1979…a very memorable year.

2/21/1979 – Purchased our first home in Annville.

3/28/1979 – TMI happens.

6/5/1979 – My son, Devin, was born.

I was 7 months pregnant when TMI happened. This was my first child and my first pregnancy. My husband and I were both employed as teachers. Tom taught at Derry Township School in Hershey, PA and I taught at Cedar Crest School District in Lebanon, PA.

They were going to be evacuated to Ft. Indiantown Gap.

On March 28, 1979 while teaching, I will never forget the phone call I received from my husband. He emphatically told me NOT to go to my scheduled Obstetrics appointment at the Hershey Medical Center. He sounded scared and stated something was wrong. He told me many Hershey Medical Center physicians were picking up their children and taking them out of school. The physicians or their spouses did not say why and didn’t take time to talk. They were in a hurry. There had been no announcements made to the general public at that time. He said he would be in touch. He asked me to please stay close to a phone. Again he stated I should not go to HMC for my appointment.

I waited. When he called back he was being told everyone would need to be evacuated from the school. He was told he needed to stay with the remaining children in his classroom. They were going to be evacuated to Ft. Indiantown Gap.

what about 10.1 miles…so that’s safe?

Tom told me to get a ride home to Annville and pack two suitcases. We only had one car at that time. He would meet me in Annville. We decided would be going to my Aunt’s house in Cape May, NJ. We needed to be at least 60 miles away. If the reactor melted down, the ground would be contaminated. The problem was no one was being honest about the wind direction at the time of the steam venting. They kept saying everyone within a 10 mile radius from TMI needed to evacuate. We kept saying…what about 10.1 miles…so that’s safe? Not an acceptable statement.

Tom accompanied his classroom to the Gap. He then came home. We left Annville with our cat. We did not return for 3 weeks. Even at that time we weren’t sure what to do. I would be giving birth in early June. What would be safe for our newborn child?

To his day we have so many questions. The government was dishonest and conflicting statements were being made. This was our home, our lives and our unborn child.

Our first son was diagnosed with severe asthma at the age of four. Our second son does not seem to have any major health problems. In 1991, I was diagnosed with Stage 3A Breast Cancer. I am a healthy woman who eats healthy food and exercises daily. I had all the genetic testing done and did not have the genes know at that time. I did not have a family history of breast cancer. I was 37 years old when I was diagnosed. I had a second child in 1981. I breastfed both children. Did I help them or harm them? Breast tissue is mainly fatty tissue. Breast tissue can be
very negatively affected by radiation.

Tom and I still live in Annville. Our children have since left the area. The memories of TMI haunt Tom and myself. We remain active in the Radiation and Public Health Project. I send my children’s baby teeth to be included in measuring levels of Strontium-90.

Please lets all remember: Children are always the only future the human race has; teach them well.