Page 58 - FDCC Pandemic Book

Living in a Pandemic: A Collection of Stories on Coping, Resilience & Hope
father. We knew we had to stay healthy so we could help them when needed, so for us, being isolated was a necessity.
The world we knew and loved had closed in around us. It reminded us of the old 1950s cartoons, when the commentator would say: “...and night fell,” and the screen went dark. Our offices, churches, schools, favorite restaurants, travel plans, and personal access to family and friends had been shut down overnight, and the screen went dark.
When our offices closed, I moved to a 100% virtual law and mediation practice. As I built my Zoom skills I sometimes felt like Col. Mustard in a game of Clue trying to figure out: Who is with Miss Peacock in the Library? What is Miss Scarlett doing with a revolver? How did Professor Plum get into the Conservatory? This was quite a change after 45 years in the office and I dearly missed the camaraderie. However, this was nothing compared to the huge toll the pandemic has taken on our world, our country, our businesses, the administration of justice and the very fabric of our lives!
I currently serve as Chairman of the Board of St. Francis Catholic Hospital. This position has given me a rare insight into the incredible amount of stress this pandemic has placed upon our healthcare systems and workers. Indeed, they are the true heroes of this time and deserve every ounce of praise and love they have received. We are indebted to them; if you have a chance, pay it forward.
By late spring we were asking, how are we going to be able maintain our family closeness and have a reasonable chance of surviving the pandemic? Facetime calls and Zoom sessions were no longer enough for us. We had friends who were continuing to quarantine, not seeing their families, yet, somehow they were still getting COVID. It appeared that the method of transmission had a random factor that simply had no logical explanation. Carol Anne and I spent a considerable amount of time discerning the relative risks and rewards of resuming some physical contact with our children and grandchildren. We developed what I will call a QMAP or Quarantine Modification Action Plan. We consciously decided that rather than survive in total isolation, we were willing to take calculated risks to be with our beloved family. Basically, we were willing to play Russian Roulette with the virus in order to see them, for what if we contracted it anyway and died without having been with them for months? Fortunately, the weather had turned warm, so we began socially distancing with our family outside and enjoying dinners together at separate tables on the porch; however our circle remained tight. Being with our older parents was tricky, but we called them often, occasionally visited, while socially distancing, and dropped off food. My practice, defense bar, and community responsibilities continued totally virtual; we attended Mass virtually and avoided all public gatherings, including weddings and funerals of close friends.
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