NATCHEZ &045; Dr. Cathryn Savoca has not had an easy time trying to help out in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The Delaware family care physician made her decision to come down and help the day after the storm. Five weeks later, here she is.

Getting here has proven to be a story she’ll tell her grandkids about.

She applied first with the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, then the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness, and then the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

&8221;I got e-mails saying, &8216;You’re not needed,’&8220; she said.

Unconvinced, she and her residents began calling local doctors.

She finally got to her predecessor at the Concordia Parish Crisis Medical Center. There was a need, and here she is.

&8221;Baton Rouge, even then, they were putting up roadblocks,&8220; she said.

Clearance forms and licenses had to be personally presented and photocopied before she could make her way to Vidalia.

Quite a trip.

Savoca arrived on the day the prescription assistance program ended, which was Sept. 30.

&8221;There are patients with high blood pressure, those people were not able to get their prescriptions filled,&8220; she said, noting that untreated high blood pressure can lead to death.

Undaunted, Savoco and company continued to write prescriptions in the hope a new program would begin soon &045; today is the new start day &045; and giving out samples, anything to buy some time.

Savoco said she will stay through this week and then pass the baton to a doctor from her hospital back home.

&8221;I would like to come back, but we’re going to have to play it by ear,&8220; she said.

&8221;It’s going to take some time to come back.&8220;