From KSDK News, September 23, 2005

A Hurricane Katrina survivor temporarily staying in St. Louis will likely never return to New Orleans.

Carole Tolbert had a double lung transplant in St. Louis several years ago. Because of the remnants left by the flood in the Gulf, returning wouldn''t be good for her health.

The staff at Barnes Jewish Lung Transplant Department is all pitching in to help 65-year-old Carole Tolbert. Born in St. Louis, she''s lived in New Orleans for nearly 40 years.

When Katrina struck, she took the bare necessities.

Tolbert says, "I had two pairs of shorts and a pair of long pants that I had on, and about four T-shirts and not too much underclothes."

She also only had about two weeks worth of anti-rejection medication.

Tolbert had a lung transplant at Barnes Jewish Hospital nine years ago.

One of the first people Tolbert called was her long-time nurse, Laura Roldan. "She''s had some medical complications, so I had talked to her about maybe facilitating her coming to St. Louis," says Roldan.

She''s currently staying at Barnes Lodge and receiving medical attention.

Returning to New Orleans may never happen. Dr. Ramsey Hachem of Washington University says, "It seems to be questionable for everyone, never mind someone who''s had a lung transplant and who''s extra sensitive to bad air quality and whatever other health hazards in the area right now."

For now, Tolbert is thankful for those who helped her when she needed it.

Tolbert will begin a new chapter in her life. She plans to move to London where her daughter and grandchildren live. She plans to have other relatives gather her belongings from New Orleans.

She doesn''t want to risk her health.