Disaster-Handling

I came home after some Christmas shopping with Rebecca (daughter) and halfway down the hallway, I was suddenly squishing my way through water; little tidal waves popping up from the carpet with every step.

My first feeling was minor shock, then surprise when it finally sank in that, yes, this is really happening. It took about 3 steps to get it. That took me into the kitchen – yep, 3 rugs sopping wet and pools of water on the tile floor. OK! Now what? Curiosity had me searching the ceiling – nope, all clear there. Nothing happening with the dishwasher or refrigerator. Hmmm – must be the hot water heater. 

Aha! Warm water coming from the top of the water heater – running down the sides, extending the pond that had already invaded my bedroom and exercise room. Not good. I saw the spigot that was feeding water to the water heater. I tried to turn it off. I tried harder. It was frozen shut.

Water streaming down the water heater, increasing the breadth of damage to my floors and furniture – and I couldn't stop it. I could do nothing to stop it. 

I felt sudden helplessness … helplessness magnified by memories of the past when I could do nothing to stop a situation, make it go away, or un-happen it. My mindtalk accused me of being useless, inept, stupid, worthless, a loser, deserving disaster. Fortunately I called Rebecca and Troy (son-in-law) who talked me down from the panic. Her calmness and his practicality helped me get sorted.

I'm still in the middle of 3 days with five industrial floor fans and two dehumidifiers droning away; my
carpet is ripped up; baseboards have been removed and holes drilled to drain water; my refrigerator is in the middle of my kitchen; bookcases, books, objets d'art, and furniture are strewn around my house. But I have a new water heater – and even more respect for the power of the mind to quickly find the source of a problem on the one hand, and on the other to use the past to blow a problem all out of proportion.

PS  About a week ago, I wondered specifically about my water heater – how old was it anyway? As it turns out, it was 22 years old, which is rather aged for a water heater. It never pays to ignore my sixth sense.