PANDEMIC KNOWLEDGE By Dr. Scott A. Smith Texas Orthopedics
I’m writing this in March 2021for publication in the Fall of 2021. Some of you may know that I had a very severe coronavirus infection and today is the anniversary of my own hospitalization. That was a tough month that I’m still dealing with but what I learned is that life is a gift. Appreciate every day as you never know when that may end. I learned that I should have been eating the CHOCOLATE donut. My entire life I didn’t eat the donut and it almost didn’t matter in regards to my mortality. Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can because they may not come around again. I learned that friends matter. Family matters! Teammates matter. I could not have survived this without the unwavering support of my family and friends. Sorry for putting y’all through that by the way. Call, text, video all your friends, yes even the long lost ones from HIGH SCHOOL. It matters and will enrich your life. I learned that there are a bunch of HEROES in this world that don’t often get recognized. Healthcare workers such as nurses, paramedics, techs, assistants, and doctors lay it on the line everyday for our benefit. So do teachers, policemen, fireman, grocery store workers, truck drivers, cooks, waitresses and a lot of other jobs. Our day to day life depends on everyone doing their part. Hopefully we are back to some semblance of normalcy now.
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I also learned that I really missed sports and specifically attending sports. I did think it was awesome to have a NBA game, PGA tournament, NFL and college football on at the same time. The MASTERS in November!! I’ll be glad when we return back to a more normal schedule however. Looking forward to seeing everyone at games and maybe even sitting together possibly shaking hands or highfiving. Hopefully as you read this it’s at a full high school stadium with the entire band present with their entire halftime performance. I missed the cheese nachos and Diet Dr Pepper at band booster club concession stands too. I am somewhat sad when I think of all the suffering and changes that were made as a result of this virus. Missed opportunities and lost time with family and friends. We can’t change that but we can move forward and live the remainder of our lives with the understanding that life is a gift. Live it well. I hope you and your family made it through this pandemic and have come out with some wisdom, some new skills and some understanding about what really matters. US/ ALL of US / TOGETHER. SO tomorrow morning instead of just a cup of coffee, add a chocolate donut and think about how AWESOME it tastes.
