I’m a father of teenage boys, husband, and manager of a medical practice.  On March 13th, 2020 our family was in eating in a restaurant, our table next to a bar.  On the TV, at the bar, the announcement came that the NBA is cancelling the entire season.  At that moment, I realized that our lives were about to change in a radical way.

The following Monday a substitute teacher from my kid’s high school came back from a trip to Italy with a fever.  The school closed pending results of a COVID test.  By the end of the week the entire school district closed.  The evening of the school district closing the local supermarket was jammed with people and most of the shelves were picked clean.  A few days, later a lockdown was ordered with only essential workers and activity allowed out.

I manage an obstetrics and gynecology office.  Our business was essential and we did not have to quarantine.  At the office, my job was to figure out how to keep patients and staff safe without clear guidance and limited access to medical supplies, run the business with a lower patient load and to keep staff employed.

At home my job was to educate and comfort my kids.  Our dinner discussions were usually about the virus, their lack of schooling and historical significance of the pandemic.  Initially the kids were glad to be at of school, but they soon tired of the isolation. 

I am a licensed pilot.  Maintaining pilot proficiency was deemed an essential activity so I was to legally fly my airplane during quarantine.  With much quilt, I flew my airplane three days a week in the early evenings practicing flying, doing what are called instrument approaches.  It was just me, the machine, the sky and the air traffic controllers.  It was a therapeutic and socially distanced activity.  The flying was an escape from the mess that was on the ground.

I feel lucky have been in my position during the quarantine.  Even though I was exposed daily to patients, I managed to keep my staff, patients and family safe.  In a few days, I get my second dose of the Modena vaccine and I will be safe.  In a few months, many more will get the vaccine and our country will be safe.  No more quarantine.  Life will be normal.

[submitted on 2/1/2021]