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"To the world you may be one person...but to one person you may be the world..."

About Me

Melissa
I grew up in a village of 500 people and now live in a beach town of 10 000. Wife to Jeff, Mama to Makenna and Jack. This is my place to share what's up with us, and the place where I sometimes need to pour my heart out about the not so sunshiney moments. This is my happy place. Thanks for stopping by :) Copyright 2012 by Melissa Wormington, that no part of this blog may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without permission from the publisher.
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The Wormingtons

The Wormingtons
Jeff, Makenna, Jack and Melissa. Spring 2012. Photo credit: Tricia Denomme/Hope Photography

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tornado in Goderich: Reality Check.

To read earlier entries about the tornado, click here. 

So. 
Last night we met with our contractor, who brought up house plans for us to review and approve.  The new layout of our house sees the kitchen in the back (where the old craft/toyroom was for those that are familiar with my house) with a dining area and living room infront of it.  We will have a broom closet and a coat closet on the main floor, along with a small 2 piece bathroom just off the kitchen.  The stairs will be at the back of the house, off the kitchen as well and the back door of our house will connect the kitchen with a little breezeway type thing for our barbeque and maybe a small patio table.  The garage will be pushed back to be square with the back of our house, which will allow us to park both vehicles in the driveway without blocking the sidewalk. 
The upstairs layout sees both kids rooms looking out on to main street, a bathroom beside one kid's room, and our room on the other side.  Each kid has a closet in their room (something they have never had before) and our bedroom has a huge walk in closet.  I have never had a closet in my bedroom in my life, until I moved into this rental home...certainly not a walk in closet.  This may be my most favourite part. 
The basement has a laundry room with bathroom facilities, a mechanical room and then lots of wide open space to finish into a rec room/toy room. 

We reviewed and approved the plans last night after making a few minor adjustments and I was feeling the tiniest twinge of excitement. 

And yet, I don't feel I should be excited.  This is not exciting.  This is not something that is fun.  In any other circumstance, yes, planning your new home is exciting and fun and you should look forward to that. 
But when I take the time to remember why we are doing all of this in the first place, I remember that we are doing all of this because we have to.  Because a tornado made our house "structurally unsafe".  We are doing all of this because we have no other choice.  I feel like I can't get excited about this, I can't think of this as fun...it will minimize or trivialize why we have to do it in the first place. 

So yeah...I'm not over it. 

My evenings at home are spent just like those of most other parents.  Ensuring homework gets done, practicing spelling words, preparing dinner, emptying and refilling the dishwasher and laundry baskets, refereeing (always, always refereeing), making lunches, choosing clothes for the next day, and reading bedtime stories. 

As I drove my 3.5 year old son to daycare this morning, he asked me if the "storm" came because he was "bad".  To him it was an innocent question that he just wanted an answer to. He wasn't crying when he asked it, he was naturally curious.  He also asked where the storm's family lived and what time it went to sleep at night. 
Yes, Social Worker friends, analyze away...

When I arrived at work and sat down in my office, alone, with a full docket of tasks to complete...I just couldn't.  Here I was, alone in the quiet which I love, with hours worth of work to do at my own pace, and I couldn't focus.  A coworker came in to confirm something I had asked her to do and when I went to answer her, I could only nod my head because the lump in my throat was so big I couldn't speak. 

I work in a helping profession.  That's what we do in our office, we try to help people, so of course, she tried to help me. 
Once they started, the tears didn't stop for 2 hours.  I ended up in 3 different offices, crying my way from one to the next. 

I think what happened is that I was finally alone with my thoughts, with no one else demanding my time or attention and once I was able to focus on myself, my "self" told me loud and clear that I was not ready to be at work.  I couldn't focus on putting together a newsletter, a craft for next week, a circle time for next week.  I couldn't focus on tidying up the office or doing inventory.  I couldn't focus on what needed to get done...I didn't even want to.

So I'm at home.  Jack is still at daycare, and I am at home.  Alone, with my thoughts.
I am okay.  I will be okay.  But I need some time to process through my thoughts, feelings and emotions.  I cannot turn them off when I am at work. 

I was off work for 3 weeks following the tornado, but in those 3 weeks I barely had time to sit down.  I dealt with insurance adjusters and claims for both vehicles and the house, I packed up one house, moved into another and unpacked it, I cancelled all services to one house and hooked them all back up to the other, I worked at replacing 2 vehicles and all of the licencing and insurance that goes along with that.  I met with 3 contractors, reviewed their plans, chose one and met with him again.  I had my daughter's birthday to plan and deliver, we prepared for the first day of school and I transitioned my son into a new daycare.    We had a family wedding and yes, I have a husband but my husband had a large number of obligations that left him unavailable to me throughout at least half of that. 

Those 3 weeks off were, by no means, holidays. 

I returned to work last week, feeling as though things had settled down enough here that I could focus on my work...but it took me all of about 2 days to realize I couldn't.  My head and my heart just aren't there right now, and in the job that I have they absolutely need to be.

Society expects you to just pick up where you left off and return to the life and priorities you had.
I can't do that right now.
Thank God, my employers understand completely and were not at all surprised.  A few of the key people have been through some pretty heavy situations in their own lives and understand well that this is a process, not an event.   

I cannot give all that I have to both my personal life and my professional life right now.  That doesn't make me weak, or make me dramatic or make me lazy. 

It makes me human. 

If someone doesn't understand that, or thinks I am overreacting, or thinks they would react differently, they are welcome to my shoes for a few weeks...although I think it would take only a few days.

You know, the shoes that aren't ruined by  broken glass, insulation and fibreglass.

Just because everything appears to be back to normal, doesn't mean it is.  People may wonder why I am blogging this, writing it all down, putting it out there for everyone to read, discuss, maybe even criticize.
I am doing it for me, because it is therapeutic and helps me gain perspective, I am doing it so that I have it years from now because I know I will want it and my kids will be interested in it, and I do it for you.

Because I think it's important for you to understand.  Especially those of you that don't live here.  And by here, I mean St Patrick St, Picton St, Arthur St, St David Street, Oxford St, Park St, or on or surrounding the Square, in Goderich (I'm sorry if I missed any areas). You've seen the pictures, read the papers, watched the videos.  The "shock value" has wore off. Unaffected people say that have a hard time watching it on the news, hearing the stories, even reading this blog.  It's too hard for them.   

But there are still people dealing with it.  These are people's lives.

Every.Single.Day. 

My intention here isn't to make you cry.  Isn't to have you private message me or call me or discuss my wellbeing with others.  To look at me with pity in your eyes or ask what you can do.  My intention is to have you understand and to really think about what this would be like if this were your life.   

Before anything else, before I am an employee, a helper, a friend, anything...I am just me.  I am a 31 year old wife of 8 years, mother of 2, country girl who is working through something not many people I know (outside of this town) have. Actually, even half the people in this town have no idea what some of us are going through.  And if I want to remain that person, I need to take care of that person. 

Tonight I will take my daughter to her extracurricular activity, have dinner, prepare clothes and lunch for the next day and read bedtime stories, just like every other night. Tomorrow morning I will get up, get dressed, prepare breakfasts, take my son to daycare and my daughter will go to school, just like every other day.
 But I am not going to work tomorrow.  I need time to myself.  To do with it whatever I wish, as long as it is on my terms. 

This...this is the real work that takes place after the tornado.  Stuff that isn't cleaned up by a chainshaw, isn't healed with a hammer.  Fundraising dollars don't touch this, and all the insurance you have doesn't matter.

There is no Building Permit for rebuilding yourself. 

What you need can't have a deadline, can't follow the expectations of others and can't be faked. 

What you need, is Time. 

Thank you to all of you who have felt compelled to share this story by posting it on your own facebook page or emailing it to others.  Thank you to those who have been moved enough to leave a comment on here and on my facebook links to this blog.  I am encouraged by them every day.  If you would like to leave a comment, I would love for you to leave it here on the blog, not on facebook, as those are lost to me after about a week.  Thank you. 

 

7 comments:

Treknschmidt said...

You are posting your blog for "you" and in turn helping "us" to understand, not just about the Tornado but about life. Thank You for todays Reality Check!!!

Orianne LaCasse said...

I felt compelled to read your story to the very end because it made me wonder how I would feel if this had happen to us. I admire your courage and your insight. Being able to admit that you needed more time for yourself demonstrates maturity well beyond your age. Continue to take care of yourself and the strength to help others will come within. I respect your journey!

Jodi Whelen said...

Thank you for sharing your journey with us.

If found your blog on FB from a friend who lives in Goderich. I live in London and grew up in Tiverton. I have been through Goderich many, many times.

They show the same pictures over and over on the news and in the paper. Your blog post have made myself and everyone else reading truly understand the devestation the Tornado caused.

Keep putting 1 foot infront of the other and things will continue to come together for your family.

Jodi

Anonymous said...

We all deal with tragedy in our lives, however, you've been able to express & share your's like no one I know! I've always said that no one knows how someone else feels when trying to cope with their own personal devastation & you've managed to express that as well. You are a beautiful writer. I've shared your blog with my Facebook friends in the hope that we all can better understand & perhaps have some compassion for others going through it. Everyone heals at their own pace, you've taken care of everything & everyone that you've needed to & now it's time to care for yourself! We can appreciate & treasure the blessed events in our lives so much more intently after having suffered a tragedy. Once again, thanks for sharin. God bless you all & heal your spirit & sole. -C.P.

Anonymous said...

This is coming from an old friend who is a little embarrassed to say that it took a month for me to stop and read this blog to really understand what you are going through Melissa.

Yes, on Aug 21 when I heard there was a bad tornado I quickly checked Facebook and found that you were safe and sound and was relieved. But after checking in and looking at a few pictures afterwards, I quickly got caught up in my life again and didn't keep en eye on you.

I am thankful you had lots of help. I am ashamed that I haven't been keeping up with you through this or anything else for that matter over the last ten years. Piss poor Melissa. Just piss poor.

I'll have to do better over the next ten years.

You keep being you, because you are so damn good at it, and you are a fantastic person.

Thank you for sharing yourself.

Melissa said...

Thank you for identifying yourself in that comment enough so that I know who you are, otherwise it would have driven me crazy. I appreciate your comment and know that you are thinking of me. I got your facebook comment/message in those first few days and almost took you up on your offer. Thank you for the encouragement and knowing what to say. xo.

Peggy said...

You have an amazing way with words Melissa, and I feel as if I know you, even though I have never met you. Thanks for sharing your story.