My last hurricane of size was last season; Matthew flooded Eastern NC. Fortunately my house is in the highest part of the county, so I was dry but on an island! Weird and eerie knowing your safe, but "cut-off" from the rest of the world.
I really try to find the lightest side of things, even when shit is bad...it helps with sanity, and helps me to think clearly and such. Anyway, we lost power in the middle of the night so not much sleep. I don't own a generator so we just "toughed it out". Of all the things i took care of pre-storm...charcoal and propane for all the grills, enough ice to get us through a few days of no power, clean water for a week, cars filled with gas, medical kits up to date, batteries, candles, tarps, fans.....etc....I FUCKING FORGOT COFFEE! H-oly SHIT! What an eff'n junior grade mistake on my part. So (next morning) I hop in the car and head to the nearest store that has generator power and retrieve coffee for my bride and me (across a bridge over a sizable swamp/creek). As i return, the high-voltage guys are on the scene (where i have to cross the creek to get back to my house) and they have closed the damn bridge. Keep in mind this is the ONLY non-flooded bridge that'll get me home.
Soooo...I slowly roll up on these guys....power lines are lying all over the swampy area and creek bed...they all stop...turn and look at me like the dumb-ass i am...and the big-boss-man says, "Uh...bridge is closed sir...as you can see...uhhh...power lines are down". I smiled, raised my coffee cup, and said..."the wife's coffee, sir". He whirled to his underlings at the other end of the bridge and shouted..."move them barricades, this man's got an emergency on the other'side of this creek..."!
It sucks now, and will likely suck for a long time. Unfortunately this storm will produce scares that you guys, or someone close, may never totally heal. A buddy of mine lost his parents in this same storm (i mentioned above). They waited til the last minute to leave their home, in their truck and got swept away in the middle of the night. But...you guys will endure. I've got no doubt you will. Stay strong....there'll be time to reflect down the road.