Hello Everyone,
I said in my last blog post that I would try to blog and post within a month, and as you can see, it did not happen. It has been a little over one month, and it is insane how much has changed in that short time. The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced COVID-19 as a pandemic, meaning global outbreak, and many of us are socially distancing/isolating ourselves to protect not only ourselves but the community. I initially planned to post about my activities this past month, but I want to keep this blog post short.
For those of you that may not know, I am veterinarian. I purposefully do not speak about my work on this blog, in an attempt to maintain a healthy mental state/work life balance, but with COVID-19, it is difficult not to speak about my job. Frontline veterinary practitioners and staff are among the health care professionals who provide surveillance for diseases deemed reportable by state and federal governments, such as zoonotic diseases. Veterinary teams are critical to animal and public health, providing essential animal care and serving as trusted members of the local community in disaster situations. For these reasons, veterinary practices are deemed essential at this time. In all honesty, I do have to remind myself throughout the day that I am part of a team and profession that is essential, as I personally live with high risk individuals. It can be mentally exhausting, not only working during this trying time, but worrying about whether or not I am doing everything I can to protect my loved ones at home. However, I am grateful that I work for a company that allows unpaid leave if their associates do not feel comfortable working (those that want to self isolate), and COVID-19 related sick pay if associates are showing symptoms and/or have had direct exposure. There is a lot of anxiety and fear that comes with uncertainty, but I do hope, people would show kindness and think of others as you would yourself.
To end this post on a positive, here are some spring flowers grown in my own backyard. Until next time, I pray everyone stays safe, healthy, and kind.
SOPHROSYNE 