Travel in the time of COVID-19, Part 4

Because I fell down and smacked the hell out of my right knee and leg last week and not only had the swelling not gone down but there was a bruise that went from knee to ankle on the right side of my leg, I finally had to break down and go to the urgent care clinic.  After x-rays and an examination by a nurse practitioner, I found out I had no breaks and I had to go home and have my leg up.  She suggested that I don't drive to Milwaukee.  I was not going to listen and I finally decided I wanted the swelling to go down so I had to disappoint myself and stay home.  I basically spent 36 hours in bed and frozen corn on my knee as instructed.  There was a Sex and the City marathon to watch in the bedroom as the premium TV is in the living room.

And when I woke up this morning the swelling was WORSE.  The bruising is WORSE.  So much for elevation, applying ice and compression, and rest.  Eff that.  I could have been in Milwaukee.

At urgent care there was a young couple who came in with each wearing a mask.   They were called in.  They each came out not wearing a mask and looking sheepish.  They probably got a nice lecture from the medical professional.

Today it's already early Monday morning in Tokyo and I would be asleep in my hotel room bed.  When I awakened I would be going to the airport, the end of a nice vacation.  But it's one that I did not take because so many things are closed.  They will be open at the end of November when I am scheduled to revisit and I have eight months to look forward to it!

I am no spring chicken and COVID-19 is attacking the non-spring chickens, i.e. the tough old birds and the barnyard bantams. Unlike the Spanish flu which struck adults in the prime of their lives, this one is preying on the old and the weakened.  As an old with a pretty good immune system, it's still best that I stay out of the fray and closer to home, damn it.

More on Tokyo after November arrives.  And if you're sick with a cold or cough and are in doubt about what you have, stay home.


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