Dear American Covid-19 Clueless 1

Gratitude • Tags: , ,

I am grateful that more government officials are finally understanding the importance of social distancing. It is the one thing all of us can do to help. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part. This post is for those who still are not.

I really want you to understand the consequences of ignoring requests for social distancing. You see, when you do stupid things that cause you or your friends to end up in the emergency room, you are going to need doctors and nurses and respiratory therapist and many others to care for you. Guess what? They won’t be there if you continue to avoid social distancing.

Why? As of 2016, the average age of doctors in the United States was 50 and older and 29.2% were 60 or older. And this date does not include older nurses or other health care professionals. Do you really want to kill off the people who could save your life? Your current actions are likely to do just that.

It is true that much is not known about Covid-19, but what is known is that social distancing seems to help slow the spread. Time is what is needed to protect our health care professionals from shortages of needed protective equipment. Every exposure increases the risk of getting this virus and health care workers are the ones repeatedly exposed. Please think about that before you meet your friends at the beach or at a party.

Your life might not be in direct danger from the virus if you are young and healthy unless you fall into an outlier group. However, your life will be in danger in the future if that trauma surgeon is not available when you crash your car. It will be in danger if you have alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose due to excessive partying when that emergency room doctor is not there.

Why would they not be there you ask? They won’t be there because we already have a doctor shortage and your cluelessness will kill off more doctors, nurses, and other first responders and health care professionals. Please think before you risk their lives.

Lost and Grateful in Tokyo

Gratitude, travel • Tags: ,

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During a recent short visit to Japan, my family and I were fortunate to receive help from several of her citizens. I do not speak Japanese and despite trying to learn a few words before our trip, I forgot most of them when I needed them. So, 助けたすべての人にどうもありがとうございます (thank you very much to all who helped) us. We encountered some of the best people while visiting and I am most grateful to all of you.

Special Thanks 特別な感謝
Tokubetsuna kansha

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Our first night we traveled from Shinjuku to Odaiba. We arrived at Tokyo Teleport Station. We received help from many wonderful people beginning with a young lady who guided me to the station attendant when my preloaded suica card would not allow me through the exit gate.

Upon leaving Odaiba, we got lost and ended up at Daiba Station. Thank you to the couple who offered to give us a ride to Shinjuku when you were not going that way. Obviously, that was too much to ask and we declined. Thank you to the others who also tried to direct us to the station.

Once we arrived at Daiba Station, I realized we could still get to Shinjuku from there, so we boarded the Yurikamome line to cross the Rainbow Bridge.  Yet, I wasn’t prepared for our train transfer to the Ginza line at Shimbashi Station. Thankfully, an English-speaking news correspondent who was going our direction took pity on us. He guided us to the right train and stayed with us until one stop prior to our station. He also advised us to talk to the station attendant upon entering the train station in the future, as they always have an English-speaking person. There were many others who also tried to help us that same night when we had trouble finding the station. We are grateful to all of you.

We did better after that first night despite some challenges and we fell in love with your beautiful city.