Ebola and Good Timing!

Timing is everything. It seems had I stayed in Ghana another week or so, it might not have been so easy getting back in the US. As Ghana so far, is not one of the affected countries, no one asked me a thing coming through Customs. Nothing. Although I had expected at least a question about how I was feeling or where I might have traveled while there... Honestly, I had considered visiting a few African countries while on the continent before coming home but decided against it. I felt it wiser not to complicate the matter. Ghana was on the safe list and I decided not to roll the dice. Good decision...

Since coming home I have had two experiences where medical professionals were leery of being in my presence. One was a doctor who literally tried to diagnose me for bronchitis or pneumonia from across the room. I said to her, so the nurse has obviously told you that I was in Africa so now you think you can diagnose me from across the room? She turned beet red and then gave me a BS exam. I reported her and was asked to return to see a real doctor who examined me to see why in fact my chest was feeling so heavy. He did not guess. He listened to me breathe and took an x-ray!!

I have been home for 18 days. I have absolutely NONE of the symptoms of Ebola and the incubation period is 21 days. I am no more in the woods than are those who are reading this post. I complained that it was her type of "medical" response that allowed the situation in Texas to escalate. The deceased went to the hospital as soon as he felt the symptoms, fully disclosed his circumstances and was sent home in a highly contagious state. Who knows why the nurse turned him away but if it was due to fear and a desire to just get him out of the hospital, that has proven to have been a HUGE mistake. Granted I understand the need for precaution but if our medical professionals are afraid, we all need to be damn worried!

I compare Ebola to HIV & AIDS in that as long as it was restricted to Africa, as was HIV & AIDS to the gay community, it was not "our" (mainstream America) problem. The lesson is that we live in a global society without borders. Nothing is restricted to any one class or place. We ARE our Brother's Keepers.

Be Well Everyone and live wisely. Wash your hands regularly, don't shake hands with others and think as well as behave with good hygiene sense where ever possible. Wipe down gym equipment BEFORE & AFTER use. While we can control with whom we swap saliva, blood, urine, feces, vomit, semen and some other body fluids, swapping sweat with strangers can pose a very real, unknown risk. This thing is getting crazier by the day...

Glad to be home albeit only briefly. Panama & South America this time... Looking forward to it!

¡Ten Cuidado Mis Amigos!