The Winds of Change Are Upon Us
Would you believe some patients have never even seen Dr. Pfister with his mask off?
Can you feel it? No, not the effect of daylight savings time… or the warmer temps of Spring… and definitely not the shock at the pumps…
I’m talking about the positive vibes you get from being out with no masks! I ran into a patient’s mom last week and, when I said “Hi,” she said, “Oh my gosh, Dr. Pfister, I didn’t recognize you without your mask. It’s great seeing your whole face.”
Now I’ve been treating her son for over a year with masks on, but going into Buehler’s, I usually leave it off… and her reaction caught me by surprise. Think of the number of people you have met for the first time over the past two years and not seen their entire face.
Pretty interesting, the list of things and situations that we took for granted before Covid…
It’s quite extensive if we take the time to think about it. I feel something as insignificant as the lower part of one’s face was never truly appreciated or made note of during most first encounters prior to the pandemic. I wrote on the importance of eyes in first encounters over Covid, almost a year ago. I truly feel the upswing in usage of my female patients with mascara, eyeliners, and the new eye swoosh was created to make an impression on whoever they were meeting, since lips and teeth were covered in the encounter! You would be surprised at the number of patients who verbally requested braces ASAP, in order to take advantage of wearing masks to cover them.
But not everything about Covid was bad!
I’m kidding… don’t send hate mail… I’m thankful we have rounded the bend and are on the home stretch to normalcy.
Two weeks ago, I was in Ann Arbor for the World Facial Growth Symposium on the U. of M. campus. (I’ve been going every year since I was in grad school, but it had been cancelled the past two years due to Covid.)
It was great to see the number of countries attending, eleven in total, and especially gratifying to have 30% of the audience stand up when asked who were the graduate students in attendance. All in attendance were glad to have the pandemic behind us, and conversations ranged from new life goals, a more realistic attitude about problems in life, and how this Spring and Summer would be one for the books for travel. I have several patients who are travel agents and they have reiterated the same outlook — if you plan to travel this year, make plans early to avoid disappointment.
As I sat in several college coffee shops during the symposium’s breaks, it was refreshing to hear the students talking about job outlooks and summer internships and just what college students should be talking about…
Yes, out on the Commons there was an anti-war, down-with-Russia protest going on, complete with holding hands and swaying to music I don’t seem to have on my I-pod. I was moved. As one having missed the Vietnam War by several years, last week it was evident — students still care. They still bring attention to those of us not paying attention, to world problems and the wronging of humanity. Covid did not harden the hearts of these students, nor did it dampen their desire to voice their freedom of speech. And nowhere is that voice more pure than on a college campus.
It was good to see the restaurants full, and boy can Ann Arbor serve the cuisine! Even the iconic college bookstore was bustling with buyers for Big Ten Football Championship memorabilia.
The return to normalcy could be seen and felt at every turn and it was wonderful! And, closer to home, the same resurgence is being felt, especially in Cleveland.
I have a patient whose father’s company is now involved with bringing back the International Exposition Center’s one million square feet of hospitality convention space. I have already been to the Home and Flower Show and the Auto Show. Both were bigger than ever before! This weekend, the I-X is host to the Annual Cleveland Boat Show. Hurray, Summer is just around the bend!
Thursday of this week saw the return of Cleveland’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and wow, what a gorgeous day it was. Cleveland catches a break once in awhile, as the rain doesn’t come in ‘til Saturday. As the parades and conventions begin to find traction in our new society, it is very encouraging that our new normal isn’t that drastically different from the old, just a bit more cautious.
And hey, even the 50th running of Alaska’s Iditarod race was held last week with a near record-winning time of 8 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, and 43 seconds by Brent Sass. Thank goodness Alaskans know how to give credit where credit is due — Slater and Morello were the athletes of the week. And if you’re not familiar with them, they are Brent’s lead dogs. My lab, Mocha, was happy for them!
I’m happy that everywhere I turn people are coming out, happy we are moving into warmer weather, and happy the strangle-hold of the pandemic is loosening with each passing day…
Covid had its place in our lives and will always hold a spot in our history books; but we need to move on and focus on a brighter future for each other and our families. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Well, truer words could not be said of the past two years. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost loved ones over the pandemic. The loss of my mother was not totally the result of Covid, but collateral issues were.
The loss of any loved one is a difficult time for those left behind — many unanswered questions, religion challenged, the emptiest of any feelings. But we need to move on and, in our hearts, we know our loved ones would want it that way.
This weekend… get your family together, make some plans to hike, camp, tour an unknown city, whatever fires up your interests.
Just get out and begin some new family traditions and memories. Everyone is quite busy this time of year, but you will never regret the time spent exploring new vistas with your family. Quoting a famous line of clothing, “Just Do It.”
The winds of change are upon us, Medina County.
And you might just like the way the winds are blowin’.
- Dr. Pfister