DISCLAIMER FROM THE TRANSLATOR

DISCLAIMER FROM THE TRANSLATOR: While I speak both English and Japanese fluently, I know nothing about medicine. These are rough translations made through tears (i.e., sometimes while bawling). Please take all medical details in particular with a grain of salt. These translations have not been proofread and will be revised on a later date.

Please note that I am NOT in contact with the original author, who has given general permission for translation in one of her entries.

I would appreciate it if everyone can refrain from posting these entries elsewhere and to share this address <http://jkts-english.blogspot.com> instead, as I will be making revisions to each entry directly (addresses for individual entries may change if I revise their titles).

これらの英訳文は当ブログにて直接改訂を行いますので、転載は控えてこのアドレス<http://jkts-english.blogspot.com>を周知していただけたら幸いです(個々の記事のアドレスは変わってしまう可能性がありますのでご注意ください)。
また、ツイッターで看護師様ご本人の許諾を得て英訳したと紹介されましたが、直接連絡は取っておりません。翻訳に関してのご本人の見解は元のブログのこちらの記事の最後の方をご参照ください。

ALL ENTRIES © THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.



Start reading here: 1) To the affected areas.



Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Five months

[August 12, 2011 5:54PM]

Five months have passed since the earthquake.  As I spend these hot summer days, I find myself thinking back to those days of shivering in a bath towel and feeling the transition of time and seasons.

The videos and photographs that have been sent to us from the affected areas have not changed so much since those days.  Only five months, already five months—the days that have passed can be interpreted in different ways.

The evacuation site that I was stationed at for medical assistance has been closed down, and everyone has moved to temporary and other housing.

That evacuation site, where we all shed tears with no way to release our anger and profound sadness over the disaster that could not be averted.
That evacuation site, where tears of joy and relief from reunifications were also shed.
That evacuation site, where we discussed what to do all together and felt terribly lost.
That evacuation site, where we were also able to find small signs of hope and happiness, even while feeling lost.
That evacuation site, where someone would notice when you were feeling lonely, and where someone was always there for you.

Honestly, I feel a little sad about the closure of this evacuation site [with so many memories of my own], and while I am happy that everyone has been able to find some kind of housing (even if it’s temporary), I am also worried about the mountainous pile of problems and issues, such as whether there will be someplace where everyone can share their sense of solitude and anxiety about what will happen “from now on”, or whether there will be sufficient care for such concerns, now that the evacuation site is gone.

We too must rethink our role and existence more carefully.

It is now the Obon time of the year and I’m sure the spirits of the victims of the disaster are coming home from heaven now.
They are surely watching the fireworks next to their loved ones, and gently pushing them forward in encouragement.

After five months, the situation has changed in various ways, and my own surroundings have been changing gradually as well.
At times, I could not stand this environment and I have actually considered quitting this job.
But at times like this, I would read the comments on my weblog and feel strongly encouraged to keep going on.

I haven’t been able to fulfill my promise of returning to the affected areas again; I better do this by the end of the year!!

[In the meantime,] I must also do more studying.





Translated June 5, 2012.
Original entry in Japanese: 5ヶ月

No comments:

Post a Comment