Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful...Masks Required

Seasons Greetings from your Finance and Operations Teams!

In the midst of the holiday season and as this most unusual year of 2020 draws to a close, we decided that we just wanted to give you all some encouragement, to remind you that you make a difference. So, as I often do, I will tell you a story.

During the height of the first "Stay at Home" order, my dog Ike started shaking his head a lot and playing with his ear. I mentioned this to my daughter and she came up to help me check him. She also brought some drops she has to use to regularly clean the ears of one of her dogs. She told me to hold him still and she’d check and clean his ears. Hold him still? HAHAHAHA!

So as Ike is laying on the floor, I use all my ninja skills that I developed while raising three teenagers, snuck up behind him and jumped on him to hold him down. Have you ever seen anyone wrestle a grizzly bear? Well that’s Ike, he thinks it’s a game. Everything is a game to him.

So I’m trying to hold him down while she works on his ears. This is quite similar to trying to bathe him. It’s actually safer to do dental exams on the lions at the zoo, which I may volunteer to do since I have all this experience. After repeating this ear cleaning process for a few days his ear still seemed to be bothering him. Great, he needs to see a Vet...during a pandemic. Now, to find one that is open and has availability during the lockdown. They all seemed to have reduced their hours as many doctors had. Well after calling several, none could see him for at least a week, except the emergency Vet. I don’t like going there. They start by listing out all the tests they want to give. Like an EKG…for an ear infection? And they couldn’t get us in until the following day. I mentioned to the Finance Team that I couldn’t get an appointment at a regular Vet and I would have to take him to the emergency Vet. Five minutes later, Amy tells me that he’s got a 1:45 appointment, same day, at her Vet. What? How did you? Thank you Amy! I got their forms online, had them all filled out, and his records in hand.

Now to get him in his harness and on the leash. Refer to the prior Yukon King story. I wrestle him into the backseat and buckle his harness into the seat belt. Straighten out my clothes and check to make sure that I don't need to go to the doctor now. By the way, he can unbuckle the seat belt. I found that out on the way to the Vet. I hear the click and his head is now next to mine while I’m driving, drooling on my shoulder. We arrive, I call and let them know we are there. We are met outside by the PCC in full PPE and I safely hand off Ike and his paperwork. Their procedures made me feel very comfortable. I could tell they wanted to make sure that everyone’s pets were well taken care while keeping everyone safe. Forty-five minutes later I receive a call, he has an ear infection and they are administering the

antibiotics in his ear. The medication will last in his ear for two weeks, so I don’t have to give him any further meds. WOOHOO! Shortly after, Ike and the nurse appear through the door. Ike is very happy and wagging his tail, he loves the staff at the Vet. And he’s wearing a cone! To secure the cone, they have used nylon fabric through the loops and have laced it all down his body….including over his harness. I didn’t even think about him needing a cone. UGGGHHHH.

I get him home and he’s having trouble negotiating doors, furniture, legs and oh no his dog door. First, I’ve got to get his harness off, but now I have to wrestle him with a cone on. I can’t believe this is even more dangerous than before. I get him to sit in my lap, unlace everything, get the harness off, and use the fabric to lace the cone to his collar. He still thinks it's a game. And he is still a danger to the house, all the furniture and life in general because of this cone. He flipped one of the end tables twice. He didn’t knock it over, he flipped it. He also had an awful time trying to lay down and sleep. Then there’s the dog door. He charged at it like he had a battering ram and was trying to breach the castle gates. Then stood there with his head peeking through the door and the cone jammed up against it. I decided to check for a solution online and discovered there are soft cones. Interesting. I get the right measurements and order one. Two days later, it arrives. I lace his collar through the cone itself. It has all this Velcro and little straps with buckles. It seems to be the perfect solution. Shortly after, Ike discovers that with enough speed he can force the soft cone through the dog door. I just had to make sure to get out of the way. The soft cone was much easier on the walls, my legs and the furniture, although he still flipped the end table. He was able to relax and watch TV.

It’s at this point that Ike binge watched Downton Abby. I didn’t realize that he was a even fan until then. So I left it on for him and he just laid there and watched for hours at a time. I guess he’s getting more cultured. Who knew? After the two weeks that poor soft cone was worn out. It wouldn’t have lasted another day.

What does this have to do with encouraging you? Just like everyone at the Vet’s office, you all are dedicated to taking care of the patients while keeping everyone safe. Everyone of you is doing your part to provide hearing health which is so critical to so many who are isolated because of the pandemic and "Stay at Home" orders and trying to communicate with loved ones by phone and video chat. Especially with so many voices muffled by masks. Each and everyone of you, PCC’s, Providers and Admin alike are making the difference in tens of thousands of lives! I see it all the time in the faces of the patients. And our patients and their families appreciate it too, just as I so appreciated the Vet’s office. Please take encouragement in the difference that you are making in people's lives.

To all of you, Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings and a Happy and Healthy 2021 from All of us in Finance and Operations!