Disaster-Trained Doctor Helps People Of Mississippi
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Marilyn Whitney, M.D. is entering a second week of disaster aid to the people of Mississippi.
Whitney, a family practice physician and partner at Kosciusko Family Healthcare, said the damage along the Gulf of Mexico is still overwhelming.
"The devastation along the coast is unbelievable," she said in a cell phone interview. "Buildings are completely flattened. There are piles of debris and rubble everywhere. For example, all that's left of a small speciality hospital on I-90 is the sign.
"The oddest thing is on many buildings, the upper floors are still relatively intact, the bottom floors are completely hollowed out. The houses look like a giant claw has scooped out the inside just from the force of the storm surge."
Whitney is the clinical leader of the third Indiana medical team, an official part of Operation Hoosier Relief. She lives in a tented compound in Biloxi near the coast, affectionately named Camp Indiana. She shares space with members of the Indiana Army National Guard, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Homeland Security Department and the Department of Corrections.
The medical team is set up in several places. Last week there were nine temporary clinic sites, as well as street outreach. She said many people are seeking care at Red Cross shelters, too.
"Some clinics have shut down because we seem to have filled the need. We're opening other clinics, moving further and further west. We're now in four temporary clinic sites."
The Hoosier medical team is attending to people with chronic illnesses made worse with lack of medications. Respiratory problems were made worse when Hurricane Rita followed Katrina and more dust and debris were stirred through the air.
"People will say they took a pill for their high blood pressure. We go through a Physician's Desk Reference and have them point to a picture of the right size and color.
"There's a significant increase in mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, as people begin dealing with their loss. People with chronic schizophrenia are really beginning to have difficulty coping. The psychiatric beds are full. We're trying to get them on meds, to comply with taking it."
Local physicians are reopening their offices, often in a different place. Whitney said 70 to 80 percent of the doctors along the coast lost their homes, including all four of the emergency room physicians at Biloxi Memorial Hospital.
She said there are telephone numbers people can call to find where a doctor has relocated, but many people don't go because they cannot pay for services.
"There's a tremendous backlog. Seeing a physician is very expensive and these people have lost everything, house, job, belongings. They don't have money for medications anymore."
People who two months ago wouldn't have qualified for Medicade are being enlisted in the federal medical insurance program.
Like others before her, Whitney said films shown on the news shows do not do the extensive, catastrophic damage in Mississippi and Louisiana justice.
"One of the off-shore casino barges landed on top of the Holiday Inn (in Biloxi). Our best estimate is there are still 22 to 27 people buried underneath who were staying there during the storm.
"Caskets are popping out of ground in the cemeteries. People are finding body parts which were uncovered at low tide.
"The antebellum mansions are flattened, including the home of Jefferson Davis. The live oak trees are gone. People are saying their history is destroyed. They've lost their community identity.
"The sad thing is the state legislature has voted to allow onland gambling. In five years, if I come back here, all the old mansions will be replaced with casinos."
Whitney sees medical trouble in the future, too. People are camping out in their wrecked homes where the damp and mold have begun to affect them.
"It's far too early to put up new drywall. The houses must dry out completely, another eight to 12 weeks. But they're impatient. How they will be affected depends on the type of mold allergies people have. There will be more toxic symptoms for susceptible people."
The Indiana task force has had one of the most enduring relief teams in Mississippi. Camp Indiana was established shortly after the storm and experts have rotated in and out every two weeks.
Whitney heard on the radio that Task Force Indiana had done more for the people of Biloxi and Gulfport than FEMA and the Red Cross put together.
Slowly, the community is recovering from the shock. Roofing crews are making repairs, restaurants and retail stores have "Now Hiring" signs in their windows.
"Folks may have evacuated the area and may have permanently relocated."
The tent stakes at Camp Indiana will be pulled up at the end of this week, too.
"I think its time for demobilization. The people of Mississippi are saying it's time to take responsibility of their own. Many of physicians practices are back up and running.
"I've learned a lot of lessons from this. One is Indiana has an outstanding disaster plan. We were the most well organized down here in terms of response. It is a credit to the people at the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
"My partners at Kosciusko Family Health care, the staff and especially my patients have been extremely kind." [[In-content Ad]]
Marilyn Whitney, M.D. is entering a second week of disaster aid to the people of Mississippi.
Whitney, a family practice physician and partner at Kosciusko Family Healthcare, said the damage along the Gulf of Mexico is still overwhelming.
"The devastation along the coast is unbelievable," she said in a cell phone interview. "Buildings are completely flattened. There are piles of debris and rubble everywhere. For example, all that's left of a small speciality hospital on I-90 is the sign.
"The oddest thing is on many buildings, the upper floors are still relatively intact, the bottom floors are completely hollowed out. The houses look like a giant claw has scooped out the inside just from the force of the storm surge."
Whitney is the clinical leader of the third Indiana medical team, an official part of Operation Hoosier Relief. She lives in a tented compound in Biloxi near the coast, affectionately named Camp Indiana. She shares space with members of the Indiana Army National Guard, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Homeland Security Department and the Department of Corrections.
The medical team is set up in several places. Last week there were nine temporary clinic sites, as well as street outreach. She said many people are seeking care at Red Cross shelters, too.
"Some clinics have shut down because we seem to have filled the need. We're opening other clinics, moving further and further west. We're now in four temporary clinic sites."
The Hoosier medical team is attending to people with chronic illnesses made worse with lack of medications. Respiratory problems were made worse when Hurricane Rita followed Katrina and more dust and debris were stirred through the air.
"People will say they took a pill for their high blood pressure. We go through a Physician's Desk Reference and have them point to a picture of the right size and color.
"There's a significant increase in mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, as people begin dealing with their loss. People with chronic schizophrenia are really beginning to have difficulty coping. The psychiatric beds are full. We're trying to get them on meds, to comply with taking it."
Local physicians are reopening their offices, often in a different place. Whitney said 70 to 80 percent of the doctors along the coast lost their homes, including all four of the emergency room physicians at Biloxi Memorial Hospital.
She said there are telephone numbers people can call to find where a doctor has relocated, but many people don't go because they cannot pay for services.
"There's a tremendous backlog. Seeing a physician is very expensive and these people have lost everything, house, job, belongings. They don't have money for medications anymore."
People who two months ago wouldn't have qualified for Medicade are being enlisted in the federal medical insurance program.
Like others before her, Whitney said films shown on the news shows do not do the extensive, catastrophic damage in Mississippi and Louisiana justice.
"One of the off-shore casino barges landed on top of the Holiday Inn (in Biloxi). Our best estimate is there are still 22 to 27 people buried underneath who were staying there during the storm.
"Caskets are popping out of ground in the cemeteries. People are finding body parts which were uncovered at low tide.
"The antebellum mansions are flattened, including the home of Jefferson Davis. The live oak trees are gone. People are saying their history is destroyed. They've lost their community identity.
"The sad thing is the state legislature has voted to allow onland gambling. In five years, if I come back here, all the old mansions will be replaced with casinos."
Whitney sees medical trouble in the future, too. People are camping out in their wrecked homes where the damp and mold have begun to affect them.
"It's far too early to put up new drywall. The houses must dry out completely, another eight to 12 weeks. But they're impatient. How they will be affected depends on the type of mold allergies people have. There will be more toxic symptoms for susceptible people."
The Indiana task force has had one of the most enduring relief teams in Mississippi. Camp Indiana was established shortly after the storm and experts have rotated in and out every two weeks.
Whitney heard on the radio that Task Force Indiana had done more for the people of Biloxi and Gulfport than FEMA and the Red Cross put together.
Slowly, the community is recovering from the shock. Roofing crews are making repairs, restaurants and retail stores have "Now Hiring" signs in their windows.
"Folks may have evacuated the area and may have permanently relocated."
The tent stakes at Camp Indiana will be pulled up at the end of this week, too.
"I think its time for demobilization. The people of Mississippi are saying it's time to take responsibility of their own. Many of physicians practices are back up and running.
"I've learned a lot of lessons from this. One is Indiana has an outstanding disaster plan. We were the most well organized down here in terms of response. It is a credit to the people at the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
"My partners at Kosciusko Family Health care, the staff and especially my patients have been extremely kind." [[In-content Ad]]