A Bittersweet Week

Well I did hear from Ethan this week by email- the sweet part of my week!
I have also been sick almost all week- the bitter part of my week.
After 3 long weeks of no emails, the sub finally was able to transmit this week and I got some!! We never know when these emails are going to come. It was such a relief. I was reminded how miserable things are on a sub deployment. It was great hearing from Ethan, even though I was a bit saddened to be reminded how bad it is underway. He was sad to hear I have been sick and promised if he were here he'd make me soup and hot chocolate and lay next to me while we watched whatever I wanted on TV... haha I wonder if that would have included "Legally Blonde" showing on TV last night? He most likely would have suffered through it since I am sick.
I thought before he deployed this would be his last patrol, but it was confirmed in my email I recieved today. He told me he hates the navy and he's down there adding something daily to a list of reasons he should get out. He then rewords it to say he doesn't hate the Navy just subs. He was screamed at today by a superior for something he didn't even do wrong. "Way to get the facts right before wrongly accusing and yelling at him asshole!" Honestly this is how I feel about the particular person who yelled at him this way. Its not the first (or the last) time its happened. The sad part is that if most of us (civilians) were treated the way they treat these guys, we'd walk out and quit. They unfortunately don't have that option. Quit the Navy? I'm sorry that's not an option!
So I hate to write so badly about the military. I think the military has alot of good. We just aren't big fans of submarines. I have been nothing but impressed with my health care/ coverage since I became a military dependent. I love the tight knit sub community. You bond with these people quickly. I love the convenience of the base with the commisary, NEX and other discounted ammenities near by each other. And you get to see different places you'd otherwise probably never see. Like Washington state, I don't know if I'd ever have made it here. Well maybe eventually... but you get the point.
But the bottom line is Ethan is not happy with this and all the benefits do not compare to him being happy. Its not worth our time apart if he is unhappy. So this will be his last patrol. He could have chosen to sign on for another sea tour after this, but we will instead be doing a "shore tour" in which he teaches, recruits, etc... for the Navy, but doesn't deploy. Then in 2011 we will be saying goodbye to military life! So that the upside to this deployment- its our last! Even if he were not deployed he probably would have caught this virus and not been able to miss work anyways.
The virus is this so called para-influenza virus that is racing through Kitsap county. I am glad I am on the downhill, it was not fun! Its basically like the flu, just a different virus, the dr. told me. The worst symptom of "para-influenza" is it made me miss Ethan even more, having to take care of myself. Nyquil though has helped me get to sleep even when he couldn't. That stuff is a small mircale when you are miserable ;-) Its bittersweet, not fun to be sick, but at least Nyquil is there for you!