Out of Isolation

I like to think that I’m fairly resilient but COVID wrecked me. On the day the CDC lowers the isolation guidance, I got out of my 10 days in the back of my RV. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Isolation in a room that was maybe 6’ x 8’ in 30 degree temperatures while sick was hard. I slept for the first several days straight, almost literally. I was sleeping 14-16 hours at a time with only a short period of time conscious. After kicking some of the sickness and being more coherent the walls started closing in. It felt like a jail cell and it was proof positive that I would not do well in jail. Ever.

I spent more time in the RV than I typically do in a month because it’s really been where I sleep while I spend time in my office, teaching, driving Uber or working out. It’s got me seriously rethinking spending the rest of the winter in the RV. I don’t really have a solution or place to go but I’m really cold. The length of time in the cold can’t be healthy. For now, I’m ok to get back to my office and the YMCA, which is likely what I’ll do. I’m not ready for full workouts yet but walking and the sauna are the first steps to get back to being an athlete. I’m lucky that I get the chance to do this.

I'm starting to write again

I’ve kept most of my stories to TikTok this year but I’m getting the urge to start writing again because so many of the stories that I’m experiencing are better told outside of the short form video content. I’m actually very lucky to be able to type this one out because the circumstances of this story could have been quite different.

I’m still living in my RV and unless some financial gifts from the heavens find me, I don’t know when I’ll get out of the mobile home into a more traditional dwelling. Maybe I never will? I don’t know at this point but it’s my home and thankful that I’ve got some walls and a bed. This home requires an annual inspection and mine was due so I took the RV in for the annual checkup on the important parts - the tires, lights, brakes, etc. I don’t drive the RV much so was expecting it to pass but it’s a 2004 so you never know.

After an hour, I get the word that all is good pay and then leave the RV service center. Immediately I notice that the brakes are softer than I was used to so went back in to chat with service about it. They assured me that it passed and they don’t adjust the brakes, just inspect them. Feeling uneasy, I trust their judgement because they are the professionals and I know what I don’t know, and that’s vehicles.

I get on the highway to get the RV back to my parking spot and notice on the exit ramp, I have no brakes. The brake pedal is to the floor with only minimal ability to slow the RV down. Thankfully the RV slowed and I limped it back to the service center. In the end they broke a brake line during service somehow or it was very peculiar timing for the failure. I’m still shaky thinking about this because I broke an 8,000+ pound RV with no brakes on the highway. It could have been a devastating holiday. I’m shook with the entire experience but in the end it’s another example that if you feel like something is off, speak up and perhaps be a little more persistent than I was.