September is Done

Do you believe September is finished already? It has gone by so quickly. 

Perhaps it is because it is something new but but teaching at high school has kept me busy enough to not feel Jared's absence as intensely  as I have in the past. Or it could be I just grew up and have learned to deal with this life. Which ever. I am happy it is as normal as Navy life can be.

Jared did warn  that a change of ship type meant a change in underway frequency and duration. He has been gone for six weeks so far. Not the longest trip but long enough. It is safe to say our home routine is firmly established now and I sort of dread the homecoming. Not because I do not want Jared home, of course. I suppose it is better to say I dread the disruption of our routine. After all of the time I have lived with the Navy, one would think I would have discovered the off switch to our deployed routine and return to our family routine. That has been an elusive switch.

It is much work to reintegrate the family after Jared returns from an underway. I have to surrender my total control and return to him what is his share of running this household. I must deliberately think to allow him to do those things that have always been his portion. 

Of course, it is not all of my burden. He must remember that I am not one of his sailors and neither are the children. I understand why he does it at time. If you spend months commanding at sea, you tend to command all the time with everyone you interact with. There are no civilians on board. It usually takes a little nudge to remind him of his loss of command when he is home.

I am pleased with how I am living now. I think resigning the university and joining the high school faculty was just the thing to get me here. I am with my children now. I am with Jared now, (well, when he is home but I can be pier-side when he returns!)

Go, Navy!

A Strange Forecast

I suppose it is typhoon season so we must accept the impending. While we are not under TCCOR warnings (typhoon warnings) we are to expect gale conditions (winds of 32-60 mph). We have gale warnings for Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay. We live on the peninsula between the two. Can they have different weather? I can see both from where I sit right now.

It should make school interesting. I have been warned that "My homework was blown away" will be a common excuse for the next couple of days. Despite the best attempts at warnings, some will lose their homework to the winds. 

Chao lei and Jun have backpacks for this purpose AND I drive them to school so their time in the wind will only be the distance from the drop off to the school door. Should I discover either have attempted this excuse, they will discover their mother can determine make up homework in addition to redoing the teacher assigned work.

Speaking of mothers, mine has determined her time to visit me. She has decided she will come October 16 and stay a few days. The children are excited for it. She will bring things of China they do not get here. It is very likely she will do the cooking and I will be required to learn from her. That does not bother me. It means I get to eat very well cooked food and a lot of it. Jared will not be pleased if he is not home for it at least a short time.

It is Autumn in Japan. Gone are may days of sunshine. The days will mostly be soggy and cool. Hiking boots will require lugs. Unless you thrill at slipping and sliding. I suppose it adds to the adventure.

Hey, It IS Japan!

I was hoping the weather would cooperate with an outing today. It seems that will not be so. This is Japan. Of course there will be rain. I had only hoped it would be a light rain. 

Not so. We are in a "Heavy Rain Warning for Ground-loosening." I knew we were not going out this morning before I looked to the weather because I could plainly hear the rainfall. Looking out my windows I could see the small rivers of water flowing past.

Father up the road they have been warned of mudslides so I watch for muddy water flowing past us. We are not in the danger area (so they say) but I will take Chao lei and Jun on the base if the hillside seems to sliding.

Now the task for me is to think of something to occupy the children. Nothing is scarier than bored children. Yu Kids Ai Land is an enclosed play ground with ball pit and other obstacles. It is a reasonable option. It is only ¥600 (about $4.50) per child. Adults are free with child. 

I have some craft items. I even have small craft kits but how long will those last? I suppose we can fill time watching movies while eating popcorn. With a VPN, we are able to stream Disney channel or another streaming channel. AFN is not so good for entertaining children. Unless they prefer football then it is more than up to the task.

I will think of something to keep them from becoming restless. I must hurry. they will awake any moment.

SAT's Are Over

 At the least, until next month. They have chosen to administer the SATs and the ACTs on different days though. I am thankful for that. This last time made for a very full day doing both.

This last week has been uneventful. The surgeon has remained silent about our appointment. The lack of communication from him leads to two possible conclusion. First, the issue is so negligible as to not warrant any haste in the matter. The second is, I am beyond hope and a delay will make no difference in the outcome. But are those not the usual extremes when dealing with medical issues?

For me, It is the use of such terms as concern, suspicious, and make sure to cause me to believe the first. I take this seriously as I know "suspicious" can grow into "confirmed killer" quicker than I could predict. I have determined to call my GP if I have not heard from the surgeon by Friday. I have no desire to fall through the cracks and become worse than is necessary. 

I do have one thing for my advantage that most do not. Mother is a medical doctor and she is coming for a visit soon. She can give me the advice I may need in addition to what my GP may offer. She gives me much advice even when I do not desire it. It may be refreshing for her to discover I would welcome her advice on this.

I have also spent a lot of time soothing Jared of this. He worries when there is nothing to worry about yet. Should the worst happen, even then there is no need to worry. What would it change? I do need him to become more relaxed of it though. How am I to tell our children that everything will be fine if he has not settled it his mind that it will be fine? I would like for he and I to tell them.

And no, I have not told the children. I must be careful not to reveal to much even among my coworkers but I may have already said too much. I mentioned only an appointment with the surgeon to one other teacher about a thyroid issue with no mention of cancer at all, and somehow a student of mine over heard it. Now it has grown among the students in my classes. It seems I must have surgery very soon or I will die before the first semester is finished. Ordinarily, my students are very intelligent. You have to love the rumor mill because ordinarily intelligent people get caught up in it and believe what they hear based on no facts or evidence. So, I have been forced to tell them it is not as they believe it to be in the hope it goes no farther or ,at the least, the damage is minimal. I really hope it does not reach an adult serial gossip's ear. I pray my children hear it from me rather than some other child or, even worse, an adult that has bad information.

Hospitals are Wierd

Am I the only person that thinks that when they send you reports, they should give the results in an understandable way? 

I had my biopsy done and received a report withing an hour that stated I had a procedure and how they performed it. I was there. I know how it was done. I was told of each step, why it was being done and what to expect as they did it.

The day after, I received a "Final Pathological Diagnosis." I would have believed that this report would have said cancer/no cancer. I was incorrect. It said "highly suspicious" And a note from my doctor telling me I was being referred to the thyroid surgeon so we can "determine for sure" if it is cancer and how we might treat it.

I am ok with facts. I believe I do have cancer. Why can they not say it? Fear of over reaction? They would eventually have to say the words. Why not say them early and be done with it so emotions do not interfere with decision making? This is not one of the "big scary" cancers from what I understand of it. It is cancer but it is a 99+% curable one. Since mine is so early, I have confidence of a full recovery. Yes, there is that 1% chance but I prefer to focus on the positive and assume it will be cured.

I told Jared the results this morning. I almost regretted it. He wanted to return home but to what purpose? Childbirth is more dangerous than this particular form of cancer yet he did not come home for that. There is no reason for him to come home now. The Navy is fickle about its captains and prefers them aboard a ship not home nursing a wife they did not issue him.

It is off to the surgeon next to determine for sure it is indeed cancer and then, what to do about it.

Another Week

I cannot say I do not miss Jared. I certainly do. They have been underway for 3 weeks. I have received the customary e-mails and texts as well as face time.That has not changed. I suppose being busy has made it easier to carry on. Even Chao lei and Jun do not ask as often of their father even though they are as excited as ever when he calls. It is best to be busy.

I found a small bump on my throat A few weeks ago so I made an appointment to have a doctor look at it. I thought it was a simple lipoma. The doctor discovered that it is a bit more. He performed an ultrasound but could not be conclusive so he referred me to the local hospital where they looked closer at my thyroid. They found nodules in it but saw that my pituitary glands were clear. I am told that is a good thing. But now I must have a biopsy done on the nodules tomorrow. Yay. Needles in my throat.

I have not told Jared of this. I will wait until there is something to tell. There is no reason to cause anxiety for him. He is a new captain and must focus his thoughts on his ship. Even in a worst case scenario, nothing will happen that cannot wait for his return. He could not return anyway. The Navy does not keep spare captains laying about so he can be relieved to see to me.

I do not care for the fact that I must miss an afternoon of classes. Especially because they are mid week classes. Were the missed classes only language classes I could leave exercises for a substitute to administer. But they are Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and AP Calculus. It seems they will have a day of personal study.

I suppose I will just move on through my days as normal. At the least, until there is something to worry about.

One Week

It has been one week and already I have a lost and found box in my desk drawer.

There are limited number of people in my classroom. I could probably think of who these items belong to but why should I expend the effort to do so? It has been only a week. But how do you not notice that you cannot see well because you do not have your glasses? When did the care and custody of their belongings become my responsibility? I cannot but sit back and snicker at their carelessness. I certainly hope they are not so careless in their studies. I have heard whispers of their concerns for gpa's.

So far as I can tell, I am considered a nice teacher. So far. They have only known me for a week. What would they know of me? There have been no quizzes or exams yet. Of course, that is to be reconciled Friday. I will inform you of any change in status then. lol

I have learned it is good to study the school calendar well. In my classroom scheduling, I have scheduled quizzes in all but the language classes. That requires grading to be done over the weekend. Expected. Not expected, I have been scheduled to be the SAT proctor on Saturday. There will be  a morning test and an afternoon test. It seems my quiz grading will be done that evening and Sunday afternoon. And I do not have Jared to assist me with the children. Totally my fault but ARG! It is tempting to postpone the quizzes though.

Mother has told me she intends to visit now that CoVid has tamed a bit and restrictions have eased. An advantage is I live off base so there is no need to do extra military paperwork for a Chinese National to visit my home. She must only satisfy the regular visa requirements of Japan.

Jared hopes he is home when she visits. He loves her cooking as much as I do. I suppose my Chinese/American fusion attempts fall short sometimes but if I only prepare Chinese food his face begins to say, "Oh no. Not again" and he begins to find reasons to eat in the ship's galley.

Chao lei and Jun enjoy their schools. Jun to the point I get jealous. If it were not for child locks on the car doors, she would have the door open before I am even stopped. I need to discover this magic they use.