Prolonged Recovery

 Topanga Canyon

Dodged the devil once again

Though not forever.

 Friday, May 21, 2021

 This being my first injury requiring medical intervention since being uninsured, I am now discovering how truly painful it is to receive medical treatment in the U.S.

 After a similar crash in Panama requiring very similar initial treatment (ambulance service, examination, x-rays, MRI…) I was handed a bill and out the door after paying $340 dollars at the hospital cashier.

 In the U.S. for obvious (profit) and complicated (struggling between free market and tax-based solutions) reasons, the payment aspect of treatment is both prolonged and painful.

 So far, nearly a month and half after my accident, I still have no idea of what the costs will be or who is going to bill me or help me out.

 To this date I’ve received three separate bills from the radiologist, ambulance service and Emergency Room Physician. The radiologist bill is the only one I’ve paid so far. The others I’ve sent back and referred them to my Health Share provider; Trinity. That’s not, as they emphasize, a medical insurance product, but a group share medical emergency plan.

 My orthopedist who performed the surgery on my clavicle is directly billing Trinity. And, I believe, according to my policy, eventually I’ll owe $5,000 for whatever they cover as that’s my deductible.

 The hospital where I was initially treated has also referred me to a company that assist people who may qualify for financial aid through various government programs. I’ll give them a call today. Though I doubt I qualify, who the hell knows?

 My shoulder has is just about completely recovered and I’m very appreciative of all the fine services I’ve received to date. My poor wallet though is suffering through a period of prolonged and anguishing debilitation and I am unsure of the final prognosis or trajectory of recovery.

Full Face

Two distinct species 

In such close proximity 

Must be meals or mates. 

 Full Face: Monday, May 10, 2021 

Today I will be commuting to work wearing a full-face helmet on a three wheeled vehicle. Until last Friday, when I picked up Julius (the moniker I’ve given my orange Can Am Spyder f3) I’d never driven a motorized three-wheeled vehicle. And it’s been 5 years since I had a motorcycle.  

 I figured there really wasn’t any point in going for a test drive. All that was going to tell me was the experience would be different than either a car or motorcycle. And regardless of first impressions, I know that it takes time to get comfortable on any new type of vehicle.  

 

Since I’d driven motorcycles for over 30 years, I figured whatever the experience was going to like on the Spyder, given that it has three contact points as opposed to two, it was going to feel more relaxed and safer than a motorcycle. And that was the big appeal for me.  

 

The vlogs about the handling of the Spyder are a bit deceptive though. Although everyone says it handles more like a ski-mobile than a motorcycle, the vantage points behind those cameras looking over motorcycle bars makes it look very similar to the steering of a bike.  

 

And since I’ve never ridden a snowmobile, I had no idea what those vloggers are talking about. But just on the way home from the dealer, I got a good feel for what they mean. 

 

And that’s a wild ride engaging experience, at least at the moment. The steering, because it has power assist, seems to float. Which is a bit disconcerting coming from a motorcycle background. In some ways I feel that’s a good thing. Right now while I’m learning, it’s keeping me very engaged in every move I make. I’d say much more so than when I was riding motorcycles once I got past the initial learning curve.  

 

Not that motorcycle riding ever, or at least should never, have been a casual take for granted activity. That’s part of the appeal. You’d better be on your toes at all times. Heck, I never had any audio/visual components on any of my bikes and I can’t see getting so relaxed on the Spyder that I’ll be comfortable strapping speakers or a screen on Julius. 

 

But I’m sure at some point I’ll have a better feel for how the Spyder handles. But right now it’s a hoot feeling out how this thing gets from point A to curvy point B.