300 Days of Sunshine

The COVID-19 numbers in our community continue to trend in the right direction, leaving me feeling (cautiously) optimistic!  Today we discharged our only patient from the COVID unit, which is the first time in over a a year that our team is not currently taking care of any individuals with COVID-19.  I know it's only a matter of time before another patient is admitted from our region, but we'll celebrate this success while we can.  I'm really proud of my community for aggressive masking, social distancing, limiting of social gatherings, and travel restrictions, but a lot of our progress also has to do with vaccinations.  While we grieve the loss of half a million Americans, we also celebrate the successful rollout of vaccines in our country.  Over 22% of New Mexicans are fully vaccinated, and Santa Fe is level turquoise for the first time, allowing movement through the step-by-step reopening plan!  Part of me is still hesitant to believe that the end is in sight, and I do

We've had gorgeous weather in Santa Fe this week and it feels like the world is emerging from hibernation after a year-long winter of the pandemic.  We are like butterflies, coming out of our chrysalises, testing out our wings for the first time as changed beings.  The bulbs in my garden are blooming already and the days are getting noticeably longer, so I've gotten to enjoy some warm and sunny walks through the neighborhood after work.  As more and more of my friends are vaccinated and COVID seems less of a threat, we're starting to gather in parks again, go on walks together, and I even went out to eat for the first time with a small group of other vaccinated friends.  We're still extremely vigilant with masking, hand hygiene, and limiting the size of gatherings, but it feels really refreshing and encouraging to return to some degree of normalcy in this new world.   Ady examines a fresh Iris bloom in the front yard Meredith is excited for a sunny afternoon at the park