Wednesday (Day 12) - Frustrated

I'm frustrated, my hands are tied

I'm frustrated, my brains are fried

I'm frustrated, no place to hide

12 days after Ike and I still have no power. Why? And before you say, well, there were over 2 million people without power and there are still 600,000 + people without power, yes, I know that, I understand that Ike was devastating and I consider myself truly blessed that 1) my family is all okay, 2) my apartment excaped without damage, 3) I have relatives I can stay with.

But here is why I am frustrated. Day 3. Kingwood High School across the street gets power, the businesses just to the east of my on Kingwood Drive get power, the power seemingly stops at my apartment complex. Day 4. I see why, there is a power pole behind the complex that has a tree leaning on it. and it is sitting at a 60 degree angle. By the time I return to my apartment that night, the tree is gone. Day 5. I drive by my apartment and no lights, but there is a crew from Florida Power and Light in the street working on something, the Kingwood High School parking lot is full of power trucks staging, ready to go. There are about 50 of them. Later on, I drive by and there are 8 trucks at my apartment complex replacing the power pole that was sitting at 60 degrees, so new pole, power should be restored right? Nope. Day 6. My parents get power so I head up to there place since I sleep with a breathing machine and the last couple of nights have been miserable (but it could have been worse because we were in an unseasonably cool spell). Day 8. back in town for my nephew's birthday, hilarity ensued, power didn't, went back to my parent's. But the traffic lights on my street work now at least. Day 10. It is the choice of staying in my apartment but sleeping without my breathing machine and driving to work 30 miles away or driving back to my parent's and going to work the next morning 80 miles away. Well, they say the power in my zip code should be up Monday night some time so I stay. Bad choice, still no power plus now we are back to hotter days and nights so it never got below 80 degrees in my apartment even with the balcony door and bedroom window wide open (which by the way, I can stand in and see lights from across the street to mock me). So I am hot and sweaty and then I get sick so I end up staying home Tuesday (or rather going over to my aunt's house since she got power Monday night). My brother also got power back Monday so now I am officially the last one in the family without power. I went by last night, no power but we have street lights now.

Centerpoint Energy said they would be working day and night until they get the power fixed but you watch the TV news at 6 (that is if you have a place to watch it that has power) and they show power trucks returning to the staging areas. I have spent most of the days after Ike with my sister's family and my Aunt only returning to my apartment after 8 p.m. to sleep. I have yet to see a power truck after dark. I know they are working on it, which is why I am just frustrated and not mad as hell, but I am starting to inch my way over. Day 12...