Running Commentary

It’s been two months since I’ve seen Chris, and going back to him (and that crazy work schedule) will mean saying goodbye to the kitties for six months or so. Mouse’s paw got stung by a wasp and swelled up to five times its normal size, but went back to normal in less than 24 hours. Pounce somehow got outside one night and got in a cat fight that left him with scratches down the right side of his body. Mouse caught a bird; Pounce brought me a barely squirming gecko. I spent Mother’s Day with my mom; Chris sent me tulips. Maybe two pieces of clothing I brought with me still fit. I routinely hear my stomach growling…up where my lungs used to be. Very odd. My mom and I went shopping and I said, “Hmm, no matter what I try on, I still look…pregnant. That’s why it’s more fun to look at baby stuff.” My mom said, “And you’re my baby, so it’s fun for me to see you try on clothes.” Later, my mom showed me my baby book. Speaking of books, I’ve finished “The Double Comfort Safari Club,” “The Pregnancy Test,” “44 Scottland St.,” “A Being So Gentle—the Frontier Love Story of Andrew and Rachel Jackson,” and the entire eight-book “Anne of Green Gables” series. And a book about communication in marriage. And part of a Bible study. Blooming magnolia trees fill the neighborhood with their sweet, southern scent. For awhile it looked like Chris might be headed to Las Vegas for a conference; it was canceled, but now he might be going to San Diego at the end of June, in which case I’ll meet him there. The military’s voluntary evacuation of Japan was lifted more than a month ago, and Chris and I plan for me to return to Japan after his conference.

My doctor here says after 22 weeks (now!) the baby will probably be fine…probably. Oh yeah, and the baby has some excess fluid on his kidneys that will probably go away…probably. If I can go back to Japan with an estimated date of departure, that would be one thing. But we keep hearing rumors of extensions as we wait for the verbal orders that should have come last week…and of course didn’t. I don’t want to overreact and be one of those annoying conspiracy theorists or become paranoid about radiation, but I also feel like it’s uneducated to pretend none of this could affect the baby. Especially given NAF Atsugi’s pretty bad track record in this area. The Shinkanpo Incineration Complex, an incinerator near base that was forced to shut down 10 years ago, belched enough toxic chemicals over the housing area to cause respiratory problems and even death for at least one child, all while the Japan and the military told residents it wasn’t that that much of a health risk. So yeah, where does ‘doing your research’ end and paranoia begin? Perhaps close to where I am, unfortunately, waiting while everything’s happening and nothing is changing.