When I was driving home to Bay St. Louis for the first time I noticed the smell. It smelled disgusting, sort of like rotten eggs, mud, sulfur and mold.
When we got to our house we were amazed it was still there, but when we got inside there was two feet of the wateriest, brownest and most disgusting mud I have ever seen in my life. If I ever smell that smell again I think I would gag and turn purple.
We named this mud toxic sludge because it seemed like something that might come out of a factory. Our house was called the toxic sludge house for three weeks until it was all clean.
The worst smelling part of the house was the kitchen. Our refrigerator fell and got open, the mud smelled really bad there. I had to clean out the cabinets with food in them, but I wouldn’t call it food anymore. It was full of mold and mud and oatmeal because it had spilled all over the place. I don’t think even flies would have eaten this.
The memory of this smell will haunt me for the rest of my life. I love getting away but I also love coming home even though I hate the smell.
Hard times, but back online
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It's impossible to imagine what you people are going through right now. But from London I send you my best wishes.
Peter Kendall, London, England (Sent Nov 9, 2005 10:03:20 AM)
Been there, Smelled that. I too will never forget the stench of rotting food and standing water.
Leslie Memphis,Tn (Sent Nov 9, 2005 12:35:28 PM)
PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE IN OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS.i CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT YOU ALL ARE GOING THROUGH.sTAY STRONG...MUCH LOVE TOO YOU ALL
TIMOTHY C. BROWN, COMPTON, C.A. (Sent Nov 9, 2005 12:45:11 PM)
I had not smelled "the smell" until this past Friday. We were driving back up the road from the property where our house was flooded by WIND driven water. I asked my husband to stop the car so I could take a picture of the mountain of things drug out of peoples homes and put by the road side (I e-mail these pictures to everyone I know so they can see the damage from a survivor's viewpoint). From this mountain came "the smell". It was of death, dispair, hurt, anger, fear. When Spring comes around next year maybe the rains of winter will have washed this away but never in my memory.
mary, Pass Christian, MS (Sent Nov 9, 2005 4:08:43 PM)
I don't think I'll ever forget the smell either. Plus the swollen eyes, burning nostrils, and congested sinuses from being around the mold and other toxic stuff. I've been staying in Louisiana and driving back to Bay St. Louis to salvage what I can from my house (5 feet of water and sludge in my house, so not much.) Then bringing what I've salvaged back here to clean up. Everything I saved carries the smell. The odor is in my car now. I finally maxed out yesterday and may throw some things away rather than have to deal with it anymore. Hugs to you, Mary in Pass Christian. As a fellow survivor, your words touched me.
Kitty, Bay St. Louis, MS (Sent Nov 9, 2005 5:41:28 PM)
I think it might be possible that we had the worst smell in Bay St Louis. My dads house (he's 73) at 201 Henley Place. .6 miles from the coast. After his 14ft storm surge I had the pleasure of cleaning out his house, then his disgusting pool bottom. That pool had to be shoveled out, yea with toxic sludge in my hair and everything underneath. Well it got done with help from relatives and we lived to tell about it. I will never forget that experience.
Juan Galvez (Sent Nov 9, 2005 10:52:15 PM)
Hannah!
It was great to see your NAME! I will make sure Katie and Sarah see your posting! I just got back to Virginia from Waveland and I now know the "smell"! I will never forget it either. Give our love to your mom, dad, Sarah and Noah.. and we will see you in March, coming to help some more! Love, The Jontes
Scotty Jonte, formerly of Waveland MS (Sent Nov 29, 2005 1:15:20 PM)
There is a product on the market that is an air purifier that gets rid of odors safely, and fights mold, mildew, and bacteria. It is proprietary and one unit can serve up to 3000 square feet. (There are larger units for larger areas. It was used in the Pentagon after 9/11. It is used in the museum holding 9/11 artifacts from the twin towers. The machine also has been recommended by the Space Certification Program. www.freshairliving.com/GardenOfEdenAirPurifiers and the password is guest.
James McKown, Centereach, NY (Sent Jun 2, 2006 11:22:50 AM)
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