Naoto’s Brother (Micro Fiction)

Posted on by Prior...

This week Pegman takes us to Fukushima, Japan. What Pegman Saw is a weekly fiction prompt to write a short fiction piece (150 words or less) based on Pegman’s weekly location using Google Maps. Go HERE to read more Pegman pieces for this week’s prompt.

Here is my entry:

Naoto‘s Brother (fiction word count: 150):

Warm water!

Warm water!

Remember, I need warm water for EDTA capsules to dissolve.

Sorry! I thought you were taking the extra iodine protocol this week.

That’s okay. Sorry to snap. May I now have my Niacin and Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Yes, and it’s time to call your brother.

I can’t.

Sir, it’s been three months and Naoto is waiting for –

Enough!

I will not call Naoto. I am embarrassed that he is living in radiation– smoking – hanging out with the animals – happy and not worrying about the radiation while I’m here – still fighting for health. And I was not even that close to the actual meltdown.

He has his own battles to work though. We cannot compare paths. Your cataracts are gone, you’ve gained weight this year, and, um…..

both pause….

You always have a way of helping me adjust my attitude – but some days are harder than others. 

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Author Notes

As I was reading about Fukushima, I came across a man, Naoto Matsumura, who still lives within Japan’s radiation 12.5-mile exclusion zone and I guess he takes care of stray animals HERE. 

I decided to have a fictional character, as Naoto’s brother, who has a mini meltdown while taking healing supplements one day. The character of Naoto’s brother is a man who continues to work through the displacement from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, while his brother has gone a different (immersion) path. Both have a life displacement to cope with. The supplements I have Naoto’s brother take are noted for helping combat radiation, free radicals, heavy metals, etc. I am sure there is way more to radiation treatment, so pretend that my guy is in the six-year part of his recovery and he takes maintenance doses of ALA, EDTA, Niacin, and Iodine (and maybe more).

Background info:

“The effect of people having to leave their homes and lose their work has inevitably led to feelings of insecurity, stress, and ‘transfer trauma.’

Of these, many live in temporary housing, with relatives, or have simply built a new life for themselves elsewhere.” (By Stoop: Read more here)

~ Lower Doses of Radiation (by O. Pink HERE) “It’s hard to say exactly what radiation dosage is “safe,” but certainly, any radiation floating across the sea from Japan to the US is currently deemed safe. While one station in Sacramento detected “minuscule quantities” of a radioactive isotope xenon-133, believed to have originated from Japan, the level detected would result in a “dose rate approximately one-millionth of the dose rate that a person normally receives from rocks, bricks, the sun and other natural sources,” according to an EPA statement reported in this article. While these levels do not put us at any known biological risk, higher doses — such as those people exposed to ionizing radiation during cancer treatment undergo — can increase the risk of cancers. Because radiation kills rapidly dividing cells (which is why we use it to treat fast-growing cancer cells), radiation exposure most increases the risk of cancers of rapidly dividing cells — leading to leukemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, bladder cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma, and stomach cancers. Radiation may also lead to cancers of the prostate, nose/sinuses, throat/larynx, and pancreas. Many years can transpire between exposure and a cancer diagnosis. So while we in the US do not appear to be at risk right now, the Japanese workers heroically battling against the possibility of nuclear meltdown certainly might be.”

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42 thoughts on “Naoto’s Brother (Micro Fiction)”

  1. Working in such environment or even in the nuclear power plants where ones have to keep track of radiation exposure are scary to me. Things that you do not see and can penetrate your tissues like hot knife going through butter are scary. I am not sure how those who have to work or live in such environment can overcome the fear but I thank them for the work they do.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks for the nice comment- and the way you write about is scary (and you should join in the fiction challenge sometime YC – well if it is your thing… but the way you wrote: Things that you do not see and can penetrate your tissues like hot knife going through butter —
      ahhh so descriptive

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I had one dental work once and they had to take X-ray 6 times for the same tooth (they made mistake). I was so concerned at the time. I was hoping they are such low doses. I still do not like taking X-ray of any kinds these days.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hi YC – I wonder about the xrays too – a lot!
      and I have been there when they had to take extras and well, that tooth of yours must have been looked at from many angles…. but what a pain (and possible exposure)

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Great write up about the effects of radiation. It really is a scary thought. So much that RG refused to have tuna in our house. He rarely eats any seafood because of it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. that is very interesting. I usually think of mercury toxicity and other metals with those items – but ugh – you are correct – radiation could be in some products.
      thanks for the comment
      (and side note – we stopped eating most canned goods in general – especially tuna – but a while ago I heard someone say to just avoid boxed-preservative laden and canned stuff = when possible)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. We do try. 90% of the time we eat homemade food. Then we have lazy days and buy something like that. Then our bodies tell us we made a mistake! We never feel well when we do more than one day of prepared food.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. well it sounds like you are on a wise path – because when we “listen to our body” it is key to discovering more and more of what “we” need (or don’t need) at a given time.
          and I do not want to get started on the sugar intake saga – but a very damaging part of Western culture is this high carb high sugar diet that suppresses immunity.
          and I usually suggest that folks consider starting a paleo (or version of it) to see how they feel….

          Liked by 1 person

        2. My cousin is a scientist and his studies mostly include sugar. The effects in the brain and also cancer. I rarely eat sweets or use sugar only because it doesn’t agree with my gut. Rebel Guy has a sweet tooth though! I am addicted to salt though.

          Liked by 1 person

  5. What happened in Japan was a tragedy that change the lives of thousands of people in many different ways. Each one of them made decisions afterward with different results, some had to sacrifice their own health in order to save others. In the other hand are people that cared only for their own benefit and only criticize their fate and blame everybody else. Naoto is a hero with an extraordinary soul. I tip my hat to him. Great pick Prior. Kudos. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks very Avian101….
      I am realizing more of the hero that Naoto is…. I just wrote this real quick like but reading your comment makes me see the hero part more.
      and your comment also reminded me of the blamers…..
      hm – much to think about

      Liked by 1 person

  9. You’ve written an excellent story, Prior. I enjoyed the way you told it through the use of staccato dialogue, which seemed to me to take us up close to the man dosing himself with medicines to ameliorate the effects of radiation. Thank you, too, for the notes on radiation that you provided.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks for your insightful comment. I seem to use dialogue by default and so as I develop my fiction approach I am trying new things- and side note – thanks for the new term – had to look it up- I knew it in music but not here and this is so good penny (thx)
      “Staccato speech is where you speak in fragments of sentences that are punctuated by pauses, which interrupt, to the point of destroying the flow of your speech”

      Liked by 1 person

  10. I am astonished that Fukushima status is not front page news every single day. It is the most immediate threat to the entire planet today and more impact than anything else.

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    1. wow – that is very scary to read, Carl.
      And until this prompt came up, I did not realized they are working very hard daily to decontaminate – and they are running out of containers- and every day – the hazmat suits the workers wear become more contaminated waste. very scary indeed….

      Like

  14. I had your post open for three days, finally got time to comment. My friends’ daughter went to Japan, learned the language, and has stayed to teach for many years. We worried so much about her. She said her school is in the “safe” zone. My husband retired from CT/MRI job. He said the effect of radiation accumulates in the body.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yeah – I would agree with your husband – and have heard likewise.
      i also heard that taking iodine can help – but it is tricky because you take a semi-high amount for a few days and then taper it off and then take none. Sometimes urine analysis is done – but I know a few naturopaths who argue that there is a low-dose safe “self-treating” protocol people can consider – I have done it twice and plan to do it on and off for the rest of my life.
      It involves using Iodoral brand iodine (it has essential element iodine and potassium iodide) and you take a full (small) tablet for a week – then 1/2 a tablet for a week, and then 1/4 a tablet for two weeks.
      Then – take 1/2 tablet once a week – unless your daily multiple vitamin has iodine.
      I don;t have the time to go into it now, but doctor’s usually prescribe higher doses of iodine for the first wave – and then they regualt secretyion amounts in the urine – and they can tell by changing secretions as to how much is being absorbed and then they adjust the dose until the iodine passes right through,. Does that make sense?
      Anyhow, for educational purpsoes – ha – but if it was my daughter – or any loved one – I would buy her a bottle of 90 caplets Iodoral, B-right vitamins (Jarrow) and extra Niacin (cos it is great for flushing out metals and elements from the body and can be taken on weekends).
      anyhow, just had to share that.
      —
      but how fun to stay and teach over there in Japan. I love the culture there and would love to visit someday.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I’ll share that with my hubby!

        My oncologist cancelled one of the two radiations at the end of the chemo because the radiologist told me about the irreversible side effect from the radiation in my pelvic area. My oncologist said the damage outweighed the benefit (as a caution treatment). I’m allergic to iodine since 3 years ago. My aging body reacts to the same med. differently the last few years. Oh well… I’m down to the minimum of med….

        Liked by 1 person

        1. oh well i am glad your doc is so in tune – that is really good to hear – and at the end of the day we just have to trust that God will give us the care we need – and insight as we go along. it can be so complicated at times…. so layered – and some folks _ I am not saying this – but they argue that a healing crisis (or herxheimer reaction) is really taking place when we take certain supplements – and it is mistaken for allergy – bad reaction- or even the flu – and so this is why healing takes so long and we go slow – to allow adjustments and to detox and repair – but you might truly be allergic – i just know that sometimes there is a root cause to the reaction – hmmmm
          thanks so much for sharing

          Liked by 1 person

        2. In CT scan, the iodine is injected for contrast. I have been doing that every 6 months, then once a year for 8 years. Starting from 3 years ago, right after the scan, before I walked out of the radiology department, I started have itch and hives from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. I was treated. For the subsequent years, I took pre-med before the scan. Had to do the scan in the hospital instead of the center. Still had reactions.
          It would be interesting if I could find out what caused the reaction!

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