Maybe it is a good time to start paying more attention?

March 11-13, 2020 , the conversations with my clients started to have more intensity tied to them.  A couple had very significant concerns and wondering if they should wear a mask when they came to their myofascial release appointments at my office, etc.  Again, from what I was hearing, only those who were known to be sick should be wearing masks.  Those considered healthy should not.  That was the directive from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)  If they were sick, they were to stay home.  The information about being contagious for days before symptoms arrive had just started to be reported.

What was I missing?   I started to pay more attention to then news and social media.  Good and bad I guess…but now I was beginning to understand more as cases were hitting the borders of the US – New York, Washington, California.  I knew offices were sending people to work from home where possible.  This would have been a possibility when I worked for my former Employer UnitedHealthcare, but I left UHC about 18 months ago to live my life as a Myofascial Release Therapist and help people in an entirely different way.

I was supposed to attend a MFR Retreat at the Christine Center in Willard, WI 3/20-3/22.  As far as I knew, it was still on but I was starting to question if I should go or stay home.    As therapists, we would be in close proximity with our small groups of 4-10 people, but meals were all together and there could be 80-100 people in a small space.  Hm…The Christine Center had previously announced they were still able to be open with the 250+ limit.

My husband Brian was supposed to travel to Chicago the week of 3/23/2020.  Since he was supposed to fly, we both suspected his travel would get cancelled.  I don’t remember if it was Thursday evening or Friday morning (3/13) when I heard the group size limit dropped from 250+ to 50.  I called the Christine Center to cancel my reservation as I knew we would be close to that border of 50 people if everyone was in the cafeteria for mealtime.  When I called, they indicated they were in the process of calling everyone.  They were shutting down the Center and cancelling all events likely through the end of April.  Okay….my gut feelings were spot on. 

The schools in Wisconsin announced they were closing from 3/18-4/6/2020.  Spring Break for many colleges were being extended.  Minnesota schools announced they would remain open. I had no idea what was about to happen over the next few days, weeks, etc…

 Check out my next email titled:  “Mother Natures Fury Unfolding”