Shaken by Devastation
As I thought about the horror that reigned on the Nepalese people, I tried to envision how a person could possibly survive. There was so much destruction, pain, and loss that occurred as a result of the earthquake that took place on April 25th, 2015. I tried to think what it would have been like to be a young woman who loses everything; family, home, health. Having parents as the only family and having to lose them both simultaneously would be disheartening. As I read several articles, I was inspired by the story of Maya, a seven-year-old girl that lived in Nepal with her parents (Landry, Raman, Kohrt, 2015). Maya was in her home when the earthquake occurred and her home came crumbling down. Maya’s parents were buried in the rubble of her home. Maya sustained a fractured right humerus, a crush injury of her left leg, and a probable mild traumatic brain injury. When Maya was transported to the trauma center, her leg was amputated. The story of Maya left me feeling saddened. This little girl lost everything, but her life to the earthquake. Maya was left homeless, parentless, and with a lifelong disability.
Similar to Maya’s story, I created Sadvi as a person that lived through the petrifying earthquake. I thought about what smells could possibly trigger Sadvi someday to remind her of the devastation and the loss, which is why I included the vivid description of the mango. I included a description of the look on the faces of those buried in the rubble while Sadvi was attempting to seek shelter because it is a look that will be ingrained in her memory forever. Sadvi would go on to lead a period of PTSD due to the painful and heart wrenching loss of everything and everyone. Being a young girl that has lost her family, friends, home, support, health, and peace would definitely lead to PTSD. Sadvi’s story is one similar to many in the Nepal earthquake; whom lost everything due to the natural disaster. Individuals similar to Sadvi would need lots of support and therapy to help her increase her ability to function daily after such a tremendous loss.
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Reflective Expression
May 20th, 2015
Dear Person that Saved Me,
Words cannot begin to express the sadness, extreme pain, and disbelief regarding what has happened in this place I call home. What once was comforting is now torture. The famine, the destruction, the deaths; it is all just too much to bear. I must tell you about the worst day of my 22 years of being alive, the day I lost my family, my friends, my home, my health, and my peace. On April 25th, 2015, Aama (mother) asked that I go to the market as she argued with Buwa (father). As an only child, I was used to seeing them argue. I quickly inclined, as I knew it was a means to get out of my home and away from my parents. Aama and Buwa were distracted arguing with each other, so I quickly left; little did I know that would be the last time I would ever see my parents. I had just arrived to the market; all of the bustle was loud and distracting. I remember picking up a fresh Aanp (Mango), the smell, the rich green and red color, it looked succulent. Then suddenly everything began to shake; with a harsh thrust back and forth. I panicked and began to look around, trying to find a safe location to hide. Everyone around me was running for their lives. The look of sheer horror on their faces. I must’ve had the same look on my face. I ran as hard as I could to try to find shelter in the nearest building, except I didn’t quite make it; the building collapsed. I looked in the eyes of those that were in the building as the earth accepted them into the rubble. That look of horror, despair, angst, and disbelief, all in one. I will never be able to erase the image from my mind; I could’ve been dead with those people. I stood there frozen. What do I do? I clearly wasn’t safe in a building. I attempted to run home to seek safety from Aama and Buwa. I needed the safety of my home, the protection of my parents. When I arrived home, however, I was left with having the worst image in my mind. My home, the place where I had grown up my entire life, where Aama and Buwa had last been seen arguing, had crumbled. “Aama! Buwa!” I began to yell. This couldn’t be happening. Not my parents. Not the only people that mattered the world to me. I began to dig through the rubble of what was once my home; in desperation to find my parents. As I was digging for them, tears began to roll down my face. I had to find them. I couldn’t give up. Then suddenly, another smaller, yet still thrusting shake occurred. My leg fell on top of a peace of wood with a nail in it and I was hit over the head with debris. I’m still not sure exactly how I survived. I woke up in a hospital days later. Despite my efforts, I was not able to save the only 2 people that meant the world to me. That day, I not only lost my parents, I also lost my leg. My leg was amputated shortly thereafter due to the infection. The place where I once called my home, my land, my pride, was gone. Destruction wreaked the entire region; with not a single place intact. Thousands of homes and lives were lost. Thousands of people were buried alive, without hope of being saved. Someone must have found me buried under the rubble. I wish I had stayed under that rubble; at least then I would be with my family.
Wishing I was with my family,
Sadvi (virtuous woman)
In response to E. C.’s reflections, student A. W. wrote:
Dear E.C.,
I was very moved by Maya’s story and the experiences you shared of the Nepalese people in the earthquake Your description was visual and visceral, and the letter you wrote from Maya’s perspective allowed me to touch the depth of isolation that occurred in that trauma. While listening to you read the letter, I experienced an anxious tightening of my stomach and a choking sensation in my throat. How helpless and alone she must have felt, such despair in being orphaned and disabled in the blink of an eye. When she described the relief of being “knocked out” and numbed to the horror around her, I felt that relief too. A welcome dissociative escape away from the pain, shock, destruction and alienation. Having experienced many earthquakes but none with the extent of damage, injury or death like that in Nepal makes it somewhat unimaginable. I keep the images of such devastation locked away and magically believe that could never happen to me. How the people of Nepal continued on is all at once heartbreaking and inspiring. Your letter reminds me how natural disasters are real, people suffer, die, and are left to rebuild their outer and inner worlds. It is also reminder that all of us, as members of a global community, must bear witness and offer fellowship in the trauma. Thank you for sharing their story.
Sincerely,
A.W.
In response to E. C.’s reflections, student A. K. wrote:
I was very moved by E.C.’s representation of the Nepal earthquake and how it affected its citizens. The letter that she wrote from a survivor’s perspective transformed me to the scene of the crime. I felt so sad towards that girl because in a matter of seconds her entire life changed for the worse. When Erika was explaining that people were being buried alive by the debris, I could feel my throat closing and I began to feel very claustrophobic.
In response to E. C.’s reflections, student L. F. wrote:
E.C. had also shared with us about the tragedy of Nepal and the earthquake that hit their homeland. She really shared a vivid image for me with her letter. To think that we take those moments for granted and walk away from our loved ones, forgetting that mother nature herself can strike at any time and take our loved ones away. It resonated with me to appreciate each given moment and to reflect on the things that I cannot control. To be honest, it made me more scared than I already was towards natural disasters, because to think that these people were digging their families, and friends out of debris to find their dead bodies is just horrific and traumatizing to me. The letter really painted the picture of loss for me using the imagery in my mind.
References
Landry, M. D., Raman, S. R., & Kohrt, B. A. (2015, August). Disability as an Emerging Public
Health Crisis in Postearthquake Nepal. American Journal of Public Health. pp. 1515-
1517. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302809.
