Three Weeks

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Well, it's been three weeks today since the crash and I guess the recovery is going as expected. It's been a little easier to sleep and I feel like I could walk unaided if necessary, although it will still be a while before I'd advise that. In the meantime, it's been pretty much a routine of taking pills and trying not to eat too much out of boredom. Despite my best efforts, I'm sure it will be a long climb out of the fitness hole I'm in. My own recovery has definitely taken a back seat to the COVID-19 pandemic, however. New Orleans is definitely one of the nation's hot spots with the highest per-capita number of cases. I got out of the hospital on March 10, which was the day after the first presumptive COVID-19 case showed up in Louisiana, actually I think in New Orleans although the individual was a resident of Jefferson Parish. That was quickly followed by more and more and more, increasing exponentially. People are scared, doctors are scared, nurses are scared. Supplies continue to be in short supply.

We've both been working from home all week, juggling Zoom meetings and conference calls and email, and trying not to trip over the dog who insists on sleeping in the same room we're in, usually right up against one of the chairs. This looks like it will be the new normal for a while for many of us, and we're the lucky ones. My sister Ginger is out of work. USA Cycling just laid off or furloughed 40% of their staff including some of the people I've known and worked with for years like Stephanie Sexton, Randy Shaefer, and Don Losole. A lot of races scheduled for late May and June are kind of hanging by a thread right now. I emailed Covington to see what dates we might be able to use in the August - October timeframe but, not too surprisingly, have not received a response.

The Medical School has been extremely busy. Aside from dealing with the rapidly escalating and already critical situation at local hospitals, conducting research, setting up a testing facility, etc., they have also been doing public Town Hall Zoom/Facebook sessions, responding to interview requests from various entities, etc. We have been tracking the quickly evolving federal funding landscape, state legislation, city activities and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, etc. They city is setting up a large surge facility in the Convention Center on the expectation that some of the downtown hospitals will soon become basically COVID-19 hospitals.

I keep hoping to see some sign that the trend is beginning to slack off, but I know better. With an incubation period of anywhere from 5-14 days, it is too soon to expect to see much impact from the "shelter in place" order. Of course there are still lots and lots of people out there doing essential work, and probably a fair number doing non-essential work, but I think the message about social distancing may be finally soaking into some of the most dumb.