Baby boy brings us joy; taxis reject me so I take long walk

My wife Phuong endured a short but painful labor that ended in a c-section and the birth of a healthy boy -- Elijah Pham Millman -- on May 6 at 3:45 a.m. Mom and baby are doing great now. There was some concern about blood loss by Phuong, but all turned out well. We're both happy beyond belief. I wasn't at the hospital -- Phuong's mom went with her. I stayed at home with Joanna, cooking, cleaning and trying to handle a little girl whose become quite a handful, especially with mom having a difficult pregnancy and then disappearing one night. We explained the situation to Joanna, and I think she got most of it. Anyway, only one person was allowed to accompany the moms-to-be in the hospital due to coronavirus fears. Phuong went to the hospital late on Tuesday night, gave birth Wednesday, and returned home Saturday afternoon. Not bad for a woman who had a c-section. She's tough.

* * *

I fell down our stairs carrying laundry and bent my left knee well beyond its normal limits. The good news is that knee pain took my mind off my sciatica.  I had to man-up the next day when I took Joanna shopping at Vincom. After buying clothes and groceries for the family, I stood outside the mall and tried to hail a taxi. Three taxi drivers about 20 feet away laughed at me and Joanna, and refused to give us a ride. I'm not sure why. Maybe we weren't going far enough. (Joanna used up my cell phone's battery watching videos in the mall, so we were sort of stuck.) One of the drivers walked up to me basically to start a confrontation, I guess, laughing and waving his hand at me. This is the third time I've been refused a ride by taxis outside Vincom. Here's where I manned up. I ignored the driver, of course, then covered Joanna's head with a t-shirt I had just bought, put her on my shoulders, and walked 1.6 miles home in 99-degree heat along a dirty, dusty and dangerous road (Vo Thi Sau) that was having construction work done on the gutters and shoulders. I didn't even think about my knee during the walk. I was worried about the drivers and if the heat would bother Joanna, but we stopped for water and I dumped cold water over her head twice. She had fun, pointing out the "diggers and excavators" along the way. I don't care when taxi drivers act like this to me, but I was flabbergasted they would do this to a 3-year-old girl. As long as the knee holds up, I'll walk.

* * *

I've enrolled Joanna in a pre-school here since Phuong's U.S. visa interview has been indefinitely postponed due to coronavirus. School is from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a break roughly from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and nap. We'll see how it goes. Lockdown ended here late April and early May, but Joanna has been bored. The heat doesn't help -- it was 93 at 8 a.m. this week. Classes are taught in Vietnamese with an hour or so of English every day. Joanna only speaks English but can understand a little Vietnamese when pushed. Being bilingual can only help her.

* * *

We've had 318 total cases of coronavirus in Vietnam. The U.S. currently has more than 90,000 deaths from the virus, so I'm going to say we're fortunate to be where we are. That's one of the reasons we enrolled Joanna in school. Along with everyone else, we have no idea what the future holds.

Vietnam may lift lockdown; U.S. immigration ban impact

Vietnamese officials are meeting today (Wednesday, April 22) to decide when and how to reopen the economy. It appears the lockdown extension could be lifted  a week early -- sometime next week. Vietnam will have gone more than three weeks with everything but supermarkets shut down. There have been only 268 cases reported here, with no fatalities. A former student of mine noted that Vietnam is a young country -- 60 percent of its 97 million citizens are 30 years old or younger. Coronovirus hits everyone, of course, but seems especially devastating to people 65 and older. Police are reportedly tracking down every suspected case and those with symptoms are immediately taken to a hospital for evaluation. I have no idea how officials conduct testing for the virus, but I'm pleased to say the situation appears under control at the moment. It's a good thing. It's very unlikely hospitals here could handle a huge influx of coronavirus patients. None of the countries with extremely large outbreaks are able to cope, and these are countries with considerably more resources and wealth than Vietnam ... for example, the United States. Schools will re-open here sometime early May, likely May 4, which means students will have had an unexpected three months off due to the pandemic. Vietnamese officials, unlike some world leaders, took the coronavirus outbreak seriously from the start, closing borders and schools, closely monitoring airport traffic, and investigating all suspected cases. Perhaps the hot weather has been helpful, although Singapore is currently struggling with an influx and it's closer to the equator than Vietnam. We're located 12 degrees N latitude while Singapore is practically on the equator.

• • •

U.S. President Trump's decision to halt all immigration to the U.S., the country which has by far the most coronavirus cases (819,175) and Covid-19-related deaths (45,343) in the world, will at best slow any hopes my family had of coming to the U.S. and at worst end those hopes altogether. Closing the borders to immigrants now seems unnecessarily reactive. That train left the station but President Trump has blamed the WHO, U.S. governors, overly cautious doctors, U.S. states, China, Obama, social distancing and stay at home guidelines and now immigrants for the United States' problems. Don't forget that immigrants are on the front lines in the battle with coronavirus, accounting for 17% of healthcare workers and 24% of direct care workers in the U.S., an official with the National Immigration Forum told the Guardian newspaper. It also looks like I won't get any stimulus money since I'm married to a Vietnamese citizen, although I'm not 100 percent sure about that. I am 100 percent sure I haven't gotten any stimulus money yet, but it would take more than $1,000 or so to stimulate my 65-year-old economy. Xenophobia is a powerful force in the world today, and tragically seems to be gaining momentum. Maybe I'm watching too much CNN. Or not enough.

• • •

My mornings now include the grim routine of checking the website worldometers.info to see how many people have contracted and succumbed to coronavirus. We live in times that I thought only possible in the science fiction books I read. On a positive note along that vein: I've read 136 days in a row according to the Kindle downloaded on my iPhone; I haven't smoked in four years and one month; and haven't had a drink in four months and three weeks. Even an addictive, narcissistic and obsessive-compulsive personality can produce a few positive results if channeled in a proper direction.

• • •

Medical care is a little bit of a concern for me since I can't really travel to the U.S. even though I have Medicare. I absolutely must have a specific type of prescription eye drops, so I'm on a mission to find them here. We've got a couple of leads; I'm cautiously optimistic. I refuse to go to a doctor here for my sciatica or back pain, so I'm playing holistic roulette on the internet hoping for results. I made progress with acupuncture but coronavirus halted that option. Now I'm soaking in warm salt water and doing yoga before bedtime, and the results have been promising. I can walk in the mornings and the pain is minimal. In light of coronavirus, I really shouldn't be overly concerned with these types of issues, but I want to continue to be an active part of my family's life.

Lockdown extended; 'mini-gym' entertains our daughter

Vietnam is taking strong steps to control the coronavirus, extending a two-week lockdown that started March 29 until the end of April. As of Sunday, April 12, Vietnam had reported 259 cases nationwide, an incredibly low number if the figures are accurate. My wife went to the supermarket Sunday and had to have her temperature taken to get in, and when it registered a little high, she had to wait for a re-test. She told security her temperature was high because of the weather -- it's been 98 or 99 (degrees Fahrenheit) every day and very humid. And my wife is very pregnant and covered in clothing to protect herself from the sun. After a short wait, her temperature dropped, she passed the re-test and got my yogurt. If her temperature had stayed high, I assume the police would have been called and an ambulance would have taken her to the hospital for further  evaluation. Of course, she had her face mask on, which is a requirement here.

• • •

Admittedly, keeping an active, nearly 4-year-old girl entertained during a lockdown and stifling heatwave presents a serious challenge. But my perceptive wife bought a small, multipurpose mini-gym apparatus for our daughter Joanna that includes a swing, two 'rings' and a wooden ladder on a rope. My daughter loves to climb and creates a lot of anxiety in our house by scaling the banister on our stairs. No more. I praise Phuong every day for this purchase. Joanna has lost interest in coloring and doesn't feel particularly challenged by letter tracing, so the mini-gym has been a God-send. As noted, she's active and needs physical activity, which is difficult under the present circumstances. But the mini-gym has taken a little pressure off mom and dad.

• • •

Joanna and I always wear masks when we take a daily walk at 4 p.m., and the heat makes it uncomfortable. When we get to the park I let her take the mask off and I'll remove mine as well. We'll put them back on when we see people approaching. Most kids don't wear masks and cluster to play football and hang out. I haven't seen police break that up, but police came and told my sister-in-law to remove chairs and tables from her little restaurant and serve takeout only. She had already made the change to takeout only but was lazy about bringing the chairs inside.

• • •

Last week our 77-year-old neighbor died -- a very nice man but a hardcore cigarette smoker -- and the three-day funeral was not very strong on social distancing. Some folks clustered around tables playing cards,and drinking and about 20 percent of those who attended didn't wear masks. Few women smoke in this country but obviously it's difficult for the many men who smoke to puff with a mask on.

• • •

My wife finally got an appointment for her U.S. visa interview, but it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus. I'm not sure what our plans are. Not important at this point.

• • •

 A friend of mine made what I think is an astute observation about the coronavirus, saying as horrible as it is, it gives us a chance to hit the reset button. With lockdowns in place around the world, pollution levels have dropped dramatically. People are spending more time at home, and in some cases that means more time with family. The negative has been overwhelming, but we're nothing without hope. People have a way of finding hope.

Locked down, trying to stay busy in distressing times

Our real coronavirus lockdown began this week as the number of confirmed cases topped 1 million worldwide. Everything but supermarkets shut their doors in Bien Hoa. A couple of odd businesses -- a sports clothing shop and a Korean beauty salon -- stayed open after the lockdown was ordered on Monday. The government sent out a no-nonsense message on Tuesday this week via internet telling residents to mind their social distancing, stay indoors, and forget about shopping (except for necessities) for 14 days. The two businesses closed. On the website worldometers.info, which updates throughout the day, Vietnam has reported 233 cases of the virus overall as of Friday, April 3. The total has been rising about 10 cases a day the past 10 days, so I think the government is trying to snuff out the spread of the virus before it gets a real foothold here and picks up momentum. I have no complaints about how the government here is responding to the crisis.

 • • •

Joanna and I sometimes take a 30-minute walk with our masks on and marvel at the lack of traffic. Kids still play soccer in the street and there are a few badminton players in the park.  Almost all of them are not wearing masks. Joanna is aware that things are abnormal because the coffee shops we frequent together are closed. She doesn't even ask for videos when we watch CNN or France24.
I fill my time with assorted house chores like laundry, dishes, and cleaning. I've been reading everything Jack Vance has written that I can buy on Kindle, but that's been going on for the past 120 days in a row.  Of course there's lots of Joanna care, including two hours of kiddie pool time. I read to Joanna in the morning, and we watch two hours of Peppa Pig videos each day. I know that's a lot, but we are locked down and Peppa Pig is quite entertaining, even for adults. I also listen to a slew of Brian Jonestown Massacre music I purchased on iTunes and Amazon.  I got on board after watching the documentary Dig! on YouTube. I stopped teaching.  I'll resume when the 14-day isolation period ends. My pregnant wife is enduring, but it's not easy. At least her back pain subsided.

• • •

Rainy season is approaching and more folks tend to get sick in Vietnam this time of year, but I have no idea how rainy season will affect the spread of the coronavirus. This virus seems resilient regardless of weather conditions since it has spread to more than 200 countries in both hemispheres.
My heart goes out to anyone suffering from this virus, but I feel especially distressed for the U.S., Italy and Spain.  If blogspot stats are to be believed, I have more readers from Italy and the U.S. than any other countries the past two years. Be careful and follow the guidelines, folks.

• • •

I have read about and I have watched officials on TV who were dismissive about the virus when it was initially identified and started to spread. Some are even dismissive now, especially about the guidelines and tactics recommended by scientists to combat the virus. I don't think a comment about these people is particularly necessary from someone like me. The soaring death count, especially in the three countries I mentioned, speaks volumes about their comments, actions and attitudes.

Semi-lockdown limits gatherings, slows pace of life

 Our semi-lockdown continues in Vietnam where we've had a very slight increase in the number of coronavirus cases. We're getting about 10 new cases a day and we have about 135 total. I say "about" because the situation is obviously fluid and changing by the minute. The government appears to be doing a good job dealing with outbreak here. I call this a semi-lockdown because restaurants are open but they can not have more than 30 patrons inside at the same time. I believe the same restrictions apply to coffee shops. People seem to adhere to these policies. You're supposed to wear a mask in public, but a lot of folks ignore this mandate. A lot of people don't wear helmets when riding their motorbikes, either. I wear the mask, but I don't like it because it's hot and steams up my glasses. My daughter Joanna wears it but complains a little. My wife Phuong has always worn one. Our family wears helmets as well. My wife and I were discussing how sad it is that the pace of life here is slower, calmer, and somewhat more pleasant because of the coronavirus. Actually, these were my observations and my wife was nice enough to listen. Anyway, the restrictions and shutdowns of massage parlors and little shops have created a seemingly more caring and careful approach to life. Even among strangers. Traffic is reduced and fewer people are driving recklessly and selfishly. There appears to be a sense of concern for others that wasn't as obvious before the virus. The human toll is tragic and overwhelming, especially in China, Europe, and now the U.S. Maybe we'll learn from the adversity we are facing as we move forward. Hopefully, we can move forward at the appropriate time, and we always appreciate what we have. These are remarkably challenging times, but people find a way to meet these challenges.

 • • •

I'm not a real political person. For example, I'm not interested in trolling for or against President Trump. But I have to say I was perplexed by Trump's tirade at reporter Peter Alexander. The two engaged in a back-and-forth over the merits of a malaria drug for the treatment of coronavirus. The exchange was a little testy, but I thought Trump did pretty well explaining his stance on the drug until Alexander asked the president what he would say to nervous and frightened Americans to reassure them in light of the number of infections and deaths. Trump snapped at Alexander and responded in a way that was terrible ... I thought it was a nasty response, very nasty, given that he was being relatively reasonable up to that point during the questioning.Whatever.

• • •

I've gone four years without a cigarette (March 23) and nearly four months without a drink. I haven't cursed in four hours, but at least that slippage wasn't in front of my daughter, and raw language is a rarity in our house. I'm trying to play a solid end game.

• • •

Maybe a lockdown, even a partial one, isn't such a trauma here because it's 97-98 degrees F every day with serious humidity. People go out early morning and early evening for a spell -- the same as in Peru -- for walks and such. Before coronavirus, motorbike traffic was relentless throughout the day. Now it's turned into a rush hour thing as folks hunker down during the heat of the day.

Coronavirus may have entered our neighborhood

I woke up to a new world on Tuesday. And the coronavirus seems to be threatening our neighborhood as well. Police came to a neighbor's house -- he lives five houses down from us in our cluster of row homes -- and told him he has to stay in his house for two weeks. The man recently returned from a business trip to Switzerland. His wife chose to stay in quarantine with him, but his kids were sent to a relative's house; the mom now regrets the decision because she won't see her children for two weeks. A similar situation occurred on the street behind us. A couple from Japan is now under quarantine due to recent travels. In yet another nearby incident, an ambulance came to a house about a half-mile from our house and took two people away, most likely for testing. Those folks live two houses down from a daycare center. If they test positive, I was told the street goes on lockdown. The number of cases in Vietnam has gone from 18 to 61 in a little more than a week, according to reports from the government.

• • •

The government sent out online notices over the weekend requesting that everyone wear masks when they go outside starting Monday, March 16. Most businesses have come to a standstill here. Only a couple of coffee shops have customers, and there's countless coffee shops. The big mall in town is eerily quiet. Most of the people in Bien Hoa -- and Vietnam -- are good about following rules. They are now more focused on hygiene ... and it's about time. But there will always be those who flaunt their civil disobedience by not following new rules and regulations they deem intrusive or insufficient. And some people are too poor and/or ignorant to worry or care about healthcare, hygiene and a pandemic like coronavirus.

• • •

My daughter, who is a little more than 3 1/2 years old (44 months), doesn't understand the gravity of the situation and gets upset when we don't take her to the local market as much as we used to. We go out for necessities, like coffee and groceries. Rarely are the trips only for fun and entertainment. The heat contributes a little to this since the temperature is the mid-90s. But the coronavirus is the overwhelming factor, deterrent and topic in town ... and everywhere else, for that matter.

• • •

I sent in my overseas absentee ballot on Monday via Federal Express because I wanted my vote to count in Tuesday's Democratic primaries in Ohio. It was a bit of a scramble. Then I saw Tuesday morning (Vietnam time) that voting may be postponed in the Ohio primaries until June.

• • • 

Since I'm Joanna's primary caregiver most of the day, I've bought puzzles, downloaded "educational videos", alphabet pages and coloring pages, and increased the amount of reading we do every day. Joanna has begun speaking in a British accent because she watches a lot of Peppa Pig, which even I find entertaining. She has become rather tall lately, and the growth spurt may have contributed to her moodiness. Or maybe that's just her age, or the fact she's stuck inside so much with her dad and misses her mom time. Or maybe it's her personality. Regardless, I'm humbled and inspired by the leeway Phuong has given me as I take care of Joanna. Phuong is rather limited in her activities due to her difficult pregnancy and to make matters worse, she's had relentless back pain the past few weeks. Nonetheless, we plod along in disturbing and frightening  times.

Effects of coronavirus are being strongly felt here

I’ve been dealing with personal issues so I put my blog on hold. Because the issues are personal, I'll say no more. You could ask my therapist, but he won't say anything, either. I'm trying to be a better person as I begin the end game at age 65. No alcohol since Dec. 1, no more plastic bags (a difficult task here) and no more cursing (a difficult task anywhere). My daughter Joanna copies everything I say and do. I’ve been taking care of Joanna nearly around the clock -- except when I teach English -- because my wife Phuong is expecting our second child and she's having a very difficult pregnancy. I'm doing my best to step up. All that said, I’ll get back to writing my blog, which I’ve been told can be therapeutic. It's the process of writing that can be therapeutic, not my blog per se.
• • •
The impact of cornonavirus is quite profound in Vietnam. There are only 17 reported cases here even though Vietnam is one of China’s southern neighbors. Schools have been closed more than three weeks to be cleaned and disinfected, and presumably to keep large groups from congregating. Three villages in northern Vietnam consisting of 10,000 people were under quarantine, meaning people must lay low for two weeks. At least two cases of the virus reportedly were diagnosed in Bien Hoa,  both relatively close to our house. But that's hearsay, meaning that's just what I hear people say. Masks are strongly encouraged and the streets, businesses and coffee shops are considerably quieter now than they were before Tet holiday and the coronavirus outbreak. Joanna did have a persistent fever a few weeks ago, one of the signs of coronavirus, but she seems fine now, insisting on Peppa Pig and dinosaur videos. She writes the dot-to-dot alphabet and politely listens to me read My First Little House Books to her so she can earn Peppa Pig and dinosaur video time. When we go out, I’m militant about people not touching Joanna. Strangers, who are trying to be nice, attempt to stroke Joanna’s face. Hygiene and personal space can be issues here. I have a hands-off policy. I usually just pull Joanna away from any contact with strangers; I had to “jokingly” use my walking stick as a barrier on three occasions. We’re especially concerned and careful because of Phuong’s pregnancy. When schools get back in full swing, we're planning on enrolling Joanna in preschool. 
• • •
Air travel has changed in terms of cost and availability because of the coronavirus — of course, we know it hasn’t been convenient for a long time. I don’t want to jinx my air travel in any way, but my ANA flights to the U.S. and back have been splendid. No waiting, nice seats with adequate room, nice enough seat mates (no guarantees there), and an adequate movie selection. I absolutely enjoyed Once Upon a Time in Hollywood even though I’m sometimes lukewarm on Quentin Tarantino. I was totally absorbed in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, a documentary chronicling the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos, which made a bogus health screening device that was supposed to require only one drop of blood. Flight attendants are friendly enough and the flights are smooth. I’m considering a trip to the U.S. real soon … again, for personal reasons. I’ll be happy to have my temperature taken, but I don’t want to be quarantined in Dubai or Tokyo for 14 days, which is the supposed incubation period for coronavirus. I will say the cost of a round-trip ticket is quite reasonable, which is understandable given the world’s circumstances.
• • •
Since getting books shipped to Vietnam is prohibitively expensive, I’ve downloaded Kindle on my iPhone. It’s not like holding a book, but I’ve downloaded a bunch of Jack Vance books to my iPhone, and I enjoy them almost as much as I enjoy paper versions; buying and shipping two Jack Vance books to Vietnam would possibly cost me $50. I’ve downloaded 10 books or so for a cost of about $50. I don’t even want to think how much it would cost to have 10 Jack Vance books shipped to Vietnam.
• • •
A very belated thanks to my wonderful hosts and hostesses during my last visit in the U.S.: Robyn, who always provides perfect gifts for my daughter Joanna; Ron, a great friend who happens to be a great salmon and turkey chef as well; Andy and Jane with their warm welcome, wonderful house and even more wonderful generosity and kindness; John, who treated me to an awesome concert/show by Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band with guests J.D. Wilkes and Dom Flemons, and a very comfortable futon; and my brother and his wife, who opened their house to me. My brother was a great listener, and helped me find gifts for my wife and books for my daughter. Thanks to all. I’ll forever be indebted.
• • •   
Phuong and I took Joanna to a public pool and a boy about 7 or 8 years old -- much older than 3-year-old Joanna -- tried to kick her. Not sure why. Then he sort of grabbed her, and Joanna gave the kid a left hand to the face in retaliation. After all, she’s a lefty and has displayed a fierce temper of late. Then, she bounced away as the boy tried to splash her. This occurred at Buu Long Tourist Park, where we had a wonderful time even though Joanna had to “stick and move.”
• • •
I do yoga stretches now since my back rejects tai chi. I’ve abandoned acupuncture after coronavirus  — hygiene is a big concern for me and my family, and there was a very communal atmosphere where I was getting treatments. I don’t want to put anyone at risk.