It is such a big day here in the USA. After eight years of the Republicans tearing this country apart, invading countries, running up a record debt, and abandoning the health and education of the people, there is a time for change. Adrian prefers graphs and long detailed evidence-based policy documents, but there is something about watching Obama speak that is very inspiring. I get goosebumps when Obama talks about the great hopes that he has for America. We both agree, however, that Obama is the best choice – the only rational choice – for America and the rest of the world.

I hope that US citizens choose to vote. I hope that there are enough voting booths and voting machines for everyone. I hope that the ballots and machines record these votes accurately. I hope that people do not vote out of fear. I hope that people vote for universal health care. I hope that people vote for cheap, accessible, and quality health care. I hope people vote to end the war in Iraq. I hope people vote to rebuild Afghanistan. I hope the Democrats get over 60 seats in the Senate. I hope people vote for Barack Obama.

In an attempt to see more of Seattle before we left, Adrian and I participated in a Savor Seattle Food and Drink Tasting Tour. We all wore wireless headphones so that we could hear our guide above the noise, and were given a rare behind the scenes tour of Pike Place Markets.

We ate doughnuts from the Daily Dozen, drank tea at MarketSpice, drank soup at Pike Place Chowder, went behind the counter to sample Chukar Cherries, ate herbed curds at Beecher’s, sampled Piroshky-Piroshky pastries, and finished with Etta’s triple coconut cream pie.

In addition to sampling some delicious Honeycrisp apples at Frank’s Quality Produce, we also learnt that if one wants eggplants with fewer seeds, one should choose the male eggplants with the small round navel, rather than the female eggplants with the long wide navels.

But most exciting of all, as we were savouring the smoked salmon at Pike Place Fish Markets, the fishmongers threw me one of their giant fishes, and I caught it! I smelt like a fishwife for the rest of the day, but it was well worth it for such a quintessential Seattle experience.

Today is October 15, the National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in the USA. I have watched family and friends try to piece themselves together after these tragedies, which are made all the more difficult as often an answer cannot be found to the question “why?”

As a scientist, I know that thorough analysis of health issues begins with a quality data set. The S.3142 and H.R. 5979 Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act sets out clear requirements for each state to record pregnancy and infant loss in a systematic way, which will help researchers establish a national database to look for patterns and common threads between cases. This is the first step in identifying associations, which can lead to causes, then treatments, and then cures. I hope that the US government will find time to pass this Act amongst all the election and financial chaos.

Last night we held our Belgium-themed farewell party. We had waffles, fries with mayonnaise, chocolate cupcakes, and fourteen different types of Belgian beer. Many of our friends from Seattle were able to join us, and our tiny house was filled with noise and conversation. So many people came up to me during the night, telling me how sad that they were that we were leaving, and how much they will miss us. I have made so many wonderful friends over the past twenty months, and it will be strange leaving them all behind. I made sure to tell them that there will be a spare room waiting for them in Brussels if they come to visit.


We have four more weeks of work, and then we are leaving the USA. Work is so busy that I rarely have time to contemplate this fact. My time as a US resident and researcher at the bench is coming to an end.