Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

I pray thee well and hope this season finds you in good health and spirits.

I am in my usual state of good health and enjoying my retirement. I hiked the Grand Canyon (GC): Rim-to-rim-to-rim for my 68th birthday. It was a 5-day backpacking trip following the Angel Bright Trail from South Rim to North Rim and back. We summited the North Rim into an arctic blast and stayed just long enough to gobble a food bar and water before hustling down into the protection of the canyon walls. All around beautifully colored rocks crumbled and tumbled from the cliffs. Methinks artifacts fall from their walls on a daily basis. I trained for this trip like a madwoman: hill-work with ankle weights, loaded backpack (I bought a 20# bag of rice just for training), reverse Romanian lunges, backward uphill—walking. Hiking the GC was not easy but also not as difficult as anticipated. I had a fabulous trip. So life affirming. First photo is from the top of the Koko Head crater trail. Local “Friends of Koko Head” restored the battered rail-trail early in 2024. I hiked it years ago and deemed it dangerous. It’s moh-bettah now!

The Chun Clan gathered in March to scatter Aunt San’s “cremains” into Kaneohe Bay. We stood on the sandbar, sang Aloha Oe, and poured her ashes near those of my Mom and Dad, and her siblings: Sammy and Cornelia. The scattering was followed by a big Chinese luncheon where we poured over our family tree, and enjoyed one another so much that we decided to make it an annual event. “During the winter,” the mainlanders said. And so I am returning in February for more Chun-Clan Ohana-time. In April, Koa and Kea (my cats), and I traveled to Joshua Tree Natl Pk (NP) to meet friends and catch the spring bloom. We were about 7 days too early, though spring was starting to burst open in the southern areas of the park. In early August, I backpacked into Goddard Canyon with 2 friends. Goddard is a lonely canyon, home to many marmots and sees few people as the John Muir Trail turnoff is nearby. Earlier, my friend group won an early September permit to the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp (HSC) in Yosemite. Ultimately, only three of us made that trip and there… we caught COVID. Me for the first time! Luckily, I was fully vaxed and experienced only mild symptoms. It did not prevent me from hiking Tuolumne Meadows to the Vogelsang HSC and back, a 14.6 mile trip in 1 day. The infection did keep me from attending my Yosemite volunteer week, scheduled for the subsequent week. Lesson learned - no exposures prior to my volunteer week. I was sooo disappointed. When school started, I began hiking again in the Sutter Buttes Ed program, an outdoor classroom for 3rd and 4th grade excursions.The 3rd-graders are studying local, native American tribes while 4th-graders are studying geology. Lots of learning for both held within this 10-mile, circular, extinct, volcanic hotspot. I am learning to guide both educational hikes and recreational weekend, adult hikes. I spend 2-4 days/week in the Buttes, stomping around overhead while the rattlers sleep. No Rip Van Winkles, rattlers dictate the very short hiking season. Nā pōpoki (the cats) and I made another van trip to LA to see friends. They are becoming pretty good little travelers and that’s a good thing as I hope to travel to the East Coast for the fall colors in 2025. KaPili, my ukulele group added a 3rd voice again late summer. We have been floundering since Malia moved 3-hours away to Fremont. Debbie is a wonderful addition to our group. She has a strong voice and is an ukulele strummer as well. We had two Holiday performances. YeeHaw! We are back in business again! Best novel I read this year: Gone Girl. You probably saw the movie; I have not. The book is a nail-biting, masterpiece thriller with unexpected twists of the knife. Best podcast I heard this year: What School You Went? Any islander living on the mainland will love this podcast. Former KHON TV broadcaster and local-boy, Ron Mizutani, interviews local people. His first question is, of course, “What school you went?” He also asks his interviewee to sing one verse of their high school alma mater. Funneee! Lots of pidgin-english and local jokes. It is a much enjoyed touch of island life. What’s on tap in 2025? Family reunion in February. June dog/house sitting at Kailua, O’ahu. Tour du Mont Blanc (a circumambulation of Mont Blanc via France, Italy, and Switzerland) in August.Then I hope to head east for Ann Arbor, MI (niece Lael’s family) no later than mid-September, crossing before snow-flies on the Rockies. My ultimate goal is Acadia NP and a meandering drive down the east coast, Gulf states, and Southwest. A mop-up tour of the few NP’s that I’ve missed over the years. Leaving the Alcan Hwy and Alaska for 2026(?) Wassup wit you? I would love to hear! Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! ~Lorin

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year!

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! Happy New Year! I hope this letter finds you in good health, spirits, and living a life you love. Retirement year-2 has been full of travel and fun. Here is how my year went:

A NY Times article enticed. I texted sister Gina in the waning days of January, “Would you be interested in an Amsterdam rendezvous?” That led to a 10-day, spring excursion to Amsterdam and London. Amsterdam RIJKS Museum held a Vermeer (one Dutch Master) exhibit: 28 of the known 36 paintings. 450,000 tickets sold out worldwide, in 4 days. We also toured the Van Gogh museum, discovered creamy eggs (YUM), visited the Hague to see The Girl with the Pearl Earring (who had already returned home from the RIJKS), admired the works of numerous Dutch Masters, hunted down a Dutch Baby (which is, as we discovered, not Dutch but German), ate Dutch pancakes (like a humongous crêpe - served sweet or savory), and walked, and walked, and walked. We arrived in London nearly 2-weeks prior to the King’s coronation and stayed near the Paddington station and Kensington Palace. Eating fish and chips at a local pub on our first night, we then vowed to eat international cuisine for all subsequent meals. What an adventure - and such ono grinds (good food)! BIL Michael and I were London neophytes so we played tourist: British Museum (I got totally waylaid in the Polynesian halls by Hoa Hakananai-a Moai stone figure from Rapa Nui and by Capt. Cook artifacts from Hawaii), London Tower and Bridge, the Shard, etc. We also visited the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, which is ground zero for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

I made two trips to Oahu. My first trip coincided with the visit of niece Lael and her family. They are all active and beautiful. The triplets will turn six and Alanna, eight, in 2024. I camped in Yosemite five different weeks. Two were volunteer weeks, one doing trail maintenance on an obscure trail between Tioga Pass Rd and the Hetch Hetchty reservoir. I climbed to Sierra Point, an old trail closed by rockfall in the 70’s. It’s a steep 1/2 mile and the real task is in sniffing out the old trail after crossing a boulder field. But the view… 5 waterfalls from a single perch: Vernal, Nevada, Illilouette, Yosemite, and Little Yosemite falls. It was worth all the effort and every scrape. I was also in the park twice with the Chinese Pilgrimage, a program that honors the work of the Chinese in literally building Yosemite NP.

I began hiking with two new groups. The German Hiking Club was started over 40-years ago in Grass Valley, about 90-minutes north of me. They hike in areas completely unfamiliar to me and that is attractive. I am also learning to guide hikes in the Sutter Buttes (Histum Yani or Middle Mountain to the native peoples). That has me hiking in the mountains twice a week or more - and that makes me happy. To that end, I walk 5-6 miles on most days. When I’m training for something, I add ankle weights and a weighted backpack (a not-so-new activity newly named “rucking”).

My ukulele band, renamed Ka Pili (the Connection), is refocusing our sound after our friend and bandmate Malia moved to Fremont, CA. (Lotta tears shed by all ovah dat one). I also continue to perfect my gluten-free baking - just for the heck of it. Los Gatos (the cats): Cali quietly passed at 21 years on Dec 14th. The boys: Koa Manoa and KeaMoku (6yo) - are delightful as ever and grow more affectionate with age. Favorite binges of 2023? Netflix docu-series on The Blue Zones, those 5 global areas that contain an unusual concentration of centenarians. The series looks for commonalities. Best Book: Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia. This book distills the commonalities of the Blue Zone denizens into increasing “healthspan” vs lifespan in suburbia. How do we get there? Can we reap the benefits of a long, healthy life outside of the Blue Zones? How do we replicate their lifestyle in the burbs? This book is fascinating despite being dense with medical jargon. What’s on tap for 2024? Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in late February. I will definitely kick up my weight training, stair running, maybe even hiking in the Sierra w/ankle weights as Day-3 will be 17-miles with vertical elevation gain and loss. Honolulu in March for a family reunion and to commit Aunt Sandra’s ashes to the ocean. Joshua Tree NP with friends in early April for the spring bloom. Mt Fuji in September. It’s a staircase = more stair training. Lots of ukulele rehearsals as Kimi and I get deep into duet-mode. I am thankful for good friends, a wonderful cat-sitter, and good health. Eh - how you? I would love to hear. May you live fully and prosper in 2024. Love and Aloha ~Lorin

Hau'oli Makakhiki Hou! Happy New Year!

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! = Happy New Year! I hope this holiday season finds you and yours happy, healthy, and creating a life you love aka “Vitality at every age and stage.” In 2022, I did get some bucket list travel done by visiting Nepal and hiking into the famed Khumbu Valley, home of Sagarmatha (Mt Everest). In April we followed in the footsteps of famous climbers and trekked part of that trail. John (NP classmate and a favorite traveling companion) and I joined a group of ten for this trek. Our guide was Gary - with whom we previously hiked in the Dolomites. Three Sherpas guided and guarded us. Our bags were carried by jōkpë: a cow/yak cross, that is larger than a cow but more docile than a yak. So we hiked with lighter day packs and enjoyed the views. Our lodges were part of a new franchise on the route, Yeti Mountain Homes. Our rooms were private with hot showers but only when the sun shone sufficiently for solar hot water. At some point around 15,000 feet elevation, the trail curves around the spine of a mountain and the upper valley is visible all the way to Sagarmatha (Mt Ev). The famed Temboche Gumpa (monastery) was ahead on the right and Ama Dablam hung over that side of the valley. The Lhotse ridge hid Nuptse to the left. Sagarmatha took center stage, cloud plume blowing off her summit. Lohtse on the right. It was breathtaking - the best moment of my trip. All my training seemed to payoff. I walked 6-8 miles daily with light backpack and ankle weights. Additionally, I hiked in the Sierra, at altitude weekly. That translated into a very pleasant trip. In late June I did a horse packing trip into the Emigrant Wilderness, just north of the Yosemite border. It was peak mosquito season and the only thing I will say about the trip is that I would rather walk 15 miles than ride them. Early August, I joined with a group of 22 Chinese people on a 3-day pilgrimage to climb Sing Peak, on the southern Yosemite National Park (NP) border. Tai Sing was a famous hi-country chef who cooked for the historic Mather Mountain Party of 1915 (google it) at the inception of the National Parks system. There were many Chinese people that worked in the areas now known as Yosemite, Sequoia, and King’s Canyon NPs; their story is now being told in Yosemite NP. It was a fun trip and all the youngins usually spoke several dialects of Chinese! I’m sooo jealous! Of course I volunteered in Yosemite for a week and we camped in my new, favorite campground = White Wolf. It was a historic summer home for the indigenous Miwok and Awahneechee tribes - and trust me, they occupied all the best places. Lots of ground rock grindstones near the river and bat caves nearby. For the 3rd year I worked on Tuolumne Meadows restoration and learned to use a 100-year-old cross cut saw - mannn it almost cut on its own; through downed tree trunks like butdah. Lastly, in December John and I met friends in Joshua Tree NP - a designated “dark sky” area in the USA. We happened to be there during the Geminids Meteor Shower. Yowza! Shooting stars every 10-15 seconds! And man it was cold. I slept with my 20-degree sleeping bag inside another bag. I tore out my front lawn this year and put in a drought-tolerant, low-water-use, Asian garden. Still planting - but the gist is in. I continue to play ukulele and my band combined with my ukulele teachers band for summer and Christmas gigs. So fun! Best books Bacon read in 2022: Kareem Abdul Jabar is a devout Holmesian and is co-writing prequels to the Sherlock Holmes novels penned by Sir Conan Doyle. They are very true to Holmes history and are delightful in every way. I’ve become a KAJ fan. American Scandal is my fave 2022 podcast. I have lived through many of these “scandals” but lacked details and did not follow them to conclusion. It covers subjects like Iran/Contra, Theranos, Edward Snowden, Hare Krishna, Waco, Exon Valdez, etc. Super, super interesting. What’s on tap for 2023? The Jane and Bill descendants are descending into Kaneohe this spring. It will be good to see ev’body. Plus I NEED some humidity! Hope to volunteer in Yosemite again this summer. The application process begins in mid-January. The price of gas kept me from driving/camping to the East Coast for fall colors. I may attempt that in fall 2023. Dems da highlights! E Hookaulana (celebrate) 2023 by creating a life you love. With love and much Aloha ~Lorin

Mele Kalikimaka e Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

Mele Kalikimaka e Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I pray thee well and hope this annual letter finds you in good health and spirits. Even better - with vitality at every age and stage. What an interesting year I’ve had. After 42 years of nursing and one year on the COVID frontline, I retired April 1st - no joke! Eight months out, I’m still trying to find my rhythm. The pandemic has surely spared me the common malady of instant over-commitment. The one thing I have dedicated myself to is daily exercise: a 4-6 mile walk, sometimes 8, and/or yoga via Zoom. With another new COVID variant on the rise, I’ve not returned to the yoga studio. Additionally, my cats have learned that when my yoga mat is rolled out, I’ll be on the floor - just where they want me. I get a good core workout and intend to add some light weightlifting in the new year. My trek on the Everest Trail in Nepal was postponed until April 2022 (fingers crossed). That opened my calendar for national travel. Though I currently loathe flying, I did fly home to Hawaii for nearly the entire month of May. There, we stood on a shallow sandbar in Kaneohe Bay to scatter the ashes of my parents, Aunt Cornelia, and Uncle Sammy. The day was beautiful and it felt “glorious” as my mother often proclaimed.

Kaneohe Bay: photo taken from sandbar.

In early June I attended the 3-day, Indian wedding of Mona and John in Long Beach. What a thrill! I attended with my dear friends, the Singh’s, whose large family has been so welcoming to me. I loved every minute! In late August, Bill (a faithful backpacking buddy on loan from his wife) and I packed into BAM (Bacon’s Adventurosa Mobile) to head north along the coastal route, then east, paralleling the Canadian border. Mostly, we camped in national and state parks. We visited seven National Parks (NP): Redwoods, Olympic, North Cascades, Glacier, Theodore Roosevelt, Wind Caves, and Badlands. We also visited Devil’s Tower, Mt Rushmore, and Crazy Horse. Our terminus was Ann Arbor, MI to rendezvous with niece Lael and her family, sister Gina, and her husband Mike. I made the westward, return trip solo, never driving more than 300 miles/day. Again, I visited national parks: Cuyahoga, Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Great Basin. I met innumerable, wonderful Americans and fielded many questions about my van.

While I am thinking of it, here are some peak-season NP tips. You’ve undoubtedly heard that NPs are over-loved and overcrowded these last years. Some of them require timed-entrance passes, purchased online. So my biggest tip is to get into the park before the rangers manage the gates each morning. The park gates are typically open 24/7. Rangers begin controlling the entrances between 7-9am. Passing through the gates early will spare you the long, exhaust-fumed queues into the park. Many rangers now close their gates when park capacity reaches a specified limit. (When I arrived at Glacier and departed Arches, the gates were closed = no entry.) In Glacier NP, we awoke at 5am to be on the road by 5:30. So do some research before you go. Pack a cooler with food and hit the road. Also, be aware that all caves tours are now booked online several weeks in advance. Lastly, a senior “Golden Park Pass” is available at 62 years for a one-time fee of $80. (Free to Wounded Warriors and war-time vets with required paperwork). Not only does this provide free park access for one vehicle and four people but it also halves the camping fee. Wowee! Who knew? In November, best buddy John and I retraced my earlier trip up Californian and Oregonian coasts into Washington state. As we approached the mountains, the roads were slushy, forcing a hasty retreat to the Columbia River Gorge - where we were pelted by another atmospheric river. We were duly impressed with the plethora of state parks along the Oregon coast - seemingly every few miles… and sooo beautiful! I might migrate that way as drought is an increasing problem for California. I continue to play music with my ukulele band KaBang! (Kaneko, Bacon, and Yang). With bass player Wade, we typically hold weekly, outdoor rehearsals. I continue to take ukulele lessons though I am not sure my performance actually reflects that tutelage. Nonetheless, my teacher Carla (from Waipahu, Oahu) is skilled and patient. We collaborate on all the musical arranging I do for KaBang! and I’ve learned a bit about music theory, jazz, and how to modulate pitch to escalate musical movement in the distinctive style of the Brothers Cazimero (for you with Hawaiian musical roots). Good fun! Best Books Bacon read in 2021: The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett Graff is an oral history of 9/11. With time zone disparities between the coasts, I saw the Twin Towers fall on TV before I went to work. I worked in an Emergency Dept. so I was not glued to a TV that or the following days. Time and distance buffered me from the granular events of 9/11. This book is an account from survivors and their personal experiences on 9/11. It is not necessarily factual, as few survivors had the facts. I found it moving and enlightening. Remember how we rallied for one another after 9/11? This book left me feeling hopeful for the American spirit and our capacity to care deeply for one another. You can also listen to an abridged version of the book in a podcast called Long Shadow - which you can find for free on your favorite pod-catcher. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. In Caste, she argues that the racial tensions in the United States are better explained through the lens of caste, not race… [She examines] the eight tenets of a caste system, how the caste system affects the lives of people in the upper and lower castes, and how we can move away from caste and create a more equitable society. I love books that enlighten and move me, this was one. I am currently reading Grant, the definitive biography of Ulysses S Grant by historian Ron Chernow. I dunno… it seemed fitting to understand the events of the Civil War more fully. What’s on tap in 2022? First and foremost, I am making a commitment to switch to automated, randomly-generated, long, and complex passwords for my devices (iPhone, iMac, iPad). Like a dinosaur, I have resisted - and you know the rest of their story. If COVID allows, best-buddy John and I will trek on the Everest Trail to 15,500 feet. Then on to Egypt, for I have friends in Cairo. We hope to see The Great Pyramids of Giza, Alexandria, Luxor, and Petra. I also hope to volunteer for 1-2 weeks in Yosemite this season. Dat’s real soul food. Perhaps a cross-country trip to New England to see the fall colors? What is going on in your world? What inspires you and keeps you moving? How is your family? I would love to hear. Keep an open mind to changing science. Walk with caution. Use kind words and a gentle tone. Love self and one another. E Hookaulana (celebrate) 2022! With love and much Aloha ~Lorin

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year)

 Hau’oli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year) to you and yours. I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. 

My annual letter a-l-w-a-y-s opens thusly, wishing that you and yours enjoy good health and spirits. Never has this been more salient as we are assaulted with job loss, income stress, social and physical isolation, while being stalked by a deadly virus. I hope even in this, you can find moments of joy, happiness, and hope.

Koa, Kea, & me

For only the second time in my life, I spent Christmas alone. The lights on my tree blazed all day while a constant stream of carols suffused every nook and cranny. Nonetheless, it lacked luster without the gathering of friends and family. The footer on my emails reads: 

This year, to lovingly observe z Holidays means giving up “but we always…” for the sake of everyone - so that next year we might once again have it all. 

Only you can make it so. So do so.

… I could hardly ignore my own advice.

Well COVID sure put a monkey wrench into our year; didn’t it? So much for traveling home for Mom’s 95th or a subsequent memorial. Cancelled our 3-week hiking trip in the UK and a 2-week Home-for-the-Holidays including both Christmas and New Year. Do you know that in my 41 years of nursing I have never had a vacation that included both Christmas and New Years? This, my final year of nursing, was gonna be it. Auwe (alas) no mattah no moah; I going retire in 100 days anyways.

Yes, we lost my Mom and her sister Cornelia this year. This social isolation is very, very hard on our super seniors. Weeks before Mom died, just when Honolulu ended its lockdown, my cousins whisked “the sibs” (Aunties Jane (my Mom), Corn, San, and Ellen, and Uncle Dave) to an outside, physically-distanced luncheon. They invited us all to FaceTime into the gathering. Mom was mostly non-verbal and it was the last time I saw her and Aunt Corn. Good thinking cousins! Dey so akamai (smart)!

Working in an outpatient clinic is all kinds of new stress. Because my asthma has become a real problem, particularly during winter, I work in an N95 from the first day of fall, through the winter. (See how much you’ve learned this year? I don’t even need to explain PPE and N95.) So even before COVID hit, I was already in protect-my-lungs mode. 

Kaiser was very fast to respond, canceling all in-person appointments and non-emergent surgeries prior to the California lockdown. Because we already make telephone and video visits, we pivoted to virtual work over one weekend. It wasn’t pretty but it was better than anyone else in the region - by far. 

While I am fortunate to be working, still, it is anxiety producing to be locked in a small exam room with anyone for 20-minutes. What if they are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic? I think I pretty much speak for most healthcare workers (HCW) when I say: wear a mask, practice physical distancing, do it outside, and during this surge - stay home and do not gather.

Remember that during the 1918 flu pandemic, most of the 1.5 million deaths occurred during the winter. Just like, “Only you can prevent forest fires”; Only YOU can keep you/yours/us safe.

I am flummoxed by the lack of COVID response in the US - as is, BTW, the rest of the world. I’ve presented the science in my blog and will not repeat it here. But you are welcome to visit and read at: 

https://lorinzmuze.blogspot.com.

One last thing regarding COVID. We saw early reporting in January from Wuhan that implied coronavirus was airborne. Unfortunately, it took the CDC the better part of a year to make that known. This new reporting shows confirmation data out of S Korea. “Coronavirus can travel farther and faster inside restaurants than previously thought, South Korean study suggests. Two diners at a South Korean restaurant were infected with novel coronavirus in a matter of minutes from a third patron who sat at least 15 feet away. The third patron was asymptomatic at the time.” WATCH z video!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2020/12/11/korean-restaurant-coronavirus-airflow-study/

But I don’t go to restaurants, you say. Yes, but when you invite even a few people over to eat, your home becomes like a restaurant. If attendees have not quarantined before and after a negative test or for 10-days, your gathering poses an unnecessary risk. With the virus mutation becoming increasingly transmissible, nothing but an N95 will keep viral particles out. The surge we are experiencing now is from small, familial gatherings over Thanksgiving. Officials fear the Christmas bump will force us to triage people away from healthcare from tents in the parking lot. 

We are living through, what is on track to be, what history books will call, the greatest catastrophe in American history. With 350,000 Americans dead and a disease continuing to spread like wildfire, keep your masks on - we will likely need them for most of 2021 if not longer. Remember, the COVID vaccine does not prevent infection nor the spread of infection. Hopefully, like the flu vacc, it boosts your immunity to prevent a lethal infection. Make sure your lifestyle choices are consistent with survival.

The number of HCW COVID fatalities now number in the several thousands, though this data is not officially tracked. It stands to reason that if no one is tracking, the numbers are assuredly higher.

As we discuss surging outpatient personnel (like me) into staffing the hospital, I will make my exit if needed. Nurses and doctors came out of retirement to work the pandemic - some of them died. This is not the battle for older, frontline workers. This is a young persons war - and that’s not me.

My ukulele band KaBang! had continued to hold outdoors, physically-distanced rehearsals all year. But we have stopped for the winter, taking no chances to get through this surge.

Cora, Ayla, Leia, Alanna

 I did get to Newport Beach, CA in October to visit with Lael and her family before their move to Michigan. Because I could not isolate ahead of time, I wore a mask, kept my distance, and slept in BAM (Baconz Adventurosa Mobile). With some reluctance, I took my Humpty Dumpty (made by Aunt San) and bequeathed him to the next generation. He’s like 58 years old so I was a little sad to let him go.

With lots of alone time I have devoured books, podcasts, and MasterClasses. Here are some of my recommendations:

Favorite podcast: Presidential by the Washington Post. This was originally a weekly broadcast prior to the 2016 elections. Highlighting each President in order of ascension, it begins with Washington and ended with Obama. They have since added two more episodes. I discovered Presidents I knew nothing about. It was a fascinating recall of American history as everything of import is touched by the hand of the President. Really, it was fascinating. 

Favorite books: Lincoln-Team of Rivals. At times, reading this was a slog, an almost daily accounting of Lincoln’s presidency. Nonetheless, there are striking similarities to our times and division. Famous for his generous opinions of others, one cannot fail to admire the thoughtfulness and grace that ruled Lincoln’s decisions. Angry letters never sent, snippets from his journal, and headlines from the NY Times all combine into a stimulating, nourishing stew that renewed my hope for our male-dominated, federal leadership. This tome is worth the time.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has co-written a few excellent prequels to Sir Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. Apparently KAJ is a real Holmesian; these books are true-to-form, in-the-vein, and riveting respite.

I have more recently been thinking and reading about citizenship, civic duty, and living in a way that is responsible to and for others in my community. America is known for its rugged individualism but that, it turns out, is a myth. Nor does that mentality serve us well in a time that requires us to consider others, to love them as ourselves, and to speak the truth. The new year is always a good time to reflect on who I’ve been, how I behaved, were my words kind and did I honor others?

What’s on tap for 2021?

Believe it or not, my 65th birthday quickly approaches and I am eligible to retire on April 1st. I had planned on another big party for both birthday and retirement. Auwe! Maybe 2022? When safe, I do plan to pack my van and drive east to see friends and family. Maybe even drive parts of Route 66. Maybe end up in the NE for a never-done-before: see the fall colors before returning home.

I would love to hear how you have fared and the direction of your life.

Be well. Find joy. Laugh, sing, dance, play, and love.

A hui hou kakou (until we meet again)  ~Lorin

WWFD? What Would Fauci Do?

WWFD? What Would Fauci Do?

From the Trenches - # next

To enlarge, tap picture. Click X in upper right corner to return to blog.

Sadly, little has changed since my last blog in July but the rising death count and case load. Perhaps the disease is more real now, perhaps you know or know of someone succumbed to COVID-19.

America leads the world in COVID-19 deaths by many tens of thousands. If you think for one-minute that many of these deaths were not preventable - change your news channel - your information source is inaccurate. More Than 1,000 Current and Former CDC Officers Criticize U.S. Covid-19 Response. An open letter calls for the federal agency to play a more central role in addressing the pandemic. [1]

As we head into winter, flu season will be complicated by COVID-19. As the weather cools and people gather indoors, the risk of viral spread increases. We are already in, what has been named, “the fall surge.” Hospitalizations and cases are rising across the nation. We have not “turned the corner” by any stretch. The virus is surging - it is not disappearing.

Trump is right when he says people are sick of COVID-19. This is called COVID fatigue, we are tired of being apart, we want to hug our grandkids and gather at Thanksgiving - and we may give-in to our wants. The problem is, with 220,000+ dead Americans, COVID-19 is not sick of us. In fact, COVID-19 might just be warming up.

The intention of this blog is to give you the latest data on how to keep you and yours safe until we have the political will to come up with a national plan. Why a national plan? Because the nations who have successfully navigated COVID spread have done so with a unified, national strategy. With the resources of the nation being brought to bear on supply chains for PPE and testing materials, with case tracing and a plan for dealing with those infected and those exposed. 220,000+ American deaths clearly demonstrate that whatever plan this country is working is an ineffective one.

What have we learned since July?

1. We’ve learned that the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has been compromised by pressure from the White House. [2] The first obvious example occurred July 8th when Trump tweeted that CDC’s guideline for reopening schools were “too tough.” CDC capitulated and revised them. [3] July 8th was the first (though not the last) time that I logged onto CDC’s website to print their COVID-19 Guideline so I could track changes made in subservience to Trump and against the advice of career epidemiologists and public health experts.

Other examples of CDC compromise:

September 1st CDC announced: “If you have been in close contact (within 6 feet) of a person with a COVID-19 infection for at least 15 minutes but do not have symptoms, you do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual or your health care provider or State or local public health officials recommend you take one.” This was a head-scratcher and completely at odds with contact tracing (the bedrock of epidemic management) but consistent with a misguided theory that less testing equals less cases. California’s Gov. Newsom immediately announced that the state would not be downgrading its testing. CDC reversed this guideline on September 24th. [4]

2) We’ve learned that the this virus is aerosolized - like measles - this is a big deal. Aerosolization greatly contributes to ease of infection. Remember the Disneyland measles outbreak during the Christmas Holiday of 2014? 

CDC: Measles Outbreak - California, December 2014 - February 2015

As of February 11, a total of 125 measles cases with rash occurring during December 28, 2014–February 8, 2015, had been confirmed in U.S. residents connected with this outbreak. Of these, 110 patients were California residents. Thirty-nine (35%) of the California patients visited one or both of the two Disney theme parks during December 17–20, where they are thought to have been exposed to measles, 37 have an unknown exposure source (34%), and 34 (31%) are secondary cases. Among the 34 secondary cases, 26 were household or close contacts, and eight were exposed in a community setting. Five (5%) of the California patients reported being in one or both of the two Disney theme parks during their exposure period outside of December 17–20, but their source of infection is unknown. In addition, 15 cases linked to the two Disney theme parks have been reported in seven other states: Arizona (7), Colorado (1), Nebraska (1), Oregon (1), Utah (3), and Washington (2), as well as linked cases reported in two neighboring countries, Mexico (1) and Canada (10). [5]

We’ve heard similar COVID-19 stories: In June, a surprise birthday party in Texas resulted in 18 coronavirus cases. In July, a house party in Michigan led to 43 cases, and a family gathering in North Carolina led to 40 cases because the attendees "went about their daily lives" before they started showing symptoms. In some places, in-home gatherings are now responsible for the majority of new coronavirus cases. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed how a chain of family gatherings in Chicago let to three deaths. [6] I think we’ve all heard about the wedding in Maine that resulted in multiple COVID cases and deaths of people not even in attendance.

Aerosolization is a big deal, micro viral particles can hang in the air and be inhaled by another. In another example of CDC flip-flops, CDC finally declared what has been evident (to the medical community) for months: COVID-19 is aerosolized to enable airborne transmission. They quickly reversed that declaration with a backflip, only to reverse the reverse with a running Round-off- Back Handspring-Back Tuck. It would be entertaining and laughable if it weren’t so tragic. We have never seen such a schizophrenic CDC and it is more than disheartening for health care workers (HCW) across the globe who have depended upon the guidance of CDC for decades.

What does aerosolization mean for our own safety? It means masks are helpful. They stop droplets and some aerosol. But if you spend 15 or more minutes in a confined space with an infected person (i.e. carpooling, flying, exam room, meal prep in the kitchen), a simple, cloth mask will not keep aerosolized virus out of your respiratory tract.

What about public transportation, flying or carpooling? Best practice would have everyone wearing an N95 mask (get them on Amazon, Home Depot) to contain your own droplets and aerosols. Keeping the windows open will disperse any escaped viral particles thereby reducing the build-up of virus to infectious levels. Avoid the instinct remove the mask to cough or sneeze. DO sneeze inside your mask, that is what its for. I’ve read of a plan to physically distance commuters and open the windows on commuter trains into NYC through the winter.

What if everyone has a negative COVID test? Technically that could work, however, the White House Rose Garden Super-Spreader event gives us a stellar example of when it did not. Twenty-eight people were infected at that event where every attendee had a negative test. If the people living in a biologic bubble can get infected… that ain’t you and that ain't us; don’t let your guard down.

Rule #1  for indoors and out - keep physically distanced from people not in your “quarantine pod”. No close contact (within 6 feet) to any person for greater than15 minutes., wash hands, wear a mask. Keep it outdoors if possible (the odds of contracting the virus are 20 times higher indoors). Keep indoor gatherings small and with people under 60 years.

If not the CDC? 

WWFD? = What would Fauci do? I am a fan of Dr. Fauci. He is not beholding to Trump, he cannot be fired by Trump, and he shrugs off the bullying. Yes, Dr. Fauci made some missteps - who didn’t? This IS the novel Coronavirus - a never-been-seen-before virus to which humans have no immunity. Do not get attached to a treatment plan or way of interacting with the virus. Good scientists will change their recommendations as we learn more and the data change. A man who can say, “I thought this, the data suggests that, we were wrong, the new plan of action is…” THIS is not ego driven but science driven; isn’t that what you want?

"Let's see if we could put this to rest once and for all," Fauci said. "Cloth (face) coverings work. If you look at the scientific data, the masks clearly work. I mean, they are part of a multifaceted approach of—masks, keeping distance, avoiding crowds, washing hands, doing things outdoors, much more than indoors. All of that is a combination of prevention modalities that are easy to do relatively speaking.” [7]

Follow the advice of Dr. Fauci and the World Health Organization. Dr Sanjay Gupta of CNN seems to be pragmatic and sound. California’s state or local health department has good information. Beware information dispersed by any politician unless it closely follows that of the Health Department.

And one more thing: listen to epidemiologists and public health professionals. Shun the radiologist who plays a public health professional on TV. He might have slept at a Holiday Express but he’s still bogus.

Bill Gates: I’ve tackled every big new problem the same way, by starting off with two questions. Who has dealt with this problem well? And what can we learn from them?

Look for best practices from other countries.

Totally Under Control is a new 2-hour documentary (streaming on Hulu & Amazon Prime) tracks our COVID-19 response against that of South Korea. Both countries learned of their first case on the same day in January. Both national responses are chronicled at critical decision points, when S Korea went right and the US went awry. 

Research and follow best practices of other countries. i.e. Australia (905 deaths), New Zealand (25 deaths), S. Korea (457 deaths), Taiwan (7, yep, no typo, just 7 deaths). To be fair, these countries have a national strategy to protect their citizenry and national healthcare and electronic medical records that provide data in real time. The US could have that, we have the infrastructure, so far we lack the will. But we could personally follow the practices imposed by those countries.

Follow their example: universal mask wearing in public spaces, physical distancing from others, keep rooms well ventilated, avoid crowds, closed spaces with close contact, sanitize hands, cough into elbow, avoid touching your face. WHO instructs those with underlying conditions or over 60 to wear a medical/surgical mask. These practices are simple and the bedrock of interrupting the spread of any contagion.

Australia and other southern hemisphere countries had record low flu seasons. The physical distancing and other public health precautions put in place to combat COVID-19 quashed the flu season. It makes sense, flu is also a viral illness. The US could hope for the same but then, we would have to behave the same.

COVID-19 vs. cold and flu symptoms — Because the symptoms of COVID-19, a seasonal cold, and the flu have a lot of similarities, mild cases of COVID-19 may go undetected. Watch our video to learn more about the different symptoms for COVID-19, the flu, and a cold. [8]

The symptoms which are unique to COVID-19: shortness of breath, new loss of smell and taste, rash on hands and feet. Fever (over 100.5), shaking chills, headaches, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, muscle aches, and fatigue, are common to both COVID-19 and influenza. 

Colds come on gradually and the most common symptoms are a stuffy nose, sore throat, and sneezing. They sometimes also include a cough and fatigue. Fevers and headaches are rare.

All three infections are viral illnesses - we don’t use antibiotics for viral illnesses. We use Tylenol for fevers, Robitussin for cough, Cepacol and salt water gargles for sore throat, inhalers for wheezing, etc. Even for COVID-19; its a virus.

If you have symptoms, contact your doctor. Many doctor offices do not have PPE (personal protective equipment) so we do not necessarily want you in our office. We will try to treat you over the phone or by video visit. We will send you to the Emergency Department for shortness of breath - where staff are properly protected and chest X-rays and blood oxygen saturation can be assessed.

What about the Holidays?

WWFD? Dr. Fauci's Tips for Celebrating the Holidays in a Safe Way During the Coronavirus Pandemic

1. Go small-scale or go virtual.

"Be very careful and prudent about social gatherings, particularly when members of the family might be at a risk because of their age or underlying condition," Fauci told CBS Evening News. "You may have to bite the bullet and sacrifice the social gathering unless you're pretty certain that the people that you're dealing with are not infected ... either they've been very recently tested or they're living a lifestyle in which they don't have an interaction with anyone but you and your family." As he explained this, Dr. Fauci pointed to his relationship with his wife, Dr. Christine Grady. The duo only socializes with each other and no one else.

2. Don't assume that just because you feel OK you are OK.

While explaining this on CBS Evening News, Fauci referred to nationwide observation reports from his fellow coronavirus task force member, Dr. Deborah Birx. Those reports discovered that family members are spreading the coronavirus to each other more often than at the beginning of the pandemic.

"Household transmission is assuming a greater element of the transmissibility," Fauci said. And since researchers are learning that about 1 in 5 people who become infected with the coronavirus are asymptomatic, it can be a big challenge to know if you might be at risk for spreading the virus to someone who may experience more severe symptoms or complications. (Say, someone with any of these high-risk medical conditions pointed out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

3. Travel early.

If you do decide to gather in person, follow the CDC's safer holiday travel tips: Drive and don't stop along the way (What about bathrooms? See below); then, after arriving, quarantine at a separate dwelling (such as a no-contact Airbnb) for at least five days (the median time it takes to test positive). Then get tested before gathering with your family.

4. Keep things small.

"When people do things in crowds without masks—particularly indoors—it's just asking for trouble. We know without a doubt that those are the events that have spreading among people. It isn't as if we haven't been there before. We know that's trouble. It just seems obvious you've got to avoid that," Fauci said in the interview with CBS Evening News.

(Check out one poignant example of this in our story about a coronavirus survivor who spoke out after hosting a gathering that infected 14 and killed 2 family members.) So only invite a small crew that can stay safely spaced at least 6 feet apart in the event of any congregating.

5. Speaking of masks, wear one with anyone outside of your household—even relatives.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Fauci wasn't a huge proponent of masks, fearing that there might be a shortage for health care workers. But just one month later, Fauci reversed his stance, once he learned that masks—even the cloth face masks you can buy or make—help prevent infection.

"When you find out you're wrong, it's a manifestation of your honesty to say, 'Hey, I was wrong. I did subsequent experiments and now it's this way,'" Fauci said during a 60 Minutes segment that aired on October 18. So in case you're looking for his final answer, it's wear a mask—even with your family—each and every time you're sharing space with anyone outside of your household and especially anytime you're inside. (That is, when you're not eating or drinking.)

While not seeing family might feel like a tough pill to swallow, those are some sage doctor's orders as turkey time inches closer and closer. [9]

What about bathrooms; both public and private? 

Public bathrooms continue to pose a problem. [10] Ever heard of toilet plume? Aerosolized viral particles can hang in the air of an enclosed bathroom. Scroll to my previous blog dated July 12th to the paragraph: What about bathrooms; both public and private? 

Lastly, remember the 3 W’s:  Watch your distance, Wear a mask when you can’t watch your distance, and Wash your hands.

e malama he pa waiho ai = keep safe

Footnotes:

[1] https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-than-1-000-current-and-former-cdc-officers-condemn-u-s-covid-19-response-11602884265

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2020/aug/11/lost-on-the-frontline-covid-19-coronavirus-us-healthcare-workers-deaths-database

[3] https://khn.org/morning-breakout/cdc-to-revise-school-reopening-guidelines-after-trump-blasted-initial-ones-as-too-tough-and-expensive/

[4] https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3386

[5]https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6406a5.htm

[6] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/10/it-safe-have-dinner-together-inside/616568/

[7] On CNN’s Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter 9/27/2020

[8] Kaiser Permanente

[9] http://www.eatingwell.com/article/7870002/tips-from-dr-fauci-on-how-to-reduce-your-risk-for-coronavirus-during-the-holiday-season/

[10]https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/10/15/coronavirus-public-restroom/