2017 Life Logs, Day 284: Good News from Justin
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Weather: Partly Cloudy; High 69, Low 52 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
My morning was listening to an online summit about best ways to deal with osteoarthritis. I seem to know someone very well who suffers from knee pain due to this. And yes, that person would be me. I didn’t learn a lot of new information, but I was reminded sternly that not drinking enough water can exacerbate the pain. So, I once again have that water bottle by my side. In the middle of one of the sessions, I got a call from Justin. He had been standing in line for two hours to try to once again to get the cash I sent to him on Saturday via Western Union. When he finally got to the head of the line, they couldn’t give him the money because I had not included his middle name when I sent the money. The name has to match what is written on your government issued ID. The person who met with gave him a number I could call to fix the problem, and because he was in town, he had a cell signal so he could call me. I called the number and I was able to add his middle name without too much fanfare. But by the time I sent Justin a text to let him know the name was changed, the people manning the Western Union window had gone to lunch. While he was once again waiting, he saw that people were getting money out of a nearby ATM machine. He gave it a try and was actually able to get money out of his account for the first time since the hurricane. Very good news. And then he was successful in getting the cash that had been sent through Western Union. So, I can breathe a little easier now knowing that at least Justin and Jo have cash . . . and hopefully continued access to their bank account. But that could come and go, so they can’t ‘bank’ on it. At least in terms of the ability to get cash and to communicate, there has been some improvement. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for food and water, at least not in western Puerto Rico where Justin lives.
There was a little bit of unsettling news from Justin, along with the good. Coco was not feeling good today. Justin said he had a bug of some sort a couple of days ago and Coco seems to have the same symptoms. Justin thinks it is just a result of eating too many carbs—just rice and beans and more rice and beans. He thinks their bodies are just telling them they need something green. But there is nothing green to eat right now. So hopefully he’s right and hopefully those sprouting seeds and trays will arrive soon. And hopefully our Coco Belle will feel better by tomorrow. But I don’t have my head buried in the sand. I know that the Governor of Puerto Rico today said that the first deaths have been reported from the water borne disease called leptospirosis. It is treatable if you have the right antibiotics, but people have no easy access to antibiotics. The deaths so far are close to San Juan, not in western Puerto Rico where Justin and Jo live. And J & J did receive the water filters they ordered before the storm. So hopefully their water is safe. I have sent hundreds of water purification tablets for others, but those have not yet arrived. It was three weeks ago today that Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico. I knew that if the hurricane hit hard, the entire island would be without electricity and cell service, but I guess I really didn’t believe that an entire island would be left without any source of fresh water. And even if they were, I naively thought that our government would find immediate ways to air drop water bottles to the people. But that hasn’t happened. Our government is still traveling around asking people to fill out forms to get relief. And I am still having a hard time believing this even though I know it to be true. Where is the government of the country I thought I lived in? There are good people down there ready to deliver food and water, but somehow the leadership is not allowing that to happen. Mail has not reached Justin yet, but so many things have been sent through the generosity of so many friends and family members with more on the way. So even if the government support system is broken, the goodness of the people of this country shines through. Thank you so much to everyone making contributions.
I’m headed to Concord, New Hampshire, tomorrow to attend a Concord Yacht Club meeting. And then on Friday I head to the coast of New Hampshire to visit with other good friends. I need some input from others to help me figure out how to prioritize what we are sending to Puerto Rico. This trip will give me time with friends who can help me with this task. Sitting here at my dining room table without input from others is leading to dysfunction. So I am really looking forward to brainstorming with friends.
I invited myself to dinner at the Goldstones tonight so I could see Heather, Jed, and boys before heading to New Hampshire for four days. And then I went to see Victoria and Abdul with Terry and Olivia White. The movie is about the unlikely relationship between Queen Victoria and a young clerk from India who is sent to England to deliver a ceremonial coin to the Queen. It is a cross between comedy and drama and Dame Judith Olivia ‘Judi’ Dent is as spectacular as ever. And Ali Fazal, the young Indian actor, quickly becomes a favorite. The movie certainly spurred me to learn more about the life of Queen Victoria.
