The aftermath.

Monday morning and the water finally subside to a more tolerable level. First thing first, hubby went outside to buy some food. After an hour or two, he went back with a sumptuous meal, RICE and hot soup. Finally! We acted as if we hadn’t eaten for years. And the worst part is about to begin. The cleaning. The mess that Ondoy left was unbelievable. It appears to me that everything is a trash. There was nothing left downstairs.

Aside from the physical mess, we also had to deal with the trauma and the emotional scar it left us. It was unexpected. Something unexpected and unbelievable happened to us and it would take some time to forget. The kids were also traumatized. The fact that they were not a about to eat for days was enough. Now, a slight rain can make them snap and ask if it there is flood again. It was really hard dealing with it. I can see fear in their eyes…

It was Sunday morning and the sun is starting to shine, we finally had a glimpse of hope. The water level is starting to subside. Then we heard a helicopter nearby. There’s hope for us. After a day of darkness, we finally see the end of the tunnel. The beaming sound of the helicopter is a good sign. It made us feel that the world still knows we exist. And though most of the helicopters we have seen are there for assessment, it was more than enough.

It will soon be over….

Sunday Morning. Then the hardest part hit us. The water subside inch by inch but that’s the least of our problem now. We were hit by a bigger one, a stronger storm signal. We have no food and we have three little mouths to feed. Th hubby suggested I breastfeed Chico again, but that would be impossible and can lead to early contraction. I can’t give birth during that time and up until now I am very thankful that I did not. During the time that we started saving same things, we never thought that the water will reach that high and food is our least priority. We thought that we can just go downstairs and get whatever we want, but we are so wrong. Hubby is a quick thinker, he was able to take some water from the ref (which is floating already).

We tried “fishing” for food downstairs and lucky to find some VOICE (not your voice but a local sandwich cracker, enclosed in a foil pack). We found two and two more Oreo like cookies. Since we never know how long the flood will last, we have to take in as little as we can and save some of the food. The kids are still hungry and who would not? They just had a meal, 1/3 each of the cracker sandwich where in fact on a regular day, they can do 3 each (in one sitting). We tried to entertain them with some candies intended for my first born’s party. Then hubby tried fishing for food again. We got some cans, a corn kernel and a mushroom and crushed grahams and some more crackers. It pains me to hear the kids cry of hunger. I know that it was too much but you must know, my kids hobby is eating. They eat and play and eat while playing. Imagine how hard it must be for them not to eat. Me, hubby and the helper survived gulping down a food supplement. Before the day ends, we finally had a decent meal, a corn kernel with some cheese on it.

We are safe from flood but not from hunger. The kids went to sleep without much on their tummy. It was hard for a mom. And I knew it was harder for my husband. And so we end the day with some more hopes that tomorrow will be a good one.