Seems Familiar

In these days of Covid-19, self quarantine, social distancing, stay at home, it all seems familiar.  Nothing is new for me, it goes back a few years ago when I underwent 6 months of Chemo Therapy.
I was required to self isolate to protect me from outside germs, at times using face masks when venturing out in the world and in contact with others.  I washed my hands frequently, carrying a supply of hand sanitizer, thermometer, first aide kit, blood pressure monitor and a stash of every type of medication from Tylenol to anti nausea pills. 

I still have that backpack full of the essentials, but with updated expiration dates.  The additions are BP meds and a small aerosol can of Lysol.  It brings back unwanted memories of nausea, Matlock and Heat of the Night reruns at 10am.  While Gayle goes stir crazy, it all seems normal to me.

Over and Under

Day one of national and state self quarantine.  I reported to work today after they sent emails out on Sat. telling everyone who can work form home to do so.  Really?  who looks at their work email on the weekend?

Being in my unique work category, I'm not doing my job if Im at home on my laptop.  My cubicle is best described as a midwest prairie with prairie dogs popping their heads up during the day.  Of course my domain is in the middle, equal distant from the exits, copy machines and defibrillators.  It is now marked by a pink miniature traffic cone I stole from my wife's trove of discards.

Currently I am surrounded by young finance folks.  They tend to have a high turn over transferring from program to program and constantly move in and out of the prairie.  Coming in to work today, the main observation was that if you are under the age of 50, you stayed home in quarantine.  If you were above the age of 50, you showed up at work. I have to admit that I fit two of the Calif. Governor's cautionary demographic.  Im over 65 and have compromised health issues.  Don't ask if I am going in tomorrow.

Basketball Texas Style

I was lucky to visit the grandkids on my trip with my son's bone marrow donation.  One of the highlights was to see the oldest play a basketball game.  As you may know, my son and his family moved to Texas to help plant a church in the suburbs of Dallas.  Part of it was in anticipation of Toyota moving out to Plano.

One of the byproducts of a bunch of asian Americans moving to Texas, was the cultural phenomenon of asian basketball.  Those of us on the southern west coast are familiar with how pervasive basketball has become part of the asian American experience.  I grew up in it in Venice, my kids grew up in it in the South Bay and played for FOR.  They still identify with their uniform numbers, Jeff was 12, Jordan 33, and Jared 4.

One of the transplants in Texas decided to start an Asian American basketball organization in the Dallas area.  The oldest grandson is on the first team of the group.  A local league has allowed the Asian sponsored team to play in their league.  Of course those Texans grow kind of big, but then those of Chinese descent tend to be just as big.  Jeff is the coach and he is facing the typical conflicts of forming a team.

Jeff grew up with a coach that believed in fundamentals.  The basic tenants of basketball imparted by Dave Kasai has given Jeff the fundamentals that are hard to miss when he plays.  The conflict remains, do you teach the fundamentals or do you coach for the game.  Can you convince parents that losing is ok as they learn the basics and that in the long run their skills will benefit their perceived limitations as asians.

I did notice that snack time was the same as here in LA.  Asian Basketball lives on.  

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.