I don't think the sickness and infertility are related to each other.

10 months? I thought it was at least a year…

I love your non-reactionive, mature response. I also love Woodbine's performance here.

I read about the UFO trope continuing through the season in a preview article.

I like the way you think.

It's Rye's shoe. It matches the shoes he wore earlier in the show.

The shoe belonged to Rye, the gunman. I noticed the white shininess of his shoes in an earlier scene. It flew into the tree when he got knocked off his feet as Peggy hit him with the car.

Reinforcing the period, and increasing the confusion and dread. Also a symbol for our earlier optimism ("E.T.," "CE3K,") that devolved into xenophobia and paranoia ("X-Files," "Cloverdale").