Golf

I just finished my first Long Covid Cohort with my Kaiser health care team. In September of 2021, I spent an 18–day stint in the hospital with a very severe Covid infection. In early December, after a pretty successful comeback from the battle, in which I got amazing medical care, I could barely get out of bed. It was if I had Covid without a temperature. They called it Long Haulers back then. I thought “What the Hell??? So this is my reward for surviving this microbe”? I was told by the lead Covid Doctor at Kaiser—“Mark, I can’t say this for sure but had you not been double vaccinated, you probably would have been dead in three days. I have seen it too many times”.

In my first meeting with 12 other Long Covid survivors, we were given a whole lot of information and a time to compare notes and experiences. We were given time in the Zoom chat box to share some brief descriptions of how it both affected us and how we feel. Loss, grief, confusion, loneliness, were words that repeated themselves. Losses were named—no longer riding bikes, no long hikes, and even jobs and relationships. I added to the list, golf.

I started playing golf when I was about 11. My dad got me out at Pueblo City Park where I learned some of the basics of the game. Because of my size, strength and hand/eye coordination, if I hit the ball, and I use the word, “if”, I could give it quite a ride. Golf is not a game of power, but rather finesse. I was very light on finesse. Over the 60 years I played as a hobby rather than a giant competition. As my retirement time moved in, I loved playing with lifetime friends. Long Covid has put an end to it. I don’t have either the flexibility or strength to play. That’s hard to admit. The same thing has happened to my bicycle and skis. It does not appear to be coming back.

So I have taken up golf on my 4–K smart TV. This weekend is the PGA. The quality of how the tournament is broadcast has become a work of art. You get to play along with them on some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. If I sound like a senior citizen, I am. Watching the Masters a few weeks back was one of the most thrilling sports contests I can remember. I do follow women’s golf too, the only difference is they don’t hit quite as far but everything else they do equally well. As my Uncle Paul said, “Drive for show, putt for dough”.

My default exercise plan has been reduced to swimming three hours a week, and taking my rollator on a 45–minute walk through our neighborhood park. We were told in our meeting that there are at least 300,000 folk just in Colorado who are battling Long Covid. I hope to share this as a “public service announcement “.

About twenty years ago, I asked “Dr. Jim” if he played golf. He smiled and said “For me golf was a way to spoil a good walk”. As usual, the Retired Head of the American Academy of Pediatrics, gave a short and clear answer. So today as I watched the PGA I had a good walk.

Onward and Upward,

Mark—“FORE”!!!