Where do I find God?
My fiancé, Jeff Marsaglia, and I returned from Florida (St. Louis Cardinal spring training) on Saturday, March 14. In the walkway between the plane and airport, we heard of the first positive COVID-19 case in the tri-county area. Two days later, the shelter-in-place began, and so our lives were forever changed.
For me, I did not have to homeschool children (thankfully!). The pandemic took its toll on my professional life, though. As a nurse practitioner with a local cardiology practice, I was faced with potential job loss. Who would have ever thought someone in healthcare could be furloughed? Fortunately, I did have to take mandatory off, but did not suffer job loss. The silver lining is that I developed telemedicine skills, which will enhance my practice and career.
In addition, I also have a nurse practitioner position in Springfield, where I work two shifts a month at an ExpressCare. The first week of May, six of my colleagues tested positive for COVID-19. One was very ill and required hospitalization. Those of us who worked during that week had to be swabbed and then re-swabbed 72 hours later. Fortunately, I was negative both times, and all my colleagues have recovered.
As some of you know, I also teach in the OSF nurse practitioner graduate program. My students were suspended from clinicals. As faculty, we became creative in developing simulation hours to assist in their education. One of my students is in the Army Reserve, and he was deployed to Chicago to assist with their fight against COVID-19. My role was to be available to this student, whether it was to discuss assignments or listen to his concerns about being away from his wife and two young children while trying to be safe and not contract COVID-19.
It took me about five or six weeks to get used to working at home on a regular basis. Normally, I am an avid reader but could not bring myself to read. Some days it was a challenge to get out of bed and face the world.
A friend of mine and I had a cruise planned to Budapest and Prague to celebrate our monumental birthdays. Needless to say, that was canceled, and we are looking forward to planning it for next year.
Where do I find God during the pandemic?
Developing a new type of relationship/communication with students.
Helping my granddaughter with a school project over technology instead of in person.
Jeff has a large Italian family. We’ve connected through Zoom meetings on Sundays.
The power of prayer for my colleague who had to be hospitalized and has now recovered.
Thanking God that I did not contract COVID-19, even though I was exposed.
Developing telemedicine skills, which will enhance my career.
Learning the importance of staying in contact with family and friends, either through technology or written communication.
Netflix (which I had, but never really watched until the pandemic!).
Revisiting my passion for reading, including all types of genres.
I admit that after George Floyd’s death, I realized how ignorant I was about racism. My goal is to become more educated. Recently, a patient highly recommended “Stamped from the Beginning,” which I plan to read.
I love my Imago family and, hopefully we can see each other in person at some point. With the resurgence of COVID-19 in the country and Peoria area, I pray for your health and safety.
Gerri is engaged to Jeff Marsaglia of Thayer, IL. She has three grown stepchildren and nine grandchildren. Gerri is an assistant professor in the OSF St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. She is an adjunct assistant professor in the Bradley University graduate nursing program. Her clinical roles are nurse practitioner at OSF Cardiovascular Institute and Memorial ExpressCare. Hobbies include: reading, traveling, and St. Louis Cardinal baseball. She has belonged to Imago Dei for six years.