End of Year Wrap 2021
Gee whiz, have we had a huge year of ups and downs in 2021.
There’s been a few thick’s, a few thins (and a few Thrombocytopenia’s) that we might not have expected - but we have made it through to the new year 2022!
2021 brought a lot of abundant growth and change to our clinical services as we started providing Physiotherapy to the North Brisbane region, in addition to continuing on with our Exercise Physiology and Sports Science service delivery programs. We also still saw all of the final year clinical students that worked with us go on to achieve their goals and develop into a cohort of aspiring healthcare professionals that are ready to take on the world!
2021 brought with it a host of changes to our healthcare, our politics and our economy - some for the better, while others less so.
Nonetheless, for all healthcare professionals in the country and around the world , congratulations and thank you for being a part of a huge effort to protect lives and keep our population safe.
Going into 2021 in the face of an established global pandemic - a theme that rung loudly for many was uncertainty.
Uncertainty around healthcare, around travel, around access to our normal lifestyles and generalised uncertainty about the future.
However, uncertainty isn’t always bad - it keeps things spontaneous and allows us to develop how we respond to unexpected situations. It can also helps us to stay loyal to our true perspectives on life and pursue what we think is right, what is just and what is for the greater good.
When many things are uncertain around us, it’s important to stay true to the things we know so we can explore the things we don’t without losing sight of our values and beliefs.
I am still grateful for the uncertainty we as healthcare professionals have had to endure lately. While it is true, uncertainty (amongst other things) has led to many healthcare professionals leaving the workforce or leaving healthcare to pursue other things. But for many others it has solidified their purpose in helping others. For many, the uncertainty of 2021 has strengthened a thirst for knowledge and reminded many to always ask questions where there is information that could help others to be gained.
In the face of a lot of uncertainty and changes to our ideal of ‘normal lifestyle’ , the past year has taught me to place value on the small wins.
When there is constant, unpredictable flux in our perception of ‘normality’ - taking advantage of the positive aspects to each day has been incredibly useful in keeping myself (and my patients/clients) motivated to continue moving forward towards our goals.
The year has also taught me that we do a lot for our patients/clients - and they do a whole lot for us . There are always sacrifices that we choose to make in order to help those around us to the best of our ability - and I’m grateful for being able to continuing to learn new things, teach new things and achieve new goals with those that need guidance.
Remembering why we chose to help others is an important chance to evaluate where our values lie and how we actually want to serve others.
What’s in store for 2022 you may ask?
Likely some continued uncertainty!
Which, as I mentioned, doesn’t need to be a bad thing.
Uncertainty will bring surprises and those surprises will bring with them abundant opportunities !
One great thing we do have, is the knowledge and data we’ve gained from the last 2 years regarding the pandemic and effective public health measures to protect our community. The other great thing we have is the knowledge that unexpected changes can bring us a lot of growth, adaptiveness and help us solidify the truely important values we want to stick by.
From a clinical perspective:
We will continue to provide some of the highest quality Physiotherapy , Exercise Physiology, Sports Science and Strength & Conditioning services available on the Northside of Brisbane. We’re also making the shift to a larger gym based clinic space that will allow us to reach a greater part of the community and enhance the quality of care we deliver. This will also involve more access to group based treatment or exercise classes, as well as a whole lot of community engagement activities.
I am expecting to see a shift in the way we provide healthcare to those exposed to SARS COV2 as more data is brought to the surface. I also expect we will see continued adaptations to the way healthcare is delivered after we’ve had no other choice but to make changes in the past 12-18 months in response to the pandemic.
But only time will tell in the face of rapidly changing information that we can only receive as it is discovered.
To finish on a somewhat interesting note - one thing that I did receive on the first day of the new year was a confirmed positive COVID-19 test result.
Though this sure has thrown a spanner in the works for beginning 2022 as per planned, this is still a great opportunity to learn, to grow, to educate and empower others!
While there are still many unknowns regarding Australia’s recent COVID-19 outbreaks, purely for reader interest - I’ll be documenting a general overview on my experience and my management strategies since receiving my diagnosis of COVID-19.
Keep an eye on the following blog post, in which I’ll share/update on my firsthand experience and musings on what a positive COVID diagnosis can look like (or at least has looked like for one healthcare professional).
>>> COVID-19 Experience & Musings <<<
No medical advice, recommendations or suggestions will be provided here. This is simply insight regarding what I have done for myself based on current research and evidence based medicine. If you or someone you know receives a positive COVID-19 test result, consult with your medical team/Doctor to determine the best course of action