Two Pilots & an LSW: Essential

Today was the first day of this version of the lock down. I ended up running around a whole lot more today than I have in probably a week, but all but one thing was the real definition of the word essential, and the one that wasn't essential is debatable.

Ann's medication came in at the pharmacy today, so I needed to go pick that up, as she only had a few days left of it. (They still don't have TP). ;) I picked up some extra cans of soup while I was there. Just in case.

Steve ended up needing to go to the Emergency Room, as that's where they have a CT-scanner, and he needed that test thanks to severe abdominal pain over the last 24 hours. I went back and forth with the doctor's office. They wanted him to come into the doc's office, and we set that up. Then they wanted him to go to the ER. He balked at that, didn't want to go there right now with all this virus stuff going on. They talked about it and called back and said with his symptoms, he needed to go to the ER anyway, now. So I drove him there. When we walked in the ER doors, there were two ladies there in masks who stopped us. They took his temperature and let him through only after explaining that our doctor had called ahead and wanted him to check in for abdominal issues. They didn't let me go with him to help, said I could wait in my car or go home. So I went home to wait.

Steve texted that we had two boxes at Glenndale that needed picked up before someone with Alzheimer's and a grudge stole them, so I went back out to Glenndale and picked up the boxes and brought them home. Then he let me know that they were admitting him overnight, that the CT scan found something that was going to require surgery tomorrow afternoon. So he needed the "go bag" that he'd packed before we went in, but he hadn't taken it with him at the time because we didn't know if he'd need it. So I drove back over to the ER to drop off his night bag with his charger and such. They still didn't let me in, but took the bag and put his name on it and took it back from there. He says he's doing fine, got good food, was taken good care of, and has a really big room all to himself on a floor that is almost completely deserted. He says it's creepy, and good, at the same time. He's not thrilled about having a surgery tomorrow. Kaylee mentioned how weird it was that neither he nor I have had surgery like this like...ever. And within a month, we're both in having one after the other. Just what you need financially. :p But that's how life works, isn't it? I don't know yet what insurance is going to cover on either one, but I'm pretty sure hospitals will be working with people during this time frame.

So during all of those things, the only time I actually interacted with another human was over the counter at CVS to pick up the meds, and we stayed 6' apart, and I used a credit card where I didn't have to touch the machine or anything but the plastic bag the meds were in, and I hand sanitized before grabbing the handles. And at the ER, where I didn't touch a thing or get within 6' of the lady behind the desk at the door.

The last errand I ran for the day was through Wendy's to pick up a couple days of their chili. While I was out, on that end of town, I went out to the airport. After touching the gate code buttons I sanitized. I parked and went to the hangar where the Champ is located. Nobody has been in that hangar for over a week, so no surviving germs. I had wipes anyway. I pulled out the Champ, flew it around for 40 minutes, put it away, wiped down the few things I touched, and left, without interacting with another person, or leaving germs behind. I went out there with a knot in my gut and chest from a lot of things going on that I'm not even really posting about here. It had been more than a week since I was last in the air, and I don't remember the last time I actually did the flying as opposed to sitting right/back seat as instructor. So, considering mental health is also an essential allowed, and getting outside safely on a beautiful day was encouraged, as long as you stay away from people, that's why I said the one unessential errand is debatable.

I didn't do much exciting in the airplane. I flew around, did some turns, did a couple stalls, and then I practiced some takeoffs and landings. The wheel landings didn't go very well, and I was trying. That particular airplane has always been tricky to get a good wheel landing in. It's hard to teach them in there, and tonight I didn't have any roll-on wheel landings. I could land on one wheel, it would bounce around a bit and I could force it to stay on the one wheel, but it wasn't ever nice and smooth, on one or two mains. But it felt good to go out and beat up the pattern, which I mostly had to myself, even if I only had enough gas for 40 minutes. I'm going to have to do that again soon. Because when you're doing that, trying to grease on that wheel landing, you can't think about anything else. And for awhile, it was just me and the blue sky and the Spring temps, and the sun beaming in my face, and the smell of fabric and oil and 100LL, and the stick in my hand, and I felt the knot go away for a little while. And that seems a little essential to me.