NARROW ESCAPE

Thanks to the rigorous diet and medication my health condition had improved markedly, and once again I could combine work and extra- curncular activities.

But Toyoko's condition gave cause for concern. She had been weak all winter, with recurrent bouts of bronchitis and influenza bedevilling her efforts to run a regular, dependable household. She also suffered from Meniere's disease, which caused strange headaches and dizzy spells.

Then, in April, she started complaining of abdominal pains. She was given some pills for her ‘constipation’ at a local clinic but the pains worsened, and one Saturday I was called in the office by an alarmed housekeeper reporting that okusan was in a very bad way. I rushed home in the office car to find Toyoko crumpled on the floor, in agony and barely conscious. I summoned the local doctor who now revised the diagnosis: a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I called a dependable but distant hospital we were familiar with and two hours later she was on the operating table. The surgery lasted two-and-a-half hours and required massive blood transfusions. She survived, but only just, as the surgeon later told us.

This expenence helped me decide to abandon any thought of pursuing academic studies. Given my meagre savings we would have to scrimp like young students. Toyoko said she was game, but I did not think it was fair to her given her precarious health. Besides, I did not really want to leave Japan yet. I decided to stick it out with the bank and await developments.

Toyoko recovered soon from her surgery, but her general condition remained weak. To help her recuperate and escape the heat we moved to a hotel high up on Mount Rokko, from where I commuted to work by cable car, bus, train and subway, a journey of almost two hours. It was a welcome break for her, which she spent reading resting and fussing over our Maltese dog Spinoza, who shared our room. During our stay at the hotel we met some interesting people, including the novelist Yamazaki Toyoko, who was writing a book there.