All too many of my friends have been dying too young. I buried one of my best friends, Troy Swallow. I was the only non-tribal member to serve as a pall bearer. He didn't make it to fifty, left two daughters by his first wife 19 and 17. Plus a daughter from his second wife, who is only 11.
I, I have been struggling to deal with his death. On top of the deaths of Paul Combellack and William Clark, also former Marines that worked at the Bannister Federal Complex. Paul was only 47. Yet, NIOSH insists that there is not, nor could there ever have been a health issue at Bannister Federal Complex.
This, despite Bendix/Allied Signal/Honeywell (depending on the year), paying for early medical retirement for hundreds of workers. Despite the site having been designated a Superfund Cleanup site like Love Canal. They have been hiding their medical and environmental records under the umbrella of "National Security", with NNSA (National Nuclear Security Agency) as their patron, is it any wonder?
I WANT to get back to writing, but I'm struggling to find my center, and my emotions are still flying all over the place. Sadness, loneliness, loss, anger, righteous outrage...until the government sends some people to jail for the blatant abuses and subsequent cover up, I will have difficulty. If I DO post anything, give me a little leeway...