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To evacuate or not to evacuate?

So they announced tonight to the complete shock of everyone stationed here (after being COMPLETELY firm on their stance that they would not, under any condition, no matter how bad things got at Fukushima, bring the topic of evacuation to the table) that they will be starting voluntary evacuations at our base in the coming days. No idea yet where they'll take people or for how long, but I'll have to decide soon.

Corey (obviously?) can't leave. I'm thinking I'm going to stay. Is this totally dumb? Home sounds SO good right now, but "they" say we're still safe from radiation at the moment and the thought of leaving Corey here alone in such a crappy situation is just awful. We'll find out more details about the evacuations tomorrow, so I guess I'll decide then for sure. 

 

Re: To evacuate or not to evacuate?

  • Oh honey, I'm just in disbelief that this is all happening to you. I wish I had advice for you, just want to send lots of love and hugs. We are all here for you regardless of what you decide.
  • I am so so sorry that you have to make this choice. I *think* that if it were me, I would stay with DH, but really I have no idea if I really would if it came down to it. I am praying hard for you, and I really hope that things slowly start turning around.
  • Why are they telling you to evacuate? Are they giving you many details?
    My favorite place on earth: The Amargosa Valley.
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  • Oh, my goodness, Patty. I just want to fly you to my house, wrap you in a nice warm blanket, feed you milk and cookies and take care of you!

    Be safe. I know you and your H will make the right decision. My prayers are with you.

  • imagePassanie:
    Why are they telling you to evacuate? Are they giving you many details?

    I have no idea. If there was any kind of transparency behind their decisions, it wouldn't be the military. :) It would make the decision much easier if I knew their motivation. They're still assuring us we're completely safe. Basically they made it sound like life here is going to be "inconvenient" for the indefinite future, so it could just be that they don't want to have to worry about providing us with heat and electricity and gas. Some people have speculated they're worried about a food shortage. Or it could be that they're getting nervous about radiation and want to get people out so that if it gets to the point that they NEED to do it quickly, it won't be so overwhelming. I just have no idea.

  • And thank you all. I'm sure one of these days we'll be warm and safe and non-stressed! Just have to get through a little more. It's so great having you all to run and cry to. :)
  • :( Hugs. What a huge decision... I don't have any advice. :(
  • Big hugs to you, Patty.  Todd and I were watching the news this morning and he asked about you guys (how far away you were, and are you safe from the effects of the radiation, and will they evacuate, etc).  I tried to put myself in your shoes - would I go if he had to stay.  It seems like such an impossible choice to make...I am so sorry it's one you're grappling with.  I don't have any advice, just hugs and lots of support.  I'm so sorry.
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  • I read the news this morning about the base evacuations and immediately thought of you.  I guess I didn't read clearly enough and thought that military personnel had the option of leaving too.  The ambiguity of military life would drive me insane; I hate not having full information!

    Whatever you decide, my thoughts are with you guys.  I don't think I could leave if my husband were staying so I don't think that's a dumb decision.  I don't think any of us really knows what we'd do though w/o being in your shoes.  Hugs.

    I'd rather be rock climbing or playing volleyball
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  • Hugs to you, P. I can't imagine having to face that kind of decision amid everything else you're going through. I'm keeping you in my thoughts and J asks about how you guys are doing over there. Keep us posted and I know if you need a place to stay for a little bit that there are many nesties here who would love to have you (including me). :)
  • Hi Stumpy,

    Glad to see you guys are okay. What a difficult spot to be in for you both. I'm sure you guys will make the right decision.

    My cousin, his wife and their two young sons live in Nagano, which is about 160 miles southwest of the Fukushima plant. He seems to be comfortable with staying, and says he's not worried about the radiation impact (from where they live, the winds don't tend to travel that way, and they're protected by some mountain ranges). He said that they are definitely noticing some problems with gas and food shortages, even though their area was not damaged by the quake or tsunami.

    I'm glad to hear you guys are even further from the epicenter and Fukushima than my cousin, which makes me hopeful that if my cousin is feeling okay (and he's an extremely smart, rational guy) that you guys will be okay too.

    In any case, I'm thinking about you guys! 

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  • oh patty, i can't even imagine what you feel.  i'm sorry you have to make a decision like that, but i know you and C will decide what is best for the two of you.

    much love and my continued prayers

    xoxo

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  • What a hard decision.  Without kids, I think I'd probably stay.  Now that I have a child, I'd be on the 1st plane.

    Big hugs!

  • The universities are starting to pull their students (cal state and stanford are requiring it) for the simple fact that unless you're helping, you're in the way consuming scarce resources.

    So if it were me (and my father was military, so I have a little bit of that informing this advice) I would stay until it was clearly unsafe. I would also make a point to be helpful in whatever capacity they'd let me as a civilian.

    Stay safe, and good luck. When you're back in the area I will buy you something stronger than a beer. You deserve it.

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  • What a decision to have to make...  And I'm not sure there's really any right or wrong decision here.  I just wanted to add my voice to the many here sending you their thoughts and (emotional, at least) support. 
  • Oh, Patty? This is a tough decision? I'd have totally encouraged you to come back, just to be safe, but I can understand the hesitation to leave as well. I know there are a couple of French expats who had chosen to stay instead of being evacuated home by their government (their evacuation was scheduled earlier).

    What does your DH think about the evacuation? Could your presence (and hence, safety) be of a concern to him? If you chose to stay, please remain safe! You and your DH are in my thoughts and prayers. ::hugs::
  • I'm honestly not sure what I'd do - one of those things where it's hard to imagine what you'd decide unless you're in the situation yourself. But we're thinking of you guys and sending lots of positive thoughts your way. Take care!
  • I've been thinking about you in this whole mess, but haven't had much time to post.  That is such a tough position to be in. Ugh. I'm so so sorry about everything you and everyone there is going through.  I have no idea what I would do either, that is such a tough decision, but will pray for you for wisdom to know what to do in this situation. 


  • First of all...I'm so sorry you're in this position. it sucks and I'm hoping everything turns out OK and just fine.

    Second...if it were me? I'd probably stay. I guess I'd talk it over in depth with my husband first, but my view is that, if he's there in "danger", then I would want to be in "danger" with him as well,  you know? Unless he was insistant upon it, I don't know that I would want to leave him there "alone".

     


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  • anneganneg member
    Ancient Membership

    imageStumpyG:
    They're still assuring us we're completely safe. Basically they made it sound like life here is going to be "inconvenient" for the indefinite future, so it could just be that they don't want to have to worry about providing us with heat and electricity and gas. Some people have speculated they're worried about a food shortage. Or it could be that they're getting nervous about radiation and want to get people out so that if it gets to the point that they NEED to do it quickly, it won't be so overwhelming. I just have no idea.

    hmmm.... taken at face value, it makes sense to preserve valuable resources and get anyone who doesn't need to be there out of the way.  but this is the military we're talking about, and as you said yourself, transparency isn't their thing.  i wouldn't trust them to tell me the truth about the radiation danger.  the military (and govts in general) never admit wrong doing or mistakes unless they absolutely cannot continue to deny it.  the military knew agent orange was a carcinogen for years, kept using it, and denied they knew it until the bitter end.  same with asbestos.  i grew up in pittsburgh and was a kid when three mile island happened.  the authorities lied through their teeth at the time about the level of the danger/radiation exposure.  the fact that there was a partial core meltdown didn't come out for at least a decade. 

    i know that you don't want to leave your husband behind but if i were in your shoes, i'd get the frak out of dodge as fast as possible.

    great blasket island, co. kerry, ireland june 2011
  • I would leave ASAP, unless you find it impossible to leave your husband. Just to be clinical about it, your eggs are more susceptible to radiation because you have them for life. I'm so sorry you are going through this but it seem that it is unclear exactly how much radiation is being leaked at this point and how much more will be coming so as awful as it seems, I would go. 
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  • imagemegan0071234:
    I am so so sorry that you have to make this choice. I *think* that if it were me, I would stay with DH, but really I have no idea if I really would if it came down to it. I am praying hard for you, and I really hope that things slowly start turning around.

    This. I know I would want to leave so badly, but I don't think I could leave DH. We're a team and if something happened to him I'd be so heartbroken, I'd want to make sure he wasn't alone.

  • That's a really hard decision based on all the factors. If it was me with my DH, no way would I leave in a million years but our situation is unique with him in a wheelchair. I know you'll make the right decision for you guys. Lots of hugs.
  • imageStumpyG:

    imagePassanie:
    Why are they telling you to evacuate? Are they giving you many details?

    I have no idea. If there was any kind of transparency behind their decisions, it wouldn't be the military. :) It would make the decision much easier if I knew their motivation. They're still assuring us we're completely safe. Basically they made it sound like life here is going to be "inconvenient" for the indefinite future, so it could just be that they don't want to have to worry about providing us with heat and electricity and gas. Some people have speculated they're worried about a food shortage. Or it could be that they're getting nervous about radiation and want to get people out so that if it gets to the point that they NEED to do it quickly, it won't be so overwhelming. I just have no idea.

    Ugh, that's so frustrating! Way to make an informed decision, especially since everything we're hearing seems to be that you guys would be safe where you are (well, honestly, I haven't read up on the radiation stuff recently, so what I read could be outdated).  And to think the media is taking *** over here for blowing the nuclear story out of proportion. Sigh. I think an answer will come to you. I don't know if I could leave my dh either.

    Where will you go if you evacuate? Home? Or do they just mean go west and stay in some shelter? Because if that were the option, no way.

    My favorite place on earth: The Amargosa Valley.
    image
  • What Amy said.  DH is in the nuclear business.  While he's assured me we're safe here, he's not said the same for Japan.
  • Oh Patty, I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you and DH. I'm not sure what decision you should make but my thoughts and prayers are with you guys.
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