Another Nail

Seniors are the most vulnerable to coronavirus. You can help protect them.

Headline from the Washington Post

In my senior Digital Histories Class (video class for retired folks) was just cancelled for the month.  The film festival showing may be cancelled or postponed.  It is all due to the Covid 19 virus outbreak.     It is in the news, LAUSD just shut down for two weeks, Sport events have been canceled, everyone is searching for toilet paper.  The concern is specifically for us seniors.

What drives this entry, is that I'm part of that demographic, the "target" group of seniors most vulnerable to the virus.  And I am undoubtably, undeniably, un whatever in that category.  OUCH!!  My kids remind me to not travel, my wife constantly reminds me of my compromised health condition and people continually look at me like I'm, well fragile and vulnerable.

And it's more like another nail in the coffin.   Did I say OUCH!!??

Tampa Chinese Food

Im in the South East Coast* with Jeff.  Last night we went to a Chinese Hot Pot restaurant which was really good.  It was not just the conveyor belt plates of ingredients that wound it's way through the restaurant.  They also had a dipping sauce bar where you could mix and match to your taste's delight. When you think about it, there really isn't much to it, boiling water flavored to your liking, no one serving you as you sit there and grab the plates as they trundle by.  But the idea that I traveled to the west coast of ***** to eat Chinese cuisine is a little odd. Oh, I did have quail eggs for the first time but passed on the frog legs.

This blog started when Jeff injured his back years ago.  It was my way of updating his condition and gave me an outlet to express what I usually don't verbally.  This time it is under better circumstances.
Years ago someone we knew had a son who died of Leukemia.  During his illness, they had a Bone Marrow drive for the Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches otherwise known as A3M.   We all signed up at the time, it was probably in the 90s.  As you might be aware, it matches up possible donors through DNA analysis.              

Jeff was contacted about a year ago on the possibility of matching someone.   It took this long for it to actually occur.  Both he and the recipient traveled to ***** to have the procedure done.  There are two methods of donation.  One is through drawing blood, and the other extracting marrow from the hip bone.  The procedure is not long, but requires being under anesthesia.  The recovery is more the problem as it will take a month for the marrow to regenerate and it is a bit painful.  The marrow must be used within 72 hrs.

The sponsoring organization  BeTheMatch is paying for his trip, lodging, meals, transportation and a relative to accompany him.  I flew in from LA, He from Dallas on Weds.  The procedure was this morning (Thurs.) and was discharged by 3pm.  We are both flying back to Dallas on Friday.

In essence, Jeff is giving someone unknown to him a chance to recover from the disease.  That person remains anonymous.  Later on, that person may wish to meet him.  Im still not sure what the success rate is, but I am guessing it is not high.  There are many difficult issues to conquer in the treatment including rejection, and infection.  For Jeff, it is more the risk of infection.

For more information on the program:
            You can find more details on a YouTube Ted Talk :
                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qfmkd6C8u8
                          It talks about the blood draw, but basic info explains the process.
            A3M Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches:  https://www.a3mhope.org
            Be The Match: BeTheMatch.org

* I later found out that we are not supposed to reveal the location of where the procedure was done due to confidentiality considerations.

Commitment

My new film this year is on the Japanese American National Memorial Court.  It is dedicated to all the JAs whose lives were lost while serving their country.  It is turning out to be eye opening to say the least.  It started with last year's film on the Buddhahead Breakfast Club.  A group of older Sanseis that meet once a month.  Their common bond was their lives growing up as products of the internment camps and the Nisei relocation.  The common theme was they were all deeply affected by the Vietnam war.  Whether they fought, served in other areas or had college deferments, it was an impact on their lives.

This is a memorial separate from the Go For Broke Monument near the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo.  This is an isolated memorial next to the JACC.  In my research, I am learning of both the Korean War Vets and Vietnam Vets and their dedication to this small courtyard.  I am trying to document what it means to them, the significance of the memorial for the JA community.

My problem is not getting the interviews, but understanding the purpose.  It can't be just another commentary on war, sacrifice.  It needs to communicate the purpose for future generations.
Is it just for those families who lost loved ones, or for those who remember lost friends.  Why does the memorial need to exist when there are many other.

In interviewing these men of both wars, I can't help but admire and respect their choices and life and how it made my life that much easier.  It did not end with the 442nd.  I come across names that are familiar, men I knew but not of the service.  Some of them friends of my dad.

Most of my films were results of this blog, the narratives were products of these ramblings.  I haven't had a entry in months, but I realize that I need to continue writing to formulate the story line.  This one scares me the most, as I feel that I need to do their story justice in about 7 minutes.  Will it be just another recounting of men dying, or will it actually convey its overall purpose for future generations.

Isn't That Amazing!!

To quote Huell Howser of Public Television.  Gayle now has a watch that monitors her heart and can call 911 if she falls and can't get up.  She now talks to Alexa to turn on the Korean Soap Operas and the light next to it.  Of course she doesn't quite understand that Alexa hates to be called Siri.

Right now the youngest is in Japan.  Yesterday he was FaceTiming from the Pokemon store with Jordan in Seattle, Us in Covina with #2 grandson and grand daughter and Jeff and #1 in Dallas.  All on the same screen on our iPhone.   Holy Jetsons.

And to top if off, the day my tech support leaves for Japan, my desktop goes down.  Amazing, scary, frustrating and indispensable.

The curse of Ken Burns

I've been watching the new Ken Burns documentary on Country Music.  I have always had a soft spot for country music. At times during a shuffle a country song would pop up in the play list and the wife would go where did that come from?  I grew up watching KTLA channel 5 on the weekends.  They would broadcast country bands on top of a flatbed truck.  I also have memories of Buck Owens.

The curse is that his documentaries run two hours straight, with no breaks.  A fade to black soon gives way to a new direction.  The curse?  I have to time my liquid intake prior to watching the series.    No bathroom breaks.  I do have to learn how to plan ahead to record the series.

Gotta go, Patsy Cline is coming on.

Hello Kitty

Ok, the grand daughter is almost one year old.  And I will have you notice that I have yet to buy her anything with Hello Kitty on it.    No stuffed animal, no onesie, no suitcase.  I do have my eyes on the Hello Kitty Toaster.  At least not yet.  Im still getting used to the fact that I have a grand daughter.  

The girl already withstands the wild energy of her two older brothers.  At a recent relative wedding, it was mentioned many times of their energy level.  When we fist saw them at the airport, the noise level rose and calmness evaporated.  Now this is not a complaint, we enjoy the madness, even though we don't remember anything close during our kids childhood.  But we tend to revise history in our old age.

Even though through our travels we constantly buy cute things for her, just no Hello Kitty.  The oldest grandson already knows that their monthly package from grandma and grandpa will mostly be for his sister.  The middle one sings the song of "nobody ever listens to me" and the realization the young princess is subtlety attracting more attention.  

So the challenge is how do we make sure all grandkids are equally loved, just in different ways.  It is difficult as we compete with school, sports, church and Pokemon.  Just be aware that Hello Kitty is mainly geared towards the female gender and is omnipresent.  Im thinking Godzilla may be more appropriate to fight off those big brothers and future boy friends.

Personality Credit

We just spent the part of the past week with the Grand kids and both of the older sons.  #2 reinacted a swearing in by a Washington State Appeals Judge after passing the Washington state bar.  It has confirmed that the same two parents create three completely different personalities in the embodiment of little children.  Our three are a CPA, Lawyer and Software Programer. Of the grandkids, one can recite the every characteristic of each Pokemon, one defies logic with endless energy and appetite for snacks and the other can calmly charm me to submission.  There are parts of their parents in each one, but not in the same proportions or concentrations.  What is scary are the bits in them that are pointed out to me by others and attributed to me.

What are the chances of my passing on stuff other than my DNA?  That stuff being the quirks of personality.  And how come when it is pointed out, it is never the good stuff?  My grandson's intelligence is never attributed to me.  Their creativity is from their mom (OK, that is accurate), Any athletic ability is naturally omitted from my lineage.  I get the credit for the unfavorable behavior.  And it somehow skips over my sister and is isolated to me.

Bottom line, we had a great time visiting the Olympics, Snoqualmie Falls (for those of you who are of age, think Twin Peaks), and reuniting with siblings, cousins and the next generation of Pokemon fanatics.