However, the Navy is still insisting on (as we say in the Navy) "dicking the dog." In other words, screwing around and refusing to give us an answer as to whether Kurt would even be allowed to come home early. Kurt filled out his chit a week ago Friday, and non-emergency chits are supposed to come back within five days. He still doesn't have his chit back, which means we have no answer. His Chief thinks that he'll get an email regarding the chit on Monday, and then the head guys will want to see Kurt on Tuesday, which pushes our answer back another few days.
But I am managing just fine even with the delay in hearing any news. I tend to forget that I am waiting to find out whether he can come home early -- and that may result from a schedule that Kurt has made up as to when he's going to take his last two exams. He thinks he can take his second-to-last exam on Monday (I think he'll be better off taking it Tuesday), and then his last exam would be either next Friday, 6 Aug, or the following Monday. At that point, he'll be done with the course, and he'll start lobbying to come home. There is no reason for him to stay another month when he's done with all the coursework. Plus he gets 95% or better on his exams, so it's not like he's barely squeaking by. It helps that his tests are open-notes, but what he's taking tests on are circuit cards, and you cannot expect someone to memorize a bunch of circuit cards and how they work. The possibility exists that if the Navy does agree to allow him to come home early, that he would be coming home next weekend. I doubt it seriously, but I don't see him being there any later than the weekend after that. At least, that's what I hope. Only two more weeks to go -- if the Navy cooperates.
Another thing that made me feel a lot better was my stepmother making sure I realized that she wants to come out to stay with me while Kurt is gone, but that other situations at the house prevent her from doing so. I don't mind that she can't come; it just made me feel so good that she definitely would drop everything and come stay with me if I need her to. I know that my sister would do the same as well, though I doubt that either of us could afford the plane ticket right now, but the thought is there. I know that there are people who love me and want to take care of me, and that's important.
Besides, at this late stage of the game, it's rather pointless to have someone come stay with me since Kurt should be home relatively soon. I just wish someone had been there with me last week when I was absolutely in the dumps with my emotions. But I survived, didn't I?! :o)
Anyhow.
I like to watch the show Birth Day every day on the Discovery Health Channel because it shows the medical side of delivering a baby, instead of the sappy gushy emotional side like on TLC's A Baby Story. I think Birth Day is very helpful to me because I see what can go wrong during a birth and how easy it is to fix the problem, so if I experience that problem while I am delivering my baby, I won't freak out because I know it's an easy fix. The most problematic thing (in 90% of cases) is having to have a C-section, and while it is major surgery which can have serious consequences, it usually presents no long-term issues for either the mother or the child.
During the show, they usually interview the obstetrician in charge of the delivery (or midwife -- they like to profile non-traditional birthing methods as well). This one male OB was talking about getting an epidural, which most women do nowadays. I don't have a problem with women who do get epidurals because it's a personal choice, one that I may make, but at this point would rather not. But I am leaving the door open because I don't know yet how I will react to the pain of labor. This particular OB said something that seriously pissed me off, though, regarding getting an epidural -- but I think it has a lot to do with his being male. He said that he saw no problem with getting an epidural because he'd rather see someone do something without pain than with pain (which makes sense), but then he went on to make the comparison of delivering a baby with getting dental work. He said that you wouldn't go into a dentist's office and have him drill without anesthetic! Does he not understand that the two situations are not analogous?! Going in to the dentist and getting a filling or a root canal is not an empowering life experience the way that bringing another life into the world is. Plus women's bodies are meant to give birth, it's what they were designed for. Our bodies weren't designed to have dental work done. But I think that was a very male-centric view of giving birth. Most guys seem to look at it as a medical event, something you go to the hospital for and a doctor attends you. Most women see it as a natural event that does occur in a hospital most of the time, but it's not simply a medical event.
Men. You can't live with them, you can't shoot them!! At least not legally. :o)