RECOMMENDED COVID-19 PREVENTION PROTOCOL AND A FEW THOUGHTS ON SPIRITUAL MATTERS

Well, we made it through the week. I don’t know about you, but for me it was a doozy. I have been all over the map, from “everything’s going to be fine” to a puddle of tears and back again about seventeen times.

I think that this week (and the weeks to come) are going to be like September 11, or when the Challenger exploded, or when JFK was shot (I am too young for that one) in that, for the rest of our lives, we will remember exactly what we were doing and how we were feeling this past week. Here are some ways in which my family is being impacted:

• My oldest son Luke is a senior in high school. He’s gotten into college, earned his full-ride scholarship, and the hard part of high school is behind him. He has a tight group of friends and a lovely girlfriend. The next couple of months should be about enjoying being top dog in the hallways at school and not having much more to worry than whether he’s put aside enough cash for prom. Instead he’s stuck at home until at least the first week of April, if not longer, interacting with his friends through a screen. The chances of prom, or even graduation, taking place look slim. It makes my heart hurt that he and the rest of the member of the class of 2020 will miss so many special events and milestones.
• My 14 year old son Sam has been working since he was seven years old to hone his tumbling skills to the point that he could make a level 6 all-star cheerleading team. He finally accomplished that goal last May and he and his teammates have been working since then to get a bid to compete at the world championship in Orlando this April. If you’ve watched Cheer on Netflix you have a sense of what a big deal this is — the rigor of the practice and competition has been very similar to what’s depicted in that show. In November Sam fractured a bone in his spine and battled through a lot of pain to heal, always with the goal of getting on the mat with his team in Orlando in April. Just a few days ago the whole event was canceled.
• From the time I was 12 years old, I have dreamed of getting to do the work I do every day. There is nothing that I would rather do than be in my clinic — a space that I have poured such energy and effort and heart into creating — and getting to interact with my patients. There is nothing more gratifying that relieving people’s pain (both physical and emotional) and giving them hope. It never gets old! The possibility that I might have to close my clinic, not knowing if it is going to be for a week or a month or more, just guts me. I am made for action. I am made to help. Over the past several days I’ve cared for numerous patients who were desperate and had no where else to go, given that all resources in the conventional medical setting are going toward preparing to care for COVID-19 patients. Having to close my doors would be hard for me and hard for my patients and I pray that it is not necessary, but over the past several days I have cried with colleagues in New Jersey and Seattle and Los Angeles as they have had to do just that and it may be that Texas is next.

I am 100% aware that so many people have it so much worse than my family and me do. We do not know anyone who is seriously ill or has died. Even if we have to close our clinic, we will be okay financially (at least for a little while), but this not the case for many of the tens of thousands of people who lost jobs this week. I am sure every family has their own heartache, their own list of milestone events canceled and opportunities missed. But I think all of our grief is real and worth acknowledging, even if some of us have it harder than others. I have been making a point to feel my feelings, breathe through them and tap through them, and shed some tears when I need to and I would encourage you to do the same.

For today’s content, another video in which I will lay out my recommended protocol for preventing COVID-19 and tell you about a prayer I’ve been saying and a couple of scriptures I’ve been reflecting on.

St. Michael Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

I found this video from CNN encouraging: America Has Survived Far Worse Pandemics.

I am praying for you and those you love!