Life inside the Bubble: If not now, when?

Chris Webber asks, "If not now, when?"

I'm back in the "bubble" of quarantine. This is my personal story. But I've also been watching the NBA (through a subscription to NBA global that lets me watch all the games online), and have been following their "bubble." My personal story is important to me, but mundane. The NBA story, which has little impact on me personally, in light of the struggle for justice, is not mundane.

My Personal Bubble Story 

After having surgery in Hong Kong on my right hip, a procedure called "Birmingham hip resurfacing," I returned to Macau on August 24th, and was assigned a hotel room to observe a second period of 14 days of quarantine. While I would rather be at home, or not have to be in quarantine, it is not all that bad. The Macau government is paying for my hotel room - a one-bedroom suite - and providing three meals a day. I have great high speed internet in my room, two flat screen televisions that I can hook up to my computer and/or iPad to watch videos, or use as an extra monitor. This is a much better set up than my initial 14 days of quarantine that I did in Hong Kong the first part of August, at a hotel that I paid for. This also gives me some time to write and reflect on recent events.

How did I get here? Starting about four years ago, I felt some discomfort in my right hip. At first it was something that I could manage by stretching. But by September of 2017, when attending a conference in Portsmouth, UK, I knew that I had a problem. I was enjoying the scenery there and going on long runs along the coast. But after the runs ended, I was in a lot of pain, and could only sleep with the aid of Ibuprophen. I decided that I had to cut back on the running! So, I reduced my daily runs, and began using the elliptical and stationary bike for exercise, and did a lot more stretching and core strengthening. My hope was that the pain was caused by a muscle problem and would eventually improve.

Well, it's now 2020 and you can see the problem did not go away. I managed the pain for several years, and kept hoping that it would improve. Then in February 2020, due to covid, the exercise room was shut down, and the only ways to exercise were stretching/strengthening, and walking. I saw it as an opportunity to fully rest the hip/muscle problem. But after things improved in Macau, and we were able to use the exercise facilities (starting in May I believe), I still had pain. At that time I thought that I should see a doctor. And since our summer flights to the US were canceled due to covid, this was the time to address the problem.

I first went to a physical therapist, who after her initial diagnosis believed that I had osteoarthritis of the hip. She said that I should have an x-ray and MRI for further diagnosis. I then went to Kiangwu Hospital in Macau, and had these tests done. The orthopedic doctor there said that I had osteoarthritis. He was concerned that if it was untreated I could have bone necrosis, and gave me an anti-inflammatory medicine and told me to reduce all activity and use crutches. The anti-inflammatory medicine helped and I had less pain than I had felt in years. But it was very difficult for me to reduce all activity. 

So I asked a doctor friend here for a recommendation, and he suggested that I contact the best hip specialist in Asia, Dr. Jason Brockwell, who has his practice in Hong Kong. Due to covid we did an initial diagnosis online. But I was able to send him the x-ray and MRIs done at Kiangwu, and he said that I had osteoarthritis, and recommended Birmingham hip resurfacing surgery.  He said that after the surgery and post-operative rest, I would be able to resume an active lifestyle, and be able to run again. This was great news! The bad news was that due to covid, I would have to observe 14 days of quarantine in Hong Kong before the surgery, and another 14 days after, upon returning to Macau. So I am back in quarantine. However, I do have metal caps over my hip bone and socket, meaning that after I recover I will no longer have osteoarthritis. The projected "recovery" date is November 21, which I have marked in my calendar, and is when I hope to go on my first post-op run!

The NBA's Bubble Story

Those who follow the NBA know that because of covid, the league shut down in March. Then after four months, games were resumed by creating a covid-free "bubble" at the Disney campus in Orlando, Florida. The resumption of their games has coincided with my personal quarantine, and I have enjoyed watching many of the games. I'm hoping that my favorite team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are able to advance in the playoffs and defeat the Houston Rockets. But I also enjoy watching the other players and teams. Lebron James and the Lakers finally look to be playing at a high level. Giannis, the "Greek Freak" is amazing. I watched Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Jamal Murray (and Nikola Jokic) play at an incredibly high level. And of course, I watched Luka Doncic's amazing performance to defeat the LA Clippers, with a game-winning 3-point shot. This has been a lot of fun.

However, the NBA players, coaches, owners, and their broadcast partners, have decided that they cannot simply "play ball" and ignore the problems of racial injustice in the US. They have prominently displayed the message of "Black Lives Matter" and freely spoken about the importance of this cause. I strongly support this. Then in Kenosha, Wisconsin, an African American man, Jacob Blake, 29 years old, was shot in the back seven times by a police officer.

I don't know where this is going. But comments made by LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers, former players and now media broadcasters, Charles Barkley, Chris Webber, Kenny Smith, and others, have made powerful and eloquent statements about the issue of race in the US. And what makes this even worse are the words and actions of the most racist US President, probably since Woodrow Wilson, who spews forth his vile comments on Twitter, television and all forms of media. And if polls are accurate, approximately 40 percent of the American public support this man. 

Chris Webber asks, "If not now, when?" This is the question that demands an answer.