I don't post often so you probably don't really know me, but I just felt like sharing this. I doubt that many of you have heard this if you are not living in the U.S., but yesterday my hometown of Joplin, MO (pop. around 80,000) was destroyed by an F-4 tornado. It has made the record books already as the deadliest tornado in the U.S. in over a century and the death toll continues to rise(116 dead so far). The tornado went right through the middle of the town cutting a path 3/4 of a mile wide and 6 miles long. One of the two hospitals in Joplin was destroyed by the tornado. My father (a critical care patient) was on the 7th floor of the hospital at the time. He has since been relocated to another hospital but we spent a miserable 12 hours not knowing where he was. Many people have lost everything. I live an hour away and my parents' house was not near the damage zone so we are feeling very lucky despite my dad's situation. The search and rescue is ongoing, unfortunately the storms have not stopped and they are forecasting more severe weather tomorrow with a high risk for more tornadoes. Please keep the people of Joplin in your thoughts and prayers. If you feel like contributing, we are being told to check with your local red cross chapter for blood and other donations and they will make sure they get to Joplin.