| Firstly, I need to give credit where its due…my friend, Amy, has been the main source of my photos in the last few newsletter; so I want to thank her for always taking the right shot and making all of us look sooo good. I am super lucky to be surrounded with such amazing girlfriends, especially now during these unpredictable times. I did not have a ton of girlfriends growing up in high school or college really. I tended to be better friends with guys, for whatever reason, I was just that way. If I really think about it, I think it was because I was very close to my dad and although he was dual parenting (I lost my mom at 13), he was also an ED physician and a no nonsense kind of guy. It was not really until I moved here with my family, that I finally felt grounded and began to develop those female friendships that fill me up. I have talked about those friendships in the past, but I can tell you, without my close girlfriends, I am not sure how I could have gotten through the last 8 months. There are just certain things that are easier to discuss with your girlfriends over wine or a run. My girlfriends have truly delivered. And for that, I am eternally grateful. |
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| I have to say, over the last few weeks, with the number of Covid cases climbing, I’ve had this sense that we are preparing to “shut down” again; whatever that really means. Jackson county is on the naughty list for sure; and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. I was reflecting on February and March of this year and recognizing that even with a shut down, I would still be ok. I have been working a ton the last 7 months so a bit of a break would probably do me some good. Now, that is not to say I want a shut down, because truth be told, that is not good for the economy or the country. Retail and service industry workers are suffering a great deal with such great uncertainty in the economy. |
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| There have been so many difficult conversations family members have had with each other during this time; Eric and I are not spared of these. We have talked with parents, siblings, friends and had to bring up difficult topics/conversations surrounding holiday time. We typically will do a Friendsgiving at our house (last 7 years), Christmas with my dad and then a “Herron family Christmas” sometime around the New Year at one of our houses which includes cousins, siblings, parents. We won’t be doing any of those things this year and to say it’s been difficult to tell our kids this and the family members involved would be an understatement. But, to us, we have been respecting the guidelines as much as we feel is reasonable since March, so to waste all of that for a few days seems irresponsible to us. But everyone has their own sensitivity to Covid, that is one thing I have learned. And, when that vaccine is here, I will be ready and waiting to take it once my turn is up! |
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| I am excited to announce we are interviewing for a mid-level provider! We’ve been wanting to hire a mid-level for 1.5 years at this point. We’ve come close to hiring 2 different people over this time, but either timing or something, it just didn’t work out. So, I am very hopeful, this time it does work out. I am very much looking forward to an extra set of hands to help assist me in surgery whether it is my office, hospital or the surgery center; I’m also looking forward to more help in the office with taking care of patients! There has been a large influx of patients 2020 for us, and my staff and I are doing our best to manage them, but for me, that typically just means, working more, working on my days off and that still doesn’t seem to put a dent on the influx of patients! Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining! I am very grateful to be where I am in today and I do know I and my staff have worked very hard over the years to get here, however, I am excited for a little extra help. |
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| To wrap this up, I wanted to leave you all with a quote I discovered earlier this week. If you follow me on Instagram, you saw it. I should tell you; I was in need of some inspiration the morning I found this. My dad mailed me my mom’s jewelry box a few weeks ago and I have not had the energy to open or look inside it yet. For whatever reason, one morning recently, I opened one drawer and pulled out a plaque she made for me in July 1991, which was about 10 months before she died. It was an inspirational quote from Nancy Kerrigan (figure skater). My mom had gifted it to me in her own handwriting to prepare for the girls 14’s National Tennis hard courts in St Louis that year. It reads: How high I aim, How much I see, How far I reach, Depends on me. See you all in 2021, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! |