Wellness

Do you ever have those *headdesk* moments where you just can’t understand why something was branded a certain way? I feel that way about #socialdistancing. Don’t worry, I understand the concept and why it’s important, I’m an asthmatic and my husband is a double-lung transplant patient, I get it. But it doesn’t change that heart-wrenching hurt each time I see or hear #socialdistancing. We need each other more than ever. It’s too late for a rebrand, but I’ve got to hope some of us can think of it differently and that will make an impact. We need physical distancing for sure – I need and you need that curve to flatten out. I need it to be the flat landscape I remember from a childhood road trip across Iowa, where it seemed you could just see forever. But just as much I need that connection of finally arriving at that family reunion that made those days in the car and the miles of flatness worth it all. We need connection in the chaos.

A number of us have already been put into mandatory quarantine while others are waiting for the same. Some of us are working 12-16 hour shifts while others have lost their jobs. What we have in common now is the need for connection and community. How do you connect with people now, when we need it the most and it feels the hardest?  

Here are 5 things I’ve done to find connection in the chaos and I hope that they can help you get your footing in this rapidly changing landscape.

1. Get on the phone.

Yes, the phone (I’ve even done FaceTime) and talked to my family at least once a week. This has been a challenge for me as I don’t like being on the phone or on video. Even 5 minutes has helped me feel connected and I know it’s good for my family, which means I’m helping and that makes it easier to do.

2. Schedule games night by Skype or messenger calls with small groups.

(Need ideas on games to play – here’s a list of 21 https://apppearl.com/games-to-play-over-calls/) The best part about this was that it leads to a lot of laughing, which we all need right now.  I’ve been tempted to host a “Knock-knock Joke Night” but that might end up with me in a laughter induced asthma attack. I tend to not be able to tell jokes because I start laughing in the middle. Here’s my favorite which I can never get through. Why can’t you tell a dog a knock-knock joke? (I just lose it here, I can’t even get to the next part) You: Knock, Knock. Dog: BARK, BARK, BARK! (I know, it’s so ridiculous, but it makes me laugh so hard).

3. Virtually exchange recipes with friends.  

Ingredients:
2 Premade frozen pie crusts
1 Can chicken (not drained)
1 Can cream of chicken soup
1/2 Cup milk
1.5 Cups frozen mixed vegetables
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Prepare one pie crust as directed on the package for baking. Thaw the second pie crust. Mix soup, milk and canned chicken together. Mix in frozen vegetables. Spoon into prepared crust. Top with the second pie crust thawed. Use a fork to seal the crust by pressing the edges together. Use a fork to poke holes in the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

4. Write thank you cards that have been very long overdue.

I’ve been combining this with crafting which has been helping my brain stay healthy. I’ve been doing quick doodles or small watercolor paintings on the cards I’m sending out. To be clear, my brother is a world-renowned graphic artist and I am not, but I do love to art and I love it when people share their art with me.  

5. Talk to my neighbors from the porch.

This was a lot more fun than I anticipated. I love that our fences are short and chainlink. I think that I’d feel a lot more isolated if I couldn’t see my neighbors in their yards spreading mulch and I’d sure miss the opportunity to talk to them about gardening.

While we are staying 6-feet apart, let us find ways to find the social connection in the chaos and grow closer together. What’s working to help you to stay connected today?  

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

I have a confession that I’m not proud of: This week I went through my first round of serious coronavirus-related anxiety. Even though I’ve been living in a country with the disease for over 2 months, I let my guard down and let my anxiety get the best of me this week. 

Some background: My wife and I moved from New Jersey to Hong Kong in August of 2019 to work in a growing private practice. We arrived exactly one week after the Hong Kong airport shut down from national protests. And luckily, the protests haven’t impacted us much other than changing or plans some weekends. 

By late December, we started hearing rumors of a new respiratory virus in China, and by January Hong Kong was in full national response mode- partially shutting down the border with China, shutting down government-run parks and buildings, and providing guidelines for citizens to avoid potential exposure (which amounted to what we now call social distancing). By the end of January, rumors had started that the Chinese government would cut off the supply of paper goods like toilet paper to Hong Kong, which induced panic buying – we couldn’t find any toilet paper, cleaning products or hand sanitizer for about one month (and now they are everywhere – hope is coming for you as well!).

But none of that seemed to bother me. Things would keep moving along, and we could handle them. Until this week – COVID-19 started to take hold in the US, and specifically in NJ and NY where my friends, family, and former co-workers were located. I suddenly found myself with a mounting anxiety for their wellbeing, something I could do nothing about. I watched as former coworkers were temporarily laid off due to uncertainty and emergency cost-saving measures. Coupled with a week of difficult cases, it was enough to push me to the limit. I found myself doubting my abilities as a vet, distancing myself from others mentally, and even missing some deadlines on projects.

It’s a situation I’ve never been in before and my mind went into overload and partial shutdown. I luckily have a great support system in my wife and close friends who helped me rebound, but I don’t want it to happen again, or happen to anyone else.

So what do you do when you face a situation as you’ve never been in before? You can start by applying what I call BRACES to your day to keep everything together as things seem to be falling apart:

1. Breathe. Take a minute, collect your thoughts. You still have responsibilities to people and to animals who need you, but they need you to think clearly. In a time where situations can change hour to hour (or seemingly minute to minute) don’t get caught up in the endless barrage of news and fear. Give yourself time to react rationally.

2. Recharge yourself. Take the time to recharge and re-energize. In a time where it feels like you are being pulled in hundreds of directions at once, you still need to take time to fulfill your needs. Taking time off from work mentally is vital for your long-term health and has even shown to improve your quality of work. Schedule your recharge time like you schedule appointments and stick to it.

3. Acknowledge the uncertainty. There is no getting around the fact that we live in uncertain times. We are currently at a point where we can’t say what tomorrow will look like, let alone next week or next year. Acknowledging this fact, but not letting yourself be paralyzed by it, is essential. As veterinarians, we are almost uniquely prepared for changing situations and chaos. Adopting the mindset to change and adapt based on the current facts will improve your decision-making abilities and improve your long-term results. 

4. Clarify. Provide clarity and certainty where possible. Now that you know that things outside of your control could change over time, start to focus on the things you can control. Be mindful of your reactions to the news and to other information. Where possible, provide clarity to your staff as well – they are looking for guidance and some level of security in this time. Discuss your daily procedures with them and be sure to effectively communicate any changes as needed.

5. Establish a routine. Take control of your days by planning in advance. You don’t need a minute by minute schedule, but block the amount of time you will spend at work, how much personal recharge time you need, how much time you will be on social media/catching up on the news, how much Netflix you will watch, etc. Setting a schedule before you start these activities will keep you from falling into the time-sucking black hole of social media or Netflix binging. Taking control of your daily routine is a great way to add some certainty to your day in an uncertain world. To-do lists are also a great way to keep on track with larger projects

6. Stay connected to others. Just because you are physically separated from others, doesn’t mean you have to mentally or emotionally be separated. More than ever, take the time to talk and connect to your friends and family. We are all in this together. Even half a world away, it’s been comforting to receive a text or call from family or friends to talk about what we are all going through.

I know these things are easier said than done, and I know I’ve failed at them from time to time. But the important thing to remember is that there are always ways to improve our situation. We are all in a position now, both personally and professionally, that we haven’t experienced before. But with this change, we have the chance to shape our profession to be even better and stronger than it was before.

And finally, although times are trying and it can be difficult, make sure to keep your mind sharp and occupied. If your plans are altered and you have extra time, take that online CE course or read those journal articles you have been putting off. Or make it a priority to pick up that new hobby you wanted to start but never had the time (mine is photography). Or just take the time to connect with your family/spouse/pets in a way that you haven’t been able to because of work. Do whatever you need to do to keep from falling into the cycle of fear and despair that comes with mounting uncertainty.

And above all, stay safe and healthy.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Colin McDermott, VMD, CertAqV is a New Jersey native but is currently working at a private practice in Hong Kong. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011, and has undergone further training and has been seeing exotics patients ever since. In addition to his special interests in fish and reptile medicine, he has become more interested in practice management and bringing out the best in all veterinary staff members. When not in the clinic, he and his wife enjoy hiking, camping and exploring the new food options in Hong Kong.

She had been seen wandering around the country roads for at least three days, an old black lab with a graying face. Every day she seemed to get slower and slower and she became weaker and weaker. Finally, one evening, when she couldn’t wander anymore, too sick, hungry and dehydrated to go on anymore, she lay down in a ditch to die. Sam was on his way home from a busy day at work when something in the ditch caught his eye. He stopped, stepped out of his car, and was greeted by the sweetest set of brown eyes he had ever seen. He knew he couldn’t leave her there, but didn’t know what to do so he picked up his phone and called the police department.

Officer Johnson was in the area and the first one to respond. He checked the reports for any missing dogs in the area but did not find one that matched this sweet girl’s description. With no collar or identification, he scanned her for a microchip and found nothing. She had been abandoned and left to die. One look in her sad eyes and he was taken back to his childhood, to his best friend and partner in crime, his Lucy dog. But unlike his Lucy, this girl was sick. She needed more help than he could provide.

It was getting late and the only veterinary clinic open at this time was the emergency clinic in Duluth, about thirty miles away. Officer Johnson couldn’t take her there, he was still on patrol and the clinic was out of his jurisdiction. Sam wanted to take her but he barely had enough gas to get home and no money to put gas in his tank. Officer Johnson looked at her sad face again, reached in his wallet and pulled out $20 for gas. Sam took the money, then grabbed a blanket from his car, scooped up the sweet girl, and put her in his back seat.

Sam was apprehensive as he entered the emergency clinic. He was worried she was beyond hope and would be euthanized. On any other night, that is what would have happened, but not tonight.

Jodi arrived at the emergency clinic and held the door open for Sam as he carried the sweet stray in. Jodi was a certified veterinary technician at another vet clinic. On any other night, she would have been home with her family, recovering from a stressful day at work. But tonight, Jodi had been asked to bring her dog in to donate blood. Being in the veterinary field, Jodi could see immediately this poor stray was very sick, but one look at her sad face and Jodi knew she had to help her. Dr. Erickson, the emergency doctor confirmed that the stray had a pyometra, a life-threatening infection in her uterus. She would need surgery but first needed to be rehydrated and stabilized. Dr. Erickson said he would do his best to stabilize her so that she could be transferred to another clinic in the morning for surgery.

Jodi’s text came through at 5:42 am “I have a huge request! Can you PLEASE help?” Her hospital was booked and couldn’t perform the surgery. I had only met Jodi the week before when we helped a mutual friend rescue stray kittens outside an assisted living home. It was only through this little adventure that Jodi had my cell number. It was early, I was tired, and I had a busy day ahead of me with my own patients. I did my best to ignore her. But as the pictures of the sweet gray face started to pop up on my phone, I couldn’t say no. I was her last hope. If I couldn’t perform the surgery, she would be euthanized. 

My day was fully booked and the only time I had to do surgery was over the lunch hour. I asked Jodi to bring her over first thing in the morning so we would have time to do an exam and prepare her for surgery. She was carried into the clinic, even after a night of intravenous fluids and antibiotics, she was too weak to walk. She looked up at me with her sad eyes and my heart melted. This sweet girl had already been through so much and I was her last hope. I knew the odds were against her, but I had to try. Jodi had mentioned that she also had a mammary tumor, but it wasn’t until I did my pre-surgical exam, that I realized the extent of the mammary mass. It was the size of a child’s football and would have to be removed before I could even get to her abdomen to perform the pyometra surgery. Thankfully another surgery had canceled, giving me more time. The mammary tumor was even more challenging than the pyometra surgery, but everything went better than expected. I was so hopeful she would do well.

She spent the next 24 hours with us recovering from her surgery. She was quiet and sick, but she also seemed grateful for the attention and love. Whenever I checked on her in her kennel, she nuzzled in close begging to be petted. Jodi shared her story on a Facebook page she manages called “Missing Pets in the Northland,” a page devoted to reuniting lost pets with their families. It wasn’t a surprise that no one claimed her. But she touched the hearts of so many people and donations started pouring in to pay for her care. 

Jodi picked her up the next day and said she would take her to her house until she recovered and we had the results of the mammary tumor. She didn’t want to adopt out a dog that may have cancer. She also needed to find the right home. We estimated the sweet girl to be about ten to twelve years of age and Jodi wanted to make sure she would live out the rest of her life with all the love she deserved.

The test results came back a week later. I called Jodi with the good news: the mass was benign! Jodi told me how well the dog was doing and how she fits in with her family perfectly. They had decided to adopt her and named her Pixie.

I get regular updates about Pixie, complete with pictures and videos. She went from being shy and sickly to playing fetch, snuggling on the couch with her new family, and enjoying the life she deserves.

When I think about Pixie’s story, I am filled with joy and can’t help but smile. Whether you call it fate, divine intervention, or just blind luck, Pixie was given a second chance. Along her journey, kind-hearted people helped her, giving a little and expecting nothing in return. She brought out the best of humanity and in return, Pixie gave us hope.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.