Kwan Kew Lai's Blog: My May Book Event, page 3
August 16, 2022
African Book Talk Series:Columbia Global Center, Kenya, Nairobi
I will be discussing my book, Lest We Forget: A Doctor's Experience with Life and Death During the Ebola Outbreak on August 31 at 9 Am with Wendy Njoroge via zoom, sponsored by Columbia Global Center in Nairobi, Kenya. Hope to see you there.
Register at
https://tinyurl.com/4365bt5h.
Register at
https://tinyurl.com/4365bt5h.
Published on August 16, 2022 07:08
June 24, 2022
The 40th Midnight Sun Run 10K, Fairbanks, Alaska
Last summer I was in Fairbanks awaiting the birth of my first grand twins, Lucas and Sam. The Midsummer Sun Run was a virtual one because of the COVID pandemic, which has been so for the past two years. I ran it alone all over Moose Mountain where my son lives.
This year I came back to see my son, Tim, his wife, Ju-Lin, and their children, our gran-twins. I ran the 40th 10K Midnight Sun Race in person, starting at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and ending at the Pioneer Park on June 18th. 2326 runners, forty-four states and five countries, including New Zealand, participated. I was among a few interviewed by KTVF news. The best part of the route was along the Chena River where the communities cheered us on, blasting us with balloons of cold water, and hosing us down. It was 73 degrees.
There were festivities in downtown Fairbanks and at the starting line, the costumers competed. My favorite was the pilot and airline attendant, towing roll-on luggage along the route. Several couples pushed baby carriages on the race, what a feat.
The sun shone brightly all day and it seemed never to set around midnight. I ran wearing my Boston Red Sox cap and my Boston Marathon shirt from 2008. At the finish line, I heard the announcer say, “Boston Red Sox, #1615”.
My time was 1:18:18, at 1150/2326 overall, 457/1253 for female, and 2/21 for my age group.
This year I came back to see my son, Tim, his wife, Ju-Lin, and their children, our gran-twins. I ran the 40th 10K Midnight Sun Race in person, starting at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and ending at the Pioneer Park on June 18th. 2326 runners, forty-four states and five countries, including New Zealand, participated. I was among a few interviewed by KTVF news. The best part of the route was along the Chena River where the communities cheered us on, blasting us with balloons of cold water, and hosing us down. It was 73 degrees.
There were festivities in downtown Fairbanks and at the starting line, the costumers competed. My favorite was the pilot and airline attendant, towing roll-on luggage along the route. Several couples pushed baby carriages on the race, what a feat.
The sun shone brightly all day and it seemed never to set around midnight. I ran wearing my Boston Red Sox cap and my Boston Marathon shirt from 2008. At the finish line, I heard the announcer say, “Boston Red Sox, #1615”.
My time was 1:18:18, at 1150/2326 overall, 457/1253 for female, and 2/21 for my age group.
Published on June 24, 2022 12:27
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June 13, 2022
2021 in Review, COVID Pandemic Continues
The COVID Pandemic continues to rule. Omicron dethrones delta and is now the reigning monarch.
While our country continues to grapple with the pandemic, I volunteered with Project Hope, going to the Northern Navajo Medical Center in the Navajo Nation in New Mexico in February. The terrain is absolutely stark and beautiful in its own way, much of it is devoid of vegetation but its otherworldly rocky formations are achingly soul searchingly breathtaking. It seems to invite one to sit quietly and meditatively. The Navajo people were very friendly, patient, and were enthusiastic about the COVID vaccine. I volunteered in the walk-in clinic, the car clinic for COVID testing, and vaccination clinics set up in different schools and chapter houses.
In my time off I took the Durango Silverton train to the Cascade, visited Bisti De-Na-Zin, Mesa Verde, passed Monument Valley, closed because of the pandemic, and Chaco Culture Historic National Park. Chaco was especially beautiful in the silence of the gentle snowfall and I was blessed to be the only one in the whole park.
The biggest news for 2021 was the birth of my first grand-twins. Tim and his wife Ju-Lin had Lucas and Samuel on June 1 and both sets of grandparents spent weeks with them. It is true that having grandchildren instills vitality and renewed energy in the lives of the grandparents. The digital world allows us to follow their growth and interact with them even as we are hundreds of miles away.
On the longest day of the year with 24 hours of daylight in Fairbanks, Alaska, I ran a virtual midnight sun 10K run.
After almost two months with the twins, Scott and I took the Alaskan train to Denali National Park and we stayed a few days in the Kantishna, End of the Road Lodge deep in the park. I did a 6-mile hike on a day when Denali was clearly visible. On my third time visiting Denali National Park, I finally saw it in all its glory. I could not resist taking a dip in Wonder Lake.
We traveled further on the Alaska Rail to Anchorage and flew to Kodiak Island to have a close encounter with the brown bears.
Our usual annual summer pilgrimage to Wellfleet, Capecod, missing Tim, Ju-Lin, the twins, Lucas and Sam, Cara, and James.
Volunteering outside the country has been a challenge with COVID restrictions. Hurricane Ida arrived in Louisiana and Project Hope sent me there and I was able to volunteer in New Orleans, Houma, and Galiano. I was thankful for such volunteering opportunities.
In October, I went to Zion National Park to hike the Narrows on the day when it rained but I was able to wade my way to Wall Street, glad I did not encounter flash flooding.
The next day dawned bright and sunny making my hike to Angels Landing an absolutely breathtaking one.
Then it was time for my camping jaunt on the 7-day Southwest National Parks Camping Tour. On this tour, we visited Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, the Big Bend, and the Grand Canyon, it snowed one night in Bryce. Watching the sunrise at the Grand Canyon was memorable.
Scott is semi-retired and is writing a scholarly book. I am still working very part-time. Tim and Ju-Lin are busy working full-time at least for the moment after their 6 months of maternity and paternity leaves, juggling with raising the twins.
Cara emerged from her one-year meditation retreat, she was closer to nature but only she alone knows how that affected her. James is still busy working for AMI, traveling frequently. They are considering settling in Vermont.
Charles and Mel were engaged over the New Year and just have a civil marriage at the Arnold Arboretum. The real celebration may be next September unless COVID interferes again. They bought a house in Somerville, we are delighted they are close by.
I write more than I paint. My oil painting of Melting into the Milky Way was in the exhibit How Art Heals: Transforming Ourselves and Our World at the Belmont Art Gallery.
I write more than I paint. My oil painting of Melting into the Milky Way was in the exhibit How Art Heals: Transforming Ourselves and Our World at the Belmont Art Gallery.
As we look forward to 2022, we should remember those who are less fortunate than us. The refugees are still in limbo and hope to see the end of it as we all hope to see the end of the pandemic.
Please subscribe https://www.kwankewlai.com/subscribe
While our country continues to grapple with the pandemic, I volunteered with Project Hope, going to the Northern Navajo Medical Center in the Navajo Nation in New Mexico in February. The terrain is absolutely stark and beautiful in its own way, much of it is devoid of vegetation but its otherworldly rocky formations are achingly soul searchingly breathtaking. It seems to invite one to sit quietly and meditatively. The Navajo people were very friendly, patient, and were enthusiastic about the COVID vaccine. I volunteered in the walk-in clinic, the car clinic for COVID testing, and vaccination clinics set up in different schools and chapter houses.
In my time off I took the Durango Silverton train to the Cascade, visited Bisti De-Na-Zin, Mesa Verde, passed Monument Valley, closed because of the pandemic, and Chaco Culture Historic National Park. Chaco was especially beautiful in the silence of the gentle snowfall and I was blessed to be the only one in the whole park.
The biggest news for 2021 was the birth of my first grand-twins. Tim and his wife Ju-Lin had Lucas and Samuel on June 1 and both sets of grandparents spent weeks with them. It is true that having grandchildren instills vitality and renewed energy in the lives of the grandparents. The digital world allows us to follow their growth and interact with them even as we are hundreds of miles away.
On the longest day of the year with 24 hours of daylight in Fairbanks, Alaska, I ran a virtual midnight sun 10K run.
After almost two months with the twins, Scott and I took the Alaskan train to Denali National Park and we stayed a few days in the Kantishna, End of the Road Lodge deep in the park. I did a 6-mile hike on a day when Denali was clearly visible. On my third time visiting Denali National Park, I finally saw it in all its glory. I could not resist taking a dip in Wonder Lake.
We traveled further on the Alaska Rail to Anchorage and flew to Kodiak Island to have a close encounter with the brown bears.
Our usual annual summer pilgrimage to Wellfleet, Capecod, missing Tim, Ju-Lin, the twins, Lucas and Sam, Cara, and James.
Volunteering outside the country has been a challenge with COVID restrictions. Hurricane Ida arrived in Louisiana and Project Hope sent me there and I was able to volunteer in New Orleans, Houma, and Galiano. I was thankful for such volunteering opportunities.
In October, I went to Zion National Park to hike the Narrows on the day when it rained but I was able to wade my way to Wall Street, glad I did not encounter flash flooding.
The next day dawned bright and sunny making my hike to Angels Landing an absolutely breathtaking one.
Then it was time for my camping jaunt on the 7-day Southwest National Parks Camping Tour. On this tour, we visited Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, the Big Bend, and the Grand Canyon, it snowed one night in Bryce. Watching the sunrise at the Grand Canyon was memorable.
Scott is semi-retired and is writing a scholarly book. I am still working very part-time. Tim and Ju-Lin are busy working full-time at least for the moment after their 6 months of maternity and paternity leaves, juggling with raising the twins.
Cara emerged from her one-year meditation retreat, she was closer to nature but only she alone knows how that affected her. James is still busy working for AMI, traveling frequently. They are considering settling in Vermont.
Charles and Mel were engaged over the New Year and just have a civil marriage at the Arnold Arboretum. The real celebration may be next September unless COVID interferes again. They bought a house in Somerville, we are delighted they are close by.
I write more than I paint. My oil painting of Melting into the Milky Way was in the exhibit How Art Heals: Transforming Ourselves and Our World at the Belmont Art Gallery.
I write more than I paint. My oil painting of Melting into the Milky Way was in the exhibit How Art Heals: Transforming Ourselves and Our World at the Belmont Art Gallery.
As we look forward to 2022, we should remember those who are less fortunate than us. The refugees are still in limbo and hope to see the end of it as we all hope to see the end of the pandemic.
Please subscribe https://www.kwankewlai.com/subscribe
Published on June 13, 2022 12:16
January 11, 2022
Dear Biden and Fauci, Try Getting a COVID Test Like an Ordinary Citizen — You'll end up on a wild goose chase
Leading up to and following the holidays, the Biden administration has continued to urge the general public to test for COVID-19 before gatherings to protect our loved ones and stop the spread of COVID-19.
That is easier said than done. I imagine for President Biden, getting a COVID-19 test is no sweat, he would just have someone come to his office to swab his nostril, and then report back to him his result. Similarly, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, may just have to walk down to his laboratory and get a test.
For an ordinary citizen, getting a COVID-19 test is more involved and oftentimes takes hours to arrange and necessitates them waiting in long lines. Holiday travel and the rapid spread of Omicron made this even worse.
Weeks before the holidays, drug stores put up signs, "out of rapid COVID-19 tests." For many, rapid testing is already out of the question.
I saw this situation firsthand. As a family, we all decided that we should get tested a few days before gathering for the holidays. My husband and I started down the road to getting tested. It was a frustrating experience.
We got up early and drove for 30 minutes through rush hour to the COVID-19 testing tent at Beth Israel Deaconess Healthcare in Chelsea, Massachusetts. There was a line winding through the parking lot. A traffic guard stopped us saying, "There is no testing today." We called before leaving, but there was no recording warning us of the situation.
"When will they start testing again?"
"Maybe this afternoon, maybe tomorrow. Go to St. Rose down the road, there is testing there."
St. Rose, a local church and testing site, was a mile away. Road construction slowed traffic to a crawl, a two-way street became one-way.
My husband parked illegally while I ran out to read the sign on the church door: "Sorry the testing time has been changed, M-F 1-4:30 p.m., closed Dec. 24." Underneath, in fine print, the sign listed the old testing times of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Another unforeseen, frustrating obstacle.
Disappointed, we drove home and began searching online for another testing site. I found that most sites only accepted testing by appointment and they were all full for the next several weeks. One Walgreens did not require an appointment. I called and was on hold for a long time. While I perused the website, I saw that the cost for a PCR COVID-19 test was $139 (which they would bill to the patient's insurance). After waiting for another 15 minutes, I hung up.
I went to the St. Rose website and registered and got myself a testing appointment for the following day. However, we really needed to get tested that day to accommodate our holiday plans safely.
I am an employee of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, so I emailed their employee health team, which has voluntary COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic employees. But because of the holiday crunch, they had halted the program, and were only offering testing for exposed and symptomatic persons.
Worrying that we might not have the result of the COVID-19 test in time for our holiday gathering, I called the number for the Chelsea testing tent to see if it had reopened. The number just had a recording of their regular time. I resorted to calling their urgent care and was told that it had started testing again.
We rushed back down and arrived an hour and 15 minutes before closing time only to be turned away by the traffic police, saying the quota had been reached for the day. They told us to come back the next day. No amount of begging could convince him to let us through.
We then drove the mile back to St. Rose to see if it had opened yet. Luckily, we saw a line had formed, so we joined, and after about an hour, we finally got tested. Once we left, we saw that the line outside the church was even longer than when we arrived.
As we drove home, we wondered about people who have no access to the internet to find places for testing, elderly persons who have difficulty navigating the websites, the people who don't own cars given that testing sites are not always easily accessible by public transportation, and people who have to take time off work to wait in long lines. My children -- who went to a different testing site in Cambridge -- waited for 3 hours to get their tests. While the administration just announced that private insurers will soon have to begin covering the cost of eight at-home rapid tests for their members, these tests are often difficult to find, and millions of Americans remain uninsured or have public insurance. COVID-19 testing needs to be more accessible.
I challenge either Biden or Fauci to go down the path that an ordinary citizen has to take just to get a COVID-19 test.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/...
Kwan Kew Lai, MD, DMD, is an infectious disease physician, Harvard Medical Faculty physician, author, and disaster response medical volunteer. Her third book, The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly, will be published in late 2022.
That is easier said than done. I imagine for President Biden, getting a COVID-19 test is no sweat, he would just have someone come to his office to swab his nostril, and then report back to him his result. Similarly, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, may just have to walk down to his laboratory and get a test.
For an ordinary citizen, getting a COVID-19 test is more involved and oftentimes takes hours to arrange and necessitates them waiting in long lines. Holiday travel and the rapid spread of Omicron made this even worse.
Weeks before the holidays, drug stores put up signs, "out of rapid COVID-19 tests." For many, rapid testing is already out of the question.
I saw this situation firsthand. As a family, we all decided that we should get tested a few days before gathering for the holidays. My husband and I started down the road to getting tested. It was a frustrating experience.
We got up early and drove for 30 minutes through rush hour to the COVID-19 testing tent at Beth Israel Deaconess Healthcare in Chelsea, Massachusetts. There was a line winding through the parking lot. A traffic guard stopped us saying, "There is no testing today." We called before leaving, but there was no recording warning us of the situation.
"When will they start testing again?"
"Maybe this afternoon, maybe tomorrow. Go to St. Rose down the road, there is testing there."
St. Rose, a local church and testing site, was a mile away. Road construction slowed traffic to a crawl, a two-way street became one-way.
My husband parked illegally while I ran out to read the sign on the church door: "Sorry the testing time has been changed, M-F 1-4:30 p.m., closed Dec. 24." Underneath, in fine print, the sign listed the old testing times of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Another unforeseen, frustrating obstacle.
Disappointed, we drove home and began searching online for another testing site. I found that most sites only accepted testing by appointment and they were all full for the next several weeks. One Walgreens did not require an appointment. I called and was on hold for a long time. While I perused the website, I saw that the cost for a PCR COVID-19 test was $139 (which they would bill to the patient's insurance). After waiting for another 15 minutes, I hung up.
I went to the St. Rose website and registered and got myself a testing appointment for the following day. However, we really needed to get tested that day to accommodate our holiday plans safely.
I am an employee of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, so I emailed their employee health team, which has voluntary COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic employees. But because of the holiday crunch, they had halted the program, and were only offering testing for exposed and symptomatic persons.
Worrying that we might not have the result of the COVID-19 test in time for our holiday gathering, I called the number for the Chelsea testing tent to see if it had reopened. The number just had a recording of their regular time. I resorted to calling their urgent care and was told that it had started testing again.
We rushed back down and arrived an hour and 15 minutes before closing time only to be turned away by the traffic police, saying the quota had been reached for the day. They told us to come back the next day. No amount of begging could convince him to let us through.
We then drove the mile back to St. Rose to see if it had opened yet. Luckily, we saw a line had formed, so we joined, and after about an hour, we finally got tested. Once we left, we saw that the line outside the church was even longer than when we arrived.
As we drove home, we wondered about people who have no access to the internet to find places for testing, elderly persons who have difficulty navigating the websites, the people who don't own cars given that testing sites are not always easily accessible by public transportation, and people who have to take time off work to wait in long lines. My children -- who went to a different testing site in Cambridge -- waited for 3 hours to get their tests. While the administration just announced that private insurers will soon have to begin covering the cost of eight at-home rapid tests for their members, these tests are often difficult to find, and millions of Americans remain uninsured or have public insurance. COVID-19 testing needs to be more accessible.
I challenge either Biden or Fauci to go down the path that an ordinary citizen has to take just to get a COVID-19 test.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/...
Kwan Kew Lai, MD, DMD, is an infectious disease physician, Harvard Medical Faculty physician, author, and disaster response medical volunteer. Her third book, The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly, will be published in late 2022.
Published on January 11, 2022 16:59
•
Tags:
medpagetoday-genevievefri
January 21, 2021
2020 in Review, the year of the COVID Pandemic
2020 will always be remembered as the year of the COVID pandemic.
I was fortunate to spend a blissful three weeks in Antarctica, sailing on a 134-person polar expedition ship, The Spirit of Shackleton, in February and early March just before the world-wide lock-down for the pandemic. Starting in Ushuaia in Argentina, I hiked up the Martial Glacier, visited the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and hopped on the End of the World train.
The Spirit of Shackleton sailed to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, and then Antarctica. The most wonderful thing was meeting so many wildlife. The penguins were my absolute favorites, the king, Magellanic, and rockhopper on the islands; the Gentoo, chinstrap, Adele, and macaroni penguins on Antarctica.
In Falkland, there were many king penguins and black-browed albatross, and the museum depicting the Falkland war. In South Georgia, we visited the grave of the polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, the South Georgia Museum in Grytviken, several former whaling stations and the huge colony of king penguins and the wandering albatross in their nesting grounds, elephant seals, giant petrels, and pipits.
Crossing the Scotia Sea, we sailed by Elephant Island where Shackleton’s crew was stranded and reached Tierra de O'Higgins, Península on Antarctica which has some of the most unique wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery in the world. I didn’t set foot on the continent right away but went exploring on a kayak.
The Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands abound with wildlife activity, Gentoo, chinstrap, and Adelie penguins; Weddell, crabeater, and leopard seals; orca, humpback, and minke whales in the cold Antarctic waters.
The sheer beauty and the breathtaking scenery of ice-choked waterways, blue and white icebergs, impressive glaciers, and rugged snow-capped mountains overwhelmed us.
The more adventurous of us camped overnight on the white continent and before leaving, over a third of us plunged into the icy polar water.
Crossing the rough Drake Passage back to Ushuaia, most of us were on deck trying to spot humpback and orca whales.
Back to the real world in early March, the COVID pandemic was declared and lock-down began. In April, I went down to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, the epicenter of the pandemic in NY to volunteer.
In May a few of us volunteers went to St. Croix with FEMA and IMANA to get the island ready for COVID but red tapes and logistics hampered our work. It wound down to us spending a period of time as though we were on an uneasy vacation.
I still work part-time seeing patients in person as well as by telemedicine.
Scott turned down my invitation to Antarctica, citing the cold, inhospitable climate. He hunkers down and teaches from home, ventures out now and then in search of food and worship whenever he can.
This summer, Scott, Cara, Charles, Mel, and I spent a glorious two weeks at Wellfleet, Cape Cod, braving the sharks and COVID.
Tim left the army last year and is now working as a civilian lawyer mostly from home. Ju-Lin still works in the urgent care clinic for the native Alaskans. They are awaiting their twins, due in June 2021. They lost their beloved cat Donut, who disappeared one day into the wild frontiers. They still have their other cat, Isis, four ducks raised for eggs but the cold weather has put a stop to that, and finally a fish. Their lives will be forever changed next year.
Cara took a plunge into a silent year-long retreat by herself in the meditation center in Colorado in early October, there she has no running water, internet, no communications with us except her husband, James on rare occasions. She will have plenty of time to reflect, completely safe from COVID. James has been working as an EMT to fight the COVID pandemic in Pennsylvania, sometimes a gruesome 16-hour day with very few days off.
Charles is working from home with Facing History and Ourselves. He misses being in the office with colleagues and working in persons with the teachers. Charles’ friend, Mel, works as an acupuncturist and has close contact with her patients, which puts her at greater risks for COVID. They are working on buying a house, hoping to close sometime in January. Exciting!
My second book, Into Africa, Out of Academia: A Doctor’s Memoir came out this October, a book about my volunteering experiences in Africa from 2006 through 2013 with fifty photographs. Do read it and leave a review on Amazon. Belmont Books is hosting a book event on January 19, 2021, at 7 PM virtually. Register here.
The Belmont Gallery of Art has a virtual exhibit, FACING YOU: A Portraits Show, featuring work by over 60 Artists. Mine is a Self-Portrait with My Cat Kuchi. She is very much a great part of our lives as the children have left us a while ago.
2020 is an unprecedented time--time humanity would remember when we are all fighting a common, invisible enemy. Even in Antarctica where I was at the beginning of the pandemic, the virus has finally arrived. The great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn reminds us we are just a small part of the universe.
While the virus rules, it may be sending us a subliminal message to slow down, to take a long hiatus from our busy lives, to pause and listen to nature around us, to the still small voice in our head, and to enjoy the moment with our loved ones, for such luxury of liminal time and space may not come again, at least not in our lifetime.
I was fortunate to spend a blissful three weeks in Antarctica, sailing on a 134-person polar expedition ship, The Spirit of Shackleton, in February and early March just before the world-wide lock-down for the pandemic. Starting in Ushuaia in Argentina, I hiked up the Martial Glacier, visited the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and hopped on the End of the World train.
The Spirit of Shackleton sailed to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia, and then Antarctica. The most wonderful thing was meeting so many wildlife. The penguins were my absolute favorites, the king, Magellanic, and rockhopper on the islands; the Gentoo, chinstrap, Adele, and macaroni penguins on Antarctica.
In Falkland, there were many king penguins and black-browed albatross, and the museum depicting the Falkland war. In South Georgia, we visited the grave of the polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, the South Georgia Museum in Grytviken, several former whaling stations and the huge colony of king penguins and the wandering albatross in their nesting grounds, elephant seals, giant petrels, and pipits.
Crossing the Scotia Sea, we sailed by Elephant Island where Shackleton’s crew was stranded and reached Tierra de O'Higgins, Península on Antarctica which has some of the most unique wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery in the world. I didn’t set foot on the continent right away but went exploring on a kayak.
The Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands abound with wildlife activity, Gentoo, chinstrap, and Adelie penguins; Weddell, crabeater, and leopard seals; orca, humpback, and minke whales in the cold Antarctic waters.
The sheer beauty and the breathtaking scenery of ice-choked waterways, blue and white icebergs, impressive glaciers, and rugged snow-capped mountains overwhelmed us.
The more adventurous of us camped overnight on the white continent and before leaving, over a third of us plunged into the icy polar water.
Crossing the rough Drake Passage back to Ushuaia, most of us were on deck trying to spot humpback and orca whales.
Back to the real world in early March, the COVID pandemic was declared and lock-down began. In April, I went down to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, the epicenter of the pandemic in NY to volunteer.
In May a few of us volunteers went to St. Croix with FEMA and IMANA to get the island ready for COVID but red tapes and logistics hampered our work. It wound down to us spending a period of time as though we were on an uneasy vacation.
I still work part-time seeing patients in person as well as by telemedicine.
Scott turned down my invitation to Antarctica, citing the cold, inhospitable climate. He hunkers down and teaches from home, ventures out now and then in search of food and worship whenever he can.
This summer, Scott, Cara, Charles, Mel, and I spent a glorious two weeks at Wellfleet, Cape Cod, braving the sharks and COVID.
Tim left the army last year and is now working as a civilian lawyer mostly from home. Ju-Lin still works in the urgent care clinic for the native Alaskans. They are awaiting their twins, due in June 2021. They lost their beloved cat Donut, who disappeared one day into the wild frontiers. They still have their other cat, Isis, four ducks raised for eggs but the cold weather has put a stop to that, and finally a fish. Their lives will be forever changed next year.
Cara took a plunge into a silent year-long retreat by herself in the meditation center in Colorado in early October, there she has no running water, internet, no communications with us except her husband, James on rare occasions. She will have plenty of time to reflect, completely safe from COVID. James has been working as an EMT to fight the COVID pandemic in Pennsylvania, sometimes a gruesome 16-hour day with very few days off.
Charles is working from home with Facing History and Ourselves. He misses being in the office with colleagues and working in persons with the teachers. Charles’ friend, Mel, works as an acupuncturist and has close contact with her patients, which puts her at greater risks for COVID. They are working on buying a house, hoping to close sometime in January. Exciting!
My second book, Into Africa, Out of Academia: A Doctor’s Memoir came out this October, a book about my volunteering experiences in Africa from 2006 through 2013 with fifty photographs. Do read it and leave a review on Amazon. Belmont Books is hosting a book event on January 19, 2021, at 7 PM virtually. Register here.
The Belmont Gallery of Art has a virtual exhibit, FACING YOU: A Portraits Show, featuring work by over 60 Artists. Mine is a Self-Portrait with My Cat Kuchi. She is very much a great part of our lives as the children have left us a while ago.
2020 is an unprecedented time--time humanity would remember when we are all fighting a common, invisible enemy. Even in Antarctica where I was at the beginning of the pandemic, the virus has finally arrived. The great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn reminds us we are just a small part of the universe.
While the virus rules, it may be sending us a subliminal message to slow down, to take a long hiatus from our busy lives, to pause and listen to nature around us, to the still small voice in our head, and to enjoy the moment with our loved ones, for such luxury of liminal time and space may not come again, at least not in our lifetime.
Published on January 21, 2021 19:46
•
Tags:
2020-in-review, antarctica, liminal-space, pandemic
December 26, 2020
The Winter Solstice and The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
On December 21, we celebrate the Winter Solstice and the rare great conjunction of the two largest planets, Jupiter and Saturn of the solar system; they will be closest to each other and seem to form a double planet as the “Christmas star”. This is certainly an event for celebration as the closest separation between the two planets was 1623, almost 400 years ago. But the year when they could be observed in conjunction was in 1226, almost 800 years ago on the longest night of the year or the shortest day of 2020.
The great conjunction reminds us we are not the only phenomenon in this vast universe, we are just mere players that strut about on a stage for a very brief period and will all disappear into oblivion while the planets remain majestic and exalted.
In the yin and yang of Chinese philosophy, the yin of darkness and bitter cold of the Winter Solstice reached their height in the longest night and the shortest day of the year but also marks the turning point of ushering in the light and welcoming gradual warmth of yang.
My parents were immigrants to Malaya and Singapore from southern China and continue the tradition of serving glutinous rice flour balls served in a warm, sugary, gingery syrup or Tang Yuan 湯圓 in the Winter Solstice. 湯圓 is homophonous with 團圓 which means reunion or wholeness. The shape of the balls symbolizes and celebrates family reunion.
With the coming of the Winter Solstice and the celebration of the Great Conjunction, let us hope it marks the turning point for our darkest time of the pandemic, for us to look forward to the lengthening of the day, a solace for the darkest and longest night of the solstice. Several coronavirus vaccines are now available to help us fight the pandemic, there is yet light at the end of our dark, long tunnel of struggles.
There will be time for us to come together, to hug, touch, and be whole again.
The great conjunction reminds us we are not the only phenomenon in this vast universe, we are just mere players that strut about on a stage for a very brief period and will all disappear into oblivion while the planets remain majestic and exalted.
In the yin and yang of Chinese philosophy, the yin of darkness and bitter cold of the Winter Solstice reached their height in the longest night and the shortest day of the year but also marks the turning point of ushering in the light and welcoming gradual warmth of yang.
My parents were immigrants to Malaya and Singapore from southern China and continue the tradition of serving glutinous rice flour balls served in a warm, sugary, gingery syrup or Tang Yuan 湯圓 in the Winter Solstice. 湯圓 is homophonous with 團圓 which means reunion or wholeness. The shape of the balls symbolizes and celebrates family reunion.
With the coming of the Winter Solstice and the celebration of the Great Conjunction, let us hope it marks the turning point for our darkest time of the pandemic, for us to look forward to the lengthening of the day, a solace for the darkest and longest night of the solstice. Several coronavirus vaccines are now available to help us fight the pandemic, there is yet light at the end of our dark, long tunnel of struggles.
There will be time for us to come together, to hug, touch, and be whole again.
Published on December 26, 2020 18:32
•
Tags:
jupiter, saturn, the-great-conjunction, winter-solstice
October 2, 2018
Lest We Forget: A Doctor's Experience with Life and Death during the Ebola Outbreak
Two years ago I posted in my blog this question: Should you still care about Ebola now that the outbreak is over?
I received the author copy of my book debut on September 28, Lest We Forget: A Doctor’s Experience with Life and Death during the Ebola Outbreak is finally going to be in print and be widely available to the public on October 9, 2018. I’m glad that my story honoring the Ebola patients and the Ebola fighters who put their lives on the line caring for them is finally being told.
Ebola is still lurking. Since then there have been three more outbreaks all in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the third one in the North Kivu area, a conflict zone, is still on-going. To date, there have been 154 cases with 102 deaths. A recent infection was detected roughly 125 miles from the border of Uganda. It is not inconceivable that Ebola could spread to the neighboring countries of Uganda and Rwanda.
Here is a link to preview and pre-order the book: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books...
Reviews
“Picking up this book, I was quite unprepared for the gripping, page-turning quality, the deep personal insights, the lyricism, and the candid, heartfelt explorations of fear, courage, love and loss. This is an unforgettable book. A reminder of what contagion is like at its deadliest, and what medicine can be like at its very best." -- Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting For Stone
“A firsthand, eye-opening account of the devastating impact of a infectious disease outbreak, which has the potential to spread worldwide. If you are looking to be inspired by one person’s compassion and desire to help those inflicted with a deadly illness, this is a must read. This is a personal, heartfelt narrative of what it means to be a good global citizen by unselfishly serving those suffering from healthcare disparity and lack of education and proper training while understanding and respecting local culture. Thank you Dr. Kwan Kew Lai for being a voice for those who have suffered." -- Moeen Saleem, MD. Advocate Medical Group, Board of Directors, MedGlobal
Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts is holding a book reading and signing event for my Ebola book on October 11 at 7 pm, I hope you and your friends could attend or tell your friends about the book.
https://www.portersquarebooks.com/eve...
If you can’t make it, there is another event in Belmont Books, Belmont, Massachusetts on November 20 at 7 pm.
On December 5th, 2018, there is a conversation between me and Dr. Nahid Bhadelia at Harvard Book Store at 7 pm.
Hope to see you there.
Visit my author Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/kwankewlai.a...
There are no walls or barriers to prevent Ebola or other deadly diseases to spread internationally. Lest we forget!
I received the author copy of my book debut on September 28, Lest We Forget: A Doctor’s Experience with Life and Death during the Ebola Outbreak is finally going to be in print and be widely available to the public on October 9, 2018. I’m glad that my story honoring the Ebola patients and the Ebola fighters who put their lives on the line caring for them is finally being told.
Ebola is still lurking. Since then there have been three more outbreaks all in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the third one in the North Kivu area, a conflict zone, is still on-going. To date, there have been 154 cases with 102 deaths. A recent infection was detected roughly 125 miles from the border of Uganda. It is not inconceivable that Ebola could spread to the neighboring countries of Uganda and Rwanda.
Here is a link to preview and pre-order the book: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books...
Reviews
“Picking up this book, I was quite unprepared for the gripping, page-turning quality, the deep personal insights, the lyricism, and the candid, heartfelt explorations of fear, courage, love and loss. This is an unforgettable book. A reminder of what contagion is like at its deadliest, and what medicine can be like at its very best." -- Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting For Stone
“A firsthand, eye-opening account of the devastating impact of a infectious disease outbreak, which has the potential to spread worldwide. If you are looking to be inspired by one person’s compassion and desire to help those inflicted with a deadly illness, this is a must read. This is a personal, heartfelt narrative of what it means to be a good global citizen by unselfishly serving those suffering from healthcare disparity and lack of education and proper training while understanding and respecting local culture. Thank you Dr. Kwan Kew Lai for being a voice for those who have suffered." -- Moeen Saleem, MD. Advocate Medical Group, Board of Directors, MedGlobal
Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts is holding a book reading and signing event for my Ebola book on October 11 at 7 pm, I hope you and your friends could attend or tell your friends about the book.
https://www.portersquarebooks.com/eve...
If you can’t make it, there is another event in Belmont Books, Belmont, Massachusetts on November 20 at 7 pm.
On December 5th, 2018, there is a conversation between me and Dr. Nahid Bhadelia at Harvard Book Store at 7 pm.
Hope to see you there.
Visit my author Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/kwankewlai.a...
There are no walls or barriers to prevent Ebola or other deadly diseases to spread internationally. Lest we forget!
My May Book Event
Remember the Afghan girls and women, their human rights to be educated and to exist are violated.
Book Talk: The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly
May 18, 2023, 7PM
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL (REGISTER HERE)
Way Remember the Afghan girls and women, their human rights to be educated and to exist are violated.
Book Talk: The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly
May 18, 2023, 7PM
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL (REGISTER HERE)
Wayland Free Public Library
Raytheon Room
Wayland, MA
Book Talk: The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly
May 25, 2023, 7PM
Weston Public Library, Community Room
Weston, MA
If you have read the book, please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Thank you:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
and https://www.amazon.com/review/create-... ...more
Book Talk: The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly
May 18, 2023, 7PM
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL (REGISTER HERE)
Way Remember the Afghan girls and women, their human rights to be educated and to exist are violated.
Book Talk: The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly
May 18, 2023, 7PM
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL (REGISTER HERE)
Wayland Free Public Library
Raytheon Room
Wayland, MA
Book Talk: The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly
May 25, 2023, 7PM
Weston Public Library, Community Room
Weston, MA
If you have read the book, please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Thank you:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
and https://www.amazon.com/review/create-... ...more
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