Crisis as a Catalyst for Transformation

BY Dr. Sue Mathison Catalyst Medical Center and Clinical Spa Founder PHOTO BY Hillary Ehlen

Dr. Sue Mathison is the founder of Catalyst Medical Center and Clinical Spa. She is a Stanford educated, triple-board certified physician who has received numerous accolades for leadership and Top Doctor for her clinical skills. Dedicated to the community, she is involved in the Dakota Medical Foundation, TedXFargo, The Choice Financial Board and more!

The past few months have been an unprecedented struggle for all of us. Life as we knew it stopped abruptly in mid-March with the spread of coronavirus. Mid-dribble on the basketball court, the game was called, the outcome forever unknown. Monday never came, for classrooms were deserted, with homework sheets and midmorning snacks left behind. We lost hugs, handshakes, buffets, sports, concerts, graduations, lessons, jobs and many lives.

We yearn for normalcy but know we are forever changed. As we look back with bittersweet eyes, hopefully, we can look forward with clearer vision.

Radiation physicist Marie Curie once said, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

Any trauma experienced can be a source of growth, or distress, and most often a combination of both. These categories struck me as I reflected:

• Personal Health Transformation • Health Care Transformation • Societal Transformation

Personal Health

Some people used our time-out to optimize personal health. A furlough or working from home meant more homecooked meals and more time for exercise. Many of us wish that experts had gone beyond recommendations for handwashing and masks to remind people that we do have some control over our immune function. Healthy meals, exercise, meditation, loving connection and good sleep have profound impact on our immune resilience.

Certain supplements such as Zinc, Vitamin D, N-Acetyl Cysteine, Copper, Selenium, Probiotics and Melatonin are biologically plausible to be helpful, but further research is pending to clarify this.

Health Care

Some hospital systems in hotbed locations were and are stressed to the breaking point. Health care workers deeply appreciate being recognized for their sacrifice and efforts. And there is still frustration with lack of adequate protection. We are all learning to live with dents in our faces due to pressure from tight masks. Masks are rationed and reprocessed when feasible.

Problems with social distancing and mask refusal and even mask-shaming are also very frustrating for those on the front lines. I love seeing the billboards that remind us that masks are a symbol of protection and care for ourselves and others.

One bright spot due to COVID-19 is increased access to tele-medicine. While I love seeing patients in-person, there are many visits that can be taken care of over video, saving time and mileage. I hope these visits are here to stay.

Society

The pandemic has shown us our weak spots. Tensions are high for many reasons. We know that persons of color have been disproportionately impacted but COVID-19. George Floyd's death in May was another heart-breaking reminder about the deadly undercurrent of racism that leads to less healthcare access for black Americans. Complex changes are inevitable.

We struggle with personal freedoms vs community safety. In certain parts of the country, mask-wearers are ridiculed. In other parts, you are shamed for not wearing one.

What's Next? Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle wrote that "Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness."

I pray that we have the strength and wisdom to use our trauma to transform in healthy and positive ways.