MY SON MARK IS IN RUSSIA RIGHT NOW

["prima"Donna]

I am sure that most of you have heard the news of the horrible wildfires that Moscow has been experiencing the last few weeks....

Add to that, they are also having the hottest temperatures ever recorded there...the average temp this time of year should be 75, but the temps have been 100+ for the last 50 days....

To make matters worse, at this time of year, Russia has over 20 hrs of daylight, and there is not much air conditioning there either...

People are dying from the heat and from the smoke inhalation of toxic chemicals from the wildfires...

I heard on the news last night that the pollution levels are 600 TIMES ABOVE NORMAL, and what is considered safe...they said it amounts to the equivalent of smoking over 8 packs of cigarettes per day!!!...

Mark has been in St Petersburg, Russia studying for the summer...his classes ended Friday and he had to vacate the dorms, and his next stop was Moscow...

I tried to get him to change his plans, but he had nowhere else to go....

The only way I have to reach him is by email, and he doesn't always have WiFi access...

As a mom, I feel absolutely helpless and I am so worried about my son...there is nothing I can do to 'make it all better'...I just have to put Mark's health and safety in God's hands and pray that he gets out alive...

Even if he has no immediate ill effects from inhaling all that 'poison' now, who knows what might show up years later?...just think of the 9/11 1st responders here in NY where I live, who are dying NOW from the toxic gases they inhaled THEN...

Thanks for letting me vent my worries and frustrations to my C5 family...bad enough that I have my friend Mike deathly ill and he could die at any moment, but now I have my son in 'harm's way'.......

Good thing I have my 'HWAY STR' and C5 as a good distraction from the real world...

[CatiaJockey]

Hope everything works out for the best with your son... We'll do our best to keep you distracted and send a lot of prayers your way.

[brandotron]

Hang in there Donna, I'm sure he'll be okay! Wildfires are not the same kind of poison as the falling asbestos and particulate our 9/11 responders dealt with. Not to mention he's young and his lungs are capable of healing faster than an adult's. How long will he be in Moscow?

Have you thought about sending him a 3g smartphone the next time he stops long enough to have a mailing address? He'd have phone and internet with him at all times.

[Vladi]

Originally Posted by brandotron

Hang in there Donna, I'm sure he'll be okay! Wildfires are not the same kind of poison as the falling asbestos and particulate our 9/11 responders dealt with. Not to mention he's young and his lungs are capable of healing faster than an adult's. How long will he be in Moscow?

Have you thought about sending him a 3g smartphone the next time he stops long enough to have a mailing address? He'd have phone and internet with him at all times.

There are not many places in Russia where 3g signal available.
Donna don`t worry everything will be ok.

[PQ]

Damn. Donna. That really sucks you are worrying. :(

Not sure if this will make you feel any better but here goes;

When I was in Kuwait and Iraq back in Desert Sheild/Storm, my mother was watching the news, just like everyone else, and she was really freaking out about some of the casualty numbers and incidents. Thiking any one of them could be me.

To compound matters, I was a typical young man on the edge of becoming a man. I was irresponssible still in many ways. One of witch was having the common curtesy of writing home and letting Mom know I was OK. Yup. I never wrote my parents the whole time I was gone. They were worried sick. SICK. But I couldn't have been any safer. Not saying your son is as I was, but I'm sure if he knew, I mean REALLY KNEW, how much you love him and are worried, he would probably be able to send a line to let you know he's ok. Kids are hard headed. They are too young to understand a parents worry. He's probably having the time of his life, and safe from harm.

That probably didn't help.



We will be praying for you to at least get some recent word.

[Bone]

Under normal conditions. I would imagine Russia would be a great place to visit. Don't worry, I'm sure he's able to take care of himself. He can draw from his family lessons. I'm sure Mark's a smart boy. And he'll have many stories to tell you when he comes home.

[Epitaph]

That sucks, I'm so sorry you have to go through with that. Is there not any way he can "come home"? Why is he going to school over there?

[Michael_Js]

Prayers for your sanity, and his safe return...

[CaniacFan]

Donna:
I am sure that your son will be just fine. I know he was raised to be self reliant and not to panic when situations arise. I know because of you that he is a level-headed young man who is smart and will stay one step ahead of all the dangers that surround him. Parents teach their children lessons all their lives, if necessary he will automatically go into survival mode.

I agree with some of the comments in regard that although wildfire smoke is deadly at least it doesn't have the same contaminents as you described for those affected by 9/11.

Again, our thoughts and prayers are with you, your beautiful son and of course, Mike as well.

Hopefully your son can cotact you some way soon to reassure you in person - I know it would mean the world to you and your family.

Be strong, we are here for you. Lori

[kjd15]

Hang in there, Donna. I'm keeping him in my thoughts and hope everything will be fine.

["prima"Donna]

Thanks for your kind words everyone....I sure do appreciate it....

I just read an article online that says that the fires might now be emitting RADIOACTIVE gases from the Chernobyl nuclear accident 24 yrs ago...just what I needed to see..................

Most of Russia does not have air conditioning since the avg temp this time of year is 75...well, the last 50 days have seen temps 100 and above...

I knew that you guys/gals would ease my worries with your thoughtfulness....

You all mean the world to me and I know that we are all here for each other...

This Camaro5 family is about so much more than 'just a car'...

I can never imagine another car that has brought together so many fine people from all over the world that care about someone that we've never met in person, but feel connected to forever.....

~hugs~

["prima"Donna]

Originally Posted by Vladi

There are not many places in Russia where 3g signal available.
Donna don`t worry everything will be ok.

Thanks, Vladi, do you have family and friends that are in harm's way right now in Russia?...I hope not, however I will pray for them, just in case...

And Vladi, you are right...Mark doesn't always have internet access....it is quite limited...

[Superman09]

Donna there is nothing I can say to easy you pain but to tell you that I am praying for you and your son and his safe return to you. Leave it in God's hands he will comfort you

["prima"Donna]

Originally Posted by Superman09

Donna there is nothing I can say to easy you pain but to tell you that I am praying for you and your son and his safe return to you. Leave it in God's hands he will comfort you

thank you Superman!