The peak of the CORONAPOCALYPSE has, thankfully, passed in New York. Between the hospital ship USNS Comfort, the Javits Center (JNYMS), and those military members out in the community, thousands of COVID 19 patients have been cared for during the last three weeks by our military healthcare workers in NYC. While we are still caring for patients, our mission is starting to wind down. Hopefully, we will be turning the mission at the Javits Center over to the city soon.
While I have been working many shifts, I have also had the opportunity to get out in the city during my runs. New York City is certainly a different New York now during the CORONAPOCALYPSE. It is strange to be out and about running with little traffic and few people. Running along the Hudson River by the carrier Intrepid always reminds me of the opening scene of I Am Legend, where Will Smith is hitting golfballs off the ship into the city...
If you are wondering how I got such a "long distance selfie" during my run, it was taken by one of my trauma surgeons from my Iraq deployment. He is deployed on the Comfort and was off the ship on the pier and happened to see me running by and snapped a pic! To the south of the Intrepid, while running along the Hudson we have views of the Statue of Liberty as well as the new tower at ground zero. Both are poignant reminders to me of why I joined the Navy in the first place...
While I have been working many shifts, I have also had the opportunity to get out in the city during my runs. New York City is certainly a different New York now during the CORONAPOCALYPSE. It is strange to be out and about running with little traffic and few people. Running along the Hudson River by the carrier Intrepid always reminds me of the opening scene of I Am Legend, where Will Smith is hitting golfballs off the ship into the city...
If you are wondering how I got such a "long distance selfie" during my run, it was taken by one of my trauma surgeons from my Iraq deployment. He is deployed on the Comfort and was off the ship on the pier and happened to see me running by and snapped a pic! To the south of the Intrepid, while running along the Hudson we have views of the Statue of Liberty as well as the new tower at ground zero. Both are poignant reminders to me of why I joined the Navy in the first place...
While the weather has often been rainy here, occasionally the sun comes out (or at least peeks out from behind the clouds) and I was able to have some "picnics" to get out of my hotel. With social distancing here, we have no place to eat our take out food so we end up eating in our hotel rooms. Not very appealing :( However, during my runs I found some picnic tables near the Chelsea Pier to have a picnic. Amanda Zucker, a classmate of Ben and Jen from both Arcadia High School as well as UofA, is an art dealer in New York and was kind enough to bring some awesome food for a picnic, complete with table cloth! I even got to take home the leftovers. Thanks Amanda!
My roommate from my 2018 deployment to Iraq, orthopedic surgeon Chris Allison is also here in New York with the Navy, helping at a hospital in Harlem that lost half their orthopedic coverage due to the CORONAPOCALYPSE. We were able to picnic at Chelsea Pier as well...
The sun finally came out yesterday, and it got up to a "balmy" 60 degrees! Yes, I realize Phoenix hit triple digits, but it was (relatively) nice here in the sun and New Yorkers were finally out and about (with masks and still "somewhat" socially distant). It was encouraging to see that here in New York, where they have been so devastated over the past month. I was able to have picnic number three and meet Amanda's boyfriend and her dog as well. I thought Deluxe had the best burgers around but I have to say, Whitmans' "Juicy Lucy" burger may have just become my new favorite! I had to bring the table cloth this time to show the colors, along with my UofA shirt!
This is awesome to hear!!!! Sooo excited to see things shifting. Let’s gooooo! Love and miss you!
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