Female, Age:57, Unemployed A Temporary housing in Nishinomiya
City
Just after the earthquake I lived at the Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station for 22 days. What hardships I went through at that time and such an experience as I had, I think no one must ever do it again. The corrugated cardboard gives me the shivers even now as I lived in a hutch made from it at that time. I shall never forget those days and I must not forget them. The earthquake gave me two cracks in my skull and made my left hand and left leg disabled. Since then I had thought again and again of what we should not think about, and forgotten even crying and talking with others. On March 21st of last year, I fell off my bicycle and got a serious injury. I hated the hospital, but the neighbors in the temporary housing took me to hospital, where I underwent rehabilitation. As a result of it, my disabled left hand and leg have became workable. In less than two months I have recovered the joy that I could have my hand and leg move.
Around the end of October I read about the appeal to enact the Public Support Bill for Disaster Sufferers in the newspaper, to provide official aid for those who suffer from natural disaster which will happen in future. I jumped at the activity and visited the Diet in Tokyo to petition again and again because I wanted to repay the kindness I had gotten from many people, which have given me the courage and joy of life. It is expected the Bill will be passed at the moment.
Now I have just moved into city housing and have been taking it easy for a few days. I live here comfortably. Everything is brand-new and anyway I have no money.
From now on I shall make my long and winding way slowly once again, more slowly than others. I shall walk slowly so that I will never fall any more.
(April 27th 1998)
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