Pictures of Joplin

On Saturday, we headed into Joplin for Target for some basics (Target is north of the "hit area" but certainly not "unaffected" as everyone in the area is affected; everyone knows someone who was lost). We've spoken to many who narrowly survived, and some who lost homes but are very thankful their family members survived. Also spoken to many of the cleanup crew and volunteers who have seen unimaginable things. 

Dad wanted to go to Jim Bob's for lunch (which we had heard had only "minor damage").  From the photo below, you'll know it wasn't open for business!  I wouldn't have called that minor damage, but I guess relative to the horrible devastation in the block just south of Jim Bob's, they came out okay.

In the Iron Gates area where the tornado first touched down just north of Hwy 44 and Hwy 43 intersection; this is almost exactly 16 miles north of Seneca on Hwy 43; so very close



This restaurant appears relatively unscathed, but look at those steel beams of the sign!



We think this is the playground of the Chick-Fil-A



This might have been the Long John Silver's



One of hundreds of vehicles nearly unrecognizable



What's left of the Academy store



Another mangled car



Shopping center on west side of Range Line looks terrific compared to what's just across the street




Outside the Radio Shack



This photo really hits me hard - a shopping center which is completely unrecognizable - and this monster tornado hit on a Sunday at 5:40 pm - this is the most congested part of all of Joplin on a weekend!



Jim Bob's Restaurant on Range Line



My favorite store - Goodwill

Pictures of the flooding in Seneca

 Just after the tornado, we had torrential rains which kept us tied down and was horrible for the folks in Joplin. In Seneca, the lower parts of town were evacuated - as directly across this "field" below are homes and the high school, and the "river bed" of little Lost Creek which was way over its banks!


The field at the bottom of mom and dad's hill became a flowing river




Pharmacy and Dollar General in Seneca



Old 60 and Sherwood, raging torrent of water rushing at the bottom of the hill



Downtown Seneca after the big storm



Catching up - next week we're back to St Louis.

Gary and I took a trip using our timeshare while Dad had the first two chemo treatments (every other week) right here in Joplin.  After we got home hehad an issue with a fever which they think was a urinary tract infection; treated with antibiotics. He was scheduled for one last chemo this past tuesday, but needless to  say with the tragic events in Joplin, he skipped this week.  The folks at Freeman are all focused on helping victims and our hearts go out to all the people impacted and those who've lost loved ones.

Dad's next step is a ct scan at Barnes Jewish to check the tumor and determine next step, hopefully surgery to remove for good!  We head to  STL this week and will hopefully have great news at the end of the week.