Five days overdue with our fifth child, I awoke on March 28 feeling happy but tenuous. My feelings changed when a neighbor phoned with the news that something was wrong at TMI. I didn’t realize that the school was being mobbed by anxious parents pulling their children out of school, until years later when I taught at that building which had been renamed Donegal Middle School, and heard the principal tell of a day never to be forgotten.
It’s much worse than that. You need to evacuate.
Our oldest walked the ¾ mile to our home from Riverview Elementary School in Marietta. We like others in the area watched the news on TV which was our only source of information. It was not good.
Here are excerpts from my letters to our parents in California from this time.
3/31 We’ve been anxious about the 3 Mile Island Nuclear Accident. We’ve watched things go from bad to worse and will be quite relieved when it’s safely resolved. We’re thankful that radiation levels have been safe in our area. There are several people in Lancaster who have offered their homes to us should we need to evacuate. (Especially kind offers since there were six of us.)
4/3 We’ve seriously considered evacuating 2-3 times, but haven’t yet. The car does have food and sleeping bags and a change of clothes for each of us. My hospital bags are in too along with my medical records. With schools, including the college being closed the last few days because of TMI, we are enjoying good quality time together. The kids are back in school today.
4/4 I feel like we’re in the eye of the hurricane on TMI. We’ve made it safely through the first crises, but will worry through the depressurizing of the containment building. Don phoned his concern this morning. We’re praying for inspiration for the scientists involved and miracles if necessary. (Our nearest relatives were in Utah, one of whom, brother-in-law (Don)was an engineer at Brigham Young University who was helping a team there gather information from a similar Nuclear Power Plant in Idaho to see what they could share with those trying to shut down the reactor here. He kept, saying, “I know what we are all seeing on the news. It’s much worse than that. You need to evacuate. Come here!” Yea, right! By this time I am seven days overdue and won’t be allowed on an airplane and certainly don’t want to drive across the country. Still, a sweet offer.)
Guess we’ll wait.
4/6 The TMI situation is stable. They really don’t know how to relieve the pressure in the containment structure without creating a new bubble, but at least are taking time until they can figure out how to do it.
4/9 I went to the hospital for a stress test on the baby. Baby’s fine, good heart rate, response to movement. Guess we’ll wait.
4/11 Lynne arrived nineteen days late at 12:53 last night after 5 hours of labor. Happy day!
Mary Lou