Visiting New Orleans

Visiting New Orlenas sounds like it should be a fun time, but as the years pass, it's not so much fun anymore.  Visits back now entail visiting the sick. My brother, Newell, who has lymphoma and was receiving chemo recently accidentally set himself on fire and is having a hard time recovering.  The chemo was taking it's toll and the burns just added to the misery.  He is pretty much disabled and it was hard for me to see him like that.  He has aged so much since I saw him in May.  One encouraging thing is that he doesn't feel sorry for himself and is not wallowing in self-pity.  He's pretty much a person who takes things as they come. 

I took a bunch of pictures of abandoned houses and empty lots.  The abandoned houses tug at my heart, I guess the word 'abandoned' says it all.  I feel so bad for those who have come back, remodeled or rebuilt to have to live next door to an empty house with it's doors and windows gaping open.  No sign of life, no sign of hope.  How can they cope with seeing that day after day.  Maybe you just learn to ignore it after a while.  Although, one person I spoke with whose street has only a handful of rebuilds and mostly empty lots and empty homes, spoke of the dismay of his neighborhood not coming back. He's back home, but not really. 

At least one family member has lived to regret rebuilding in the old neighborhood because of the crime level.  It was bad before the storm, it's bad now.  The storm washed away a lot of things, but not the criminals. Maybe these are new ones, who knows.  Cars are stolen, shots are fired, police cars with spotlights shining search for culprits....everyday.  I sat in the living room on the sofa with my back to the window expecting to feel a bullet pierce my skull at any minute.  And, I can't tell you the angst I felt knowing my cute, shiny red car was sitting outside, unprotected. 

My brother, Newell.  I can only see a glimpse of the man I once knew.

My nephew's new home built where is old home used to be.

Two empty lots and an abandoned house on one side of my nephew's house.

On the other side an empty lot and a house that someone is still restoring.  While I was there he spent most of the day cutting his grass and edging his lawn.  He lives in a trailer in the driveway on the other side of his house.

Another view from the side of my nephew's house.

A random abandoned house.

Looks like someone might have been doing some work on the house on the left, but no one was there when I passed by.

Note the writing on the bricks that was put there by the searches right after Katrina.  I can't remember what the codes meant, but one stood for a body count, I beleive.

More desolation. 

I did manage to get one delicious oyster poboy and some king cake while there, both comfort foods to me.  However, I was so glad to be back on the road to my home, my loving family.  I am so blessed by all that I have.