NOTHING good to offer :)) about three years ago and my contact likes to get iced mochas from there for a treat. They don't use our product, at least, they didn't, as often as I was back to try to get her to switch. She just was someone that I connected with and we became that occasional friend that we could chat and we could share. I once spent about 2 days there on-site going through their department so I got to know a few of the ladies in the Central Sterile Department.

I just glanced the return address on an e-mail from this woman from about a year ago and I thought of her and St Johns and Joplin and just thought I'd pull up their website to see what was new.... this is what I got with a link.

http://www.stj.com/

It made me think - I wonder if things will ever be the same for Joplin and for St Johns? I wonder if they'll rebuild bigger and better and, if so, how long will it take them. I wonder what their Fridays are like now for those who have found some way to remain near their home - and I wonder how many have just left and moved on. It makes me wonder what I would do if in the same situation.

Just a little something to make you value your horrendously long and exhausting week and your even more valuable normal Friday and delicious weekend! Savor all the exhaustion, the helter-skelter and drudgery of what could have been a week of just sheer survival.

I'm praying for all those people who are trying to still find families - and life - in Joplin, MO!