Don't Play in the Ala Wai Canal

Olver Johnson here just died of massive infections resulting from a wound and a spill in the Ala Wai Canal. He had swollen to three times his normal size, and at the time his family decided to take him off of life support, the only thing they could hold on to was his little finger.

The Ala Wai Canal is the body of water that forms the northern and western border of the Waikiki district of Honolulu. Of late, the canal has been even more polluted than usual because massive amounts of rain caused a sewage spill, causing waters to be infected with bacteria. Waikiki Beach had to be closed for a couple days.

I think it's a shame that the Ala Wai Canal is so polluted, even apart from the sewage spill, but I think there are a number of lessons that can be drawn from his experience:

1. Don't get too drunk. Johnson got so drunk he got into a fight and fell off a boat into polluted waters. In the process, he got a massive cut along his leg. Doctors also said liver disease was a contributing factor in his death. Not good for a guy who was just 34 years old.
   
2. Treat wounds immediately. Johnson got so wasted, medics said he was still drunk 12 hours later when he called the hospital. Not that I think a little Neosporin would have fixed it, but you still got to take of yourself.
   
3. Remember important details. Johnson forgot to mention to the medical staff that he'd been playing in sewage-ridden water. It would have been useful in diagnosing his condition earlier.

So yeah, it's horrible that Hawaii's waters can actually get this bad, but his behavior did contribute to his death. Please remember that although Hawaii is still a tropical paradise, you still need to take care of yourself.