Your next shift starts soon

I just have one day off per week, and even then they can find me. THEY can find me....voice, text, Tweet, email, Facebook message, Zoom; one day I imagine they'll insist on FaceTime, Skype, AppleWatch and whatever the newest methods to 'stay connected', are out there! Seven days a week, I am their stable pony. Since March of 2020, I have worked the day and evening shifts out of the 'Rona Division (gotta keep up with the young people and their language). After all, 'Grandfather likes to be modern in his language'.'Rona Division is not much different than the rest of the SLP workforce, yet it takes this fight against the 'invisible enemy' as its core mission. The core mission of the Division, is to exert the force of the 'Rona mitigations generally recognized as effective, so that the virus becomes part of the noise floor and we clinicians can do our real work. 

Since 'Rona Division was formed back in the spring, we're continually reminded that healthcare never closes. Our education colleagues have realized this as well, with recent events in their work settings. With the dangers of 'Rona ever present, everywhere, all our days, and all our work bags, are filled with personal protective equipment. Hand sanitizer bottles can be found in the bags, in our pockets; riding in cup holders of our cars, and even filling bottles that used to bear motor oil, Coke, bottled water, etc. Ziploc bags are bulging with masks, and with gloves. Since the Spring, I've worn out three face shields. A couple bottles of disinfectant are also stuffed in my portable office. I think we're ready to get out there and do good work, with our armor secured. Then, it's just another day at the office. 

What makes us different than other SLP's? Technique, technique, technique. From the time we arrive at each worksite in which we do our magic, until the final mile to our home base is traced in reverse order to the morning; - keeping the little 'Rona buggers at bay. After all, we're continuing to have close, proximal contact with all persons we serve. There's no teletherapy. There's no apprehension about being close enough,  to interact with your persons served. Following clean technique, so that clean hands manipulate all materials used, - then we do all the normal SLP things we do. We're very clean SLP'S. That cleanliness? Part of the noise floor. The rest is, living in the present. 

 

It's the noise floor, but it's also a very anxiety - producing part of SLP practice. We're so stressed out, still, by the ominous nature of the disease, that there is an almost dreadful tone we give to each day. You make a mistake in technique, then 'Rona can get you. You get exposed to an infectious person or environment, then 'Rona can get you. You allow yourself to get run down by appointments, commuting, by hours of prep and doc time, - then 'Rona can get you. "There Is A Danger", a post for this blog published 4/5/2020, touches on the dread. I have had to remind my consumers, my colleagues and supervisors, that if you are not old enough to remember the last US polio outbreaks of the 1950's - you may have no memory of real dread. 

The world is, regardless, figuring out what works to mitigate spread of the 'Rona. Cleanliness. Distance and time. Barriers. All part of the noise floor, so 'Rona Division SLP's can live in the present....and help the persons served have a better future. Till therapeutics and vaccines allow us to get the upper hand on this virus, the 'Rona Division keeps us going to deal with real life for our consumers. We keep going through sustained efforts at simple prevention. The rest of the world has also taught us those simple ways.

Checking my texts and emails now. Back to work soon.