Random Thoughts on a Snow Day in Atlanta.

Unless you've been under a rock or avoiding the news, you already know that we are now in a bit of a snowpacalypse here in Atlanta. For those who come from northern or Canada or even those who've lived in those parts like I once did, the thought of three inches of snow shutting down an entire city sounds like some kind of joke, doesn't it?

Well. Trust me on this--it isn't. 

Cities like Atlanta get totally overwhelmed by this kind of weather. The kind of resources and preparation that it takes to ready a metropolitan area of this size requires a few things that we don't really have. The first, I'd say, is frequency. When I lived in Cleveland, Ohio during my residency, this sort of thing would have been but a blink on the radar. The salt would be down and the stores would be open. And there would be nothing to even discuss. Why? Because big piles of snow followed by tons of cold is common there. So nobody gives the mayor or the governor the hairy eyeball when he or she decides to earmark a bunch of money for salt trucks and city workers to operate them.

In Atlanta? That's a different thing. Some years we get snow like this. Some years we don't. But we always have schools and roads and things that cost the state money. So it's really, really hard to be fully prepared for something like this.

And before anyone jumps on me for saying that, I'm not saying that it's impossible to be better prepared or that we can't learn lessons. But I am saying that we will never be like Shaker Heights, Ohio when it comes to salting roads and clearing out highways.

That is, unless you have the other necessary thing. Oh, what's that, you ask? The money, honey. All of that stuff costs money. Salt truck fleets? And people working them? That costs money. Equipment and materials cost money and storing it all costs a bunch of extra money on top of that money. Oh, and maintaining it all so that it works after sitting through the years where you don't need them costs money, too. And last time I checked, no major metropolitan city had an endless supply of it.

Nope.

I've watched the news all day. I feel so awful about all of the people who've been stranded on roadways and left without basic needs. It was an epic fail when the alarm was sounded for everyone to hit the highways at the same time. It was. And, yes, we missed the boat when it wasn't communicated to close the schools in advance. But the more I watched this, the more I wondered. What exactly could anyone do to fully prepare for this and have it go off without a hitch? I'm just not sure.

Sure. It's easy for me to say all this from my warm cozy house. Maybe if I'd been the lady who had a baby on I-285 yesterday I'd be singing a different tune. But I guess I just get tired of hearing people fussing at each other and pointing fingers. I'm annoyed with the rants. I am. Why? Because I feel pretty sure that no one person is to blame for black ice covering the roads throughout the southeast and cars being unable to drive on it. Of that I am certain. And OKAY maybe somebody should have told us all to stay home but I have a sneaking suspicion that folks would have looked at the way that Tuesday started and taken their chances. Just like they would have likely ignored someone saying "don't leave yet" when it was time to get home. Or get their kids when those schools closed.

Mmm hmmm.

I am super happy to see how kind strangers and civic workers have been to one another. That's been the best part of watching the news today. Otherwise? The rest has been downright depressing.

me at the med school yesterday

We've been mostly okay. I had a close call when I left the med school on Tuesday and found myself in a winter wonderland. But beyond a little slow traffic by the hospital it was okay. The BHE had already picked up the boys from their respective schools so we were all safe and sound. Thank goodness.

Early in the evening yesterday, Harry decided he'd head down to his restaurant. Not only are there lots of college students in walking distance, he felt like a lot of stranded people would be hungry and praying that someone on the street would still be open. So do you know what he did? He went down there yesterday evening fully prepared to spend the night. Which is exactly what he did.

Yup.

That man worked the grill, the register, and washed dishes, too. And he was spot on about his prediction. NOTHING else was open. And the word got out very fast that Mardi Gras Cafe was. 

And is. 

So while we've been playing in the powdery snow and drinking hot cocoa, Harry has been working. Serving that community and providing a warm square for a whole lot of people who desperately want one. And you know what? That makes me feel sort of proud.

Yup.

Damn. I just love how non-lazy that man is. He is literally the opposite of lazy--he really is. Which reminds me a lot of my father. And only makes me love him more.

So. I guess I'll end this ramble with a few random photos from our snow day today. I hope everyone is staying warm and I truly hope those who were stranded have made it to safe places.

 

The one who started the snowball fight.

And if you're hungry on the west side of Atlanta? Go on and holler at the BHE over at Mardi Gras. He's keeping the light on for you. :)

***
Happy Snowy Hump Day. Again.

Oh! I almost forgot to share this part. My mentorific-mentor Neil W. was leaving Grady today and felt bad when I told him that my kids were about to OD on breakfast food. He was kind enough to pick us up some basics from Kroger since he knew the BHE was holding down the restaurant. He's from Long Island so when I asked him about being afraid to drive he said:

"C'mon son!"

Don't believe me? This is EPIC video was taken by Neil driving on the way to Grady during our last Snowpacalypse in 2011. (Which, now that I think of it, PROVES that we were more prepared for this time than we were back then.) This video TOTALLY embodies his New Yorker-ness and carefree personality.  Who else would be driving, narrating and filming during that kind of weather? Ha!

My favorite line in this: "This has literally been untouched by YOUMAN PLOWS!"



Thanks, Neil--we had tacos for dinner thanks to you!

Get here (if you can.)

 You can reach me by railway

you can reach me by trailway
You can reach me on an airplane

you can reach me with your mind . . .
 

. . . .You can make it in a big balloon

but you'd better make it soon. . .

from Brenda Russell's "Get Here" 

(made more famous by Oleta Adams)

 __________________________________________________________
Turn on the news in Atlanta this week and all you'd hear about were the following in this order:

snow

ice

snow

ice

accidents

snow

ice

oh, yeah, and school closings

School was closed for an entire week. It was crazy. The novelty died off by day two. Grrr. A city incapacitated for a full week? Are you kidding me? I have to admit. . . .even as someone who lived in Cleveland, Ohio where some sho' nuff snow comes down. . . the roads here were bad. We just don't have the equipment here. So six inches equaled a paralyzed city.  Literally.

Now.

What about the hospital?  Surely folks can't just turn on the TV and look for "hospital closings" the way our kids can diabolically rub their hands together waiting for school closings, can they?  You guessed right--hospitals stay open. By any means necessary.

Well, sort of.

As you saw from my Monday post, we did close our Grady primary care clinic for one day. That was the morning after the big frost hit us.  Fortunately, I wasn't on the inpatient schedule so that meant that I got to stay home. But my colleagues caring for the hospitalized patients or emergency-related conditions weren't in the same boat.  They had to come in.  Hook or crook. One of my friends was even picked up to take call by a hospital vehicle when she couldn't get out of her garage. Bananas, right?

Because sick doesn't happen on schedule.  It happens rain, shine, snow, or sleet. (Still want to be doctors, you sweet little medical students?)

The good news for our patients is that we have some pretty hard core and committed doctors working at Grady Hospital.  They will reach patients by a speed boat, climb a tree and swing rope to rope. They don't care how they get to 'em. Trust me. They'll get there. 

Speaking of which.

It definitely would have been less tricky for this colleague of mine (in the upcoming video below) who had to make it to rounds that morning to get there in a big balloon. Anyways, he managed to get out of his driveway and onto the road. However. He decided that he'd capture his treacherous travels all on film. I am thinking that the whole filming, narrating, and driving together combo made it a bit riskier . . . .umm yeah. 

Now. You have to know this Grady doctor to get how funny this video is. Nothing would keep him from his Grady patients. Not even six inches of snow that' has been untouched by human plows.

While he doesn't actually spin out on this video (which would have been really funny in that train-wrecky-America's-funniest-home-videos-falling-off-of-a-roof-or-getting-kicked-in-the-cajones-kind of way) what does make me laugh out loud about this is the fact that Grady doctors just can't stop teaching.  This Grady doctor was alone in his car, getting pelted with sleet yet still launches into a few teaching points about bridges freezing over.  If I didn't think that it would make you cover your mouth and gasp, I would tell you that his windshield wipers were broken and that every time they swiped he had to hit a switch--manually. But that would make you think he was crazy, and that's not what I am going for here.

The real point is for you folks to see what your nerdy doctors will schlep through to get to you (and to make you feel glad that you have the kind of job that doesn't require you to go out a-teaching in these kinds of elements.)

Universal disclaimer: This very skilled camera man-slash-Grady doctor is a Long Island, NY native (just listen to his voice), a car-mechanic-on-the-side, and has been doing one handed snow-driving tricks since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. That said, the author of this blog in no way endorses such one handed, snow-sleet, narrating driving and, in fact, recommends against it. (As does the camera man's better half, Tamara!)


Oprah disclaimer: Dear Oprah,  I signed the no-phone-zone pledge. Not only do I not text behind the wheel or look at texts, I don't film during blizzards either. That was him, Oprah. Not me. Love, Kimberly. (Yes, she gets her own disclaimer.)
  
Heading to rounds at Grady: "Untouched by YOUMAN plows. . ."


Don't try this at home, people. (Or on the way home.)

California vs. Cleveland

Atlanta Snow Day, Part II

Harry is from Cleveland, and I am a Los Angeles native. Although Harry doesn't seem interested at all in moving back to the Lake Erie area, he's definitely kept his lake-effect snow roots. With the six inch cover of snow we got in Atlanta, you could tell that he was no novice the minute we all got outside.

"Daddy, let's make a snowman!" Isaiah exclaimed.

"This isn't good snowman snow. This is good snowfort snow, though."

"What about igloo-making?" Isaiah countered.

Harry thought about that for a moment and then said, "Yeah. It's good igloo-making snow, too."  

Interestingly, our kids seem to be clearly divided between Dad's Ohio roots and my California sunshine genes.  Isaiah can play in the white stuff all day. He'll be out there with chattering teeth, soaked gloves and a big ol' smile as long as you allow him. For an Atlanta native, he's a natural. (Just like his Cleveland native dad--the entrepreneur who, at 8 years old, asked for a snowblower for Christmas--but that's a whole 'nother story. . .)

Now this is a complete contrast to Zachary. Zachary is similar to his California dreamin' mother in that he likes to go out there for a minute, be a part of some fun photo opportunities, and then head in for some cider or hot chocolate. My kind of kid.

But seriously? Zachary might be a bit worse than me.  First of all, he came out there with all of his beach-digging equipment. Very naïve to think that it would work on six inches of wet snow, I know.  He had to learn the hard way . . . . 

2 minutes outside: check out the shovel

 Four minutes outside

Meanwhile, Harry and Isaiah happily built a snow fort (that allegedly will be remodeled into an igloo tomorrow.) Zachary, on the other hand, did this:

Goin' back to Cali: The sixth minute.

And then requested this:

Happy Snow Day!

Let's hear it for photo opps!

Awake, Thou Wintry Earth.

Atlanta Snow Day, Part I:

This is what we woke up to this morning here in Atlanta, Georgia:

 

And here is the text I received at 6:05 this morning as I fearfully dressed to go into Grady:

"I'm sure y'all have figured it out but they just called and decided to close the clinic." 

The Grady Hospital Clinic? Closed? Say whaaaat?

This is something that I have never seen happen in the ten years I have worked here. Ever. 

Obviously, a lot more than Atlanta had to freeze over for that to happen.

Happy Snow Day to all. . . .and to my colleagues in the Grady ER and on the wards holding down the fort--thank you.