On December 2, 1994 my apartment burned down. I had (at the time) 16 pets... 3 kitties, a lovebird, 2 bunnies, 2 gerbils and the rest were all hamsters and mice. The only pleasant surprise was the beautiful neighbor lady (Sherri) who came into my burning building and rescued Twinkie and Cassie (who are now Katjaye's kitties). I had to save Sasha kitty, she didn't like people... but I managed to get her out and into a waiting pet carrier. I went back in for my lovebird (people were trying to hold me back) and did save her... singed my hair in the process. The neighbors would not let me back in for the rest of my beloved critters. (They all survived that tragic day, somehow.)

After that day, I suffered from PTSD. There were many different ways it took shape, but one was - I could not leave my house for awhile. If I managed to leave and heard sirens, we went home. I hid in the closet during storms; started watching the weather channel 24 hrs a day. (It was drizzling/sprinkling when the fire happened.) There were MANY other things...

It took me years to get past it. Once I moved to Phoenix, I saw a therapist and they helped.