“Out of adversity comes opportunity”
Benjamin Franklin
Lockdown Begins
From midnight Wednesday, April 1, 2020 surgeons could only perform Category 1 and urgent Category 2 surgery. As an anaesthetist in full-time private practice and no regular cancer surgery, I was effectively unemployed until further notice. Performing any surgery outside these guidelines would result in a significant fine to both hospital and surgeon. Surgeons also faced incurring a criminal record.
At the time the restrictions were put in place the COVID-19 curve was rising in Australia and deaths were mounting worldwide. We stocked up on toilet paper, rice and pasta. The future was unknown, and it was scary. As doctors, especially anaesthetists, we seek comfort in being able to quantify downside risk, but this was impossible.
To decrease our household risk of infection, we decided to pull our kids from school and daycare two weeks earlier, so they had already been home for two weeks when elective surgery ended. My wife is a GP, frontline worker and preparing for the cold and flu season.
Then the state borders got closed, gatherings became illegal, and the numbers of positive climbed.
Then somehow, the efforts of Government (ScoMo couldn’t have chosen a more challenging time to come into office given the bushfires last year), the medical system and patience of the public flattened the curve. On Wednesday, April 22, it was announced that from Monday, April 27, we were able to recommence elective surgery on Category 3 patients.
For four weeks, I had battled with feelings of anxiety, non-clinical depression, frustration and of course, significantly reduced cash flow. I had to adjust from full-time provider to full-time parent, and it was not an easy transition.
The announcement that elective surgery was able to recommence was bittersweet. The loss of work had removed a sense of purpose, but it also gave me the opportunity to find a new purpose in its place. Where initially I dreaded being stuck at home, I realised that I’d be happy to do it for a couple more weeks.
These are five big things that I couldn’t have done if we hadn’t gone into lockdown. Each of them has enriched my experience of life and shown me that deep down, we really are simple creatures with very few needs: food, water, shelter and love. Wine and gin definitely helps too though.
1. Experience Homeschool
We did homeschool loosely from 9 am- 12 pm. I would create three lessons for my kids each day. We’d begin with a joint activity like learning about the life cycle of a butterfly and then do a maths and language session where the kids would do their own work individually.
After lunch, the kids were free to do what they wanted.
I learnt that teaching children is hard work. It takes dedication, flexibility and an incredible amount of PATIENCE!
2. Have dinner at home every night and read bedtime stories
Typically I’m home for one maybe two dinners during the working week. Normally I’ve eaten at the hospital or come home to dinner scoff down leftovers alone.
Being able to have regular meals and engage in conversation at the dinner table every night or a full month was great. I also got to appreciate the challenges my wife faces getting our daughter to eat more than a couple of mouthfuls of anything other than chocolate.
3. Spend quality time with our children.
As hard as it is to believe, we have never spent more than a long weekend at home. I’ve previously mentioned my wife loves to travel, so we are away nearly every long weekend and holiday. Staying in our own house for more than four days was a first.
The weather was brilliant on most days. This enabled us to do fun things like fly kites, launch bottle rockets, catch caterpillars, chase butterflies, finger paint, challenge each other in video games and glow stick disco.
I had the chance to teach my son how to play soccer, throw a ball and sprint. It was great to tap into those skills and training I hadn’t used since high school and pass the knowledge onto him- I had captained Athletics, Water Polo and was in the First XVIII.
With my two-year-old daughter I got to brush her hair after showers (I’d normally still be at work), watch Frozen 1 and 2, make Frozen characters out of play-doh and get free manicures.
4. Experience Sunrise
Each morning I’d go for a walk at 7 am before my wife went to work. It was a chance to listen to a podcast, get some exercise and enjoy the morning sunrise.
I love sunrises because for me it symbolises the new beginning- no matter how bad yesterday was, each morning we get a fresh chance to make ourselves and the world a better place. Normally I’m somewhere between the gym and my morning list when Mr Sun says good morning.
5. Start a Podcast
This was like having a new baby.
In episode 1 of my Podcast I declared that there were three things that were going to get me through the lockdown- Positivity, Flexibility and Buffering. The Buffering had two options- distraction and focus.
I chose to have a focus, and the microscope focussed on my Podcast.
Initially, it was hard. I had no idea what I was doing or what I wanted to achieve.
Then there was the imposter syndrome- the fear of not being up to scratch. Most of us feel this when we first become an intern or consultant. We know that only yesterday we were taking orders and today we are giving them.
I have never been an artist for fear of criticism. Putting myself out for public scrutiny was a big step.
The technical of recording, editing and uploading is easy- I learnt everything free from YouTube.
Creating content for a podcast or blog that resonates with your audience is hard when you haven’t done it before.
I came up with the 3 Fs that you need- a fool, friends and famous people or experts.
I was the fool- somewhere inside me, I fooled myself into believing I had a perspective on personal finance that other doctors could learn from. The foundation for this is my 3 Rules and 5 Pillars (Episodes 8 and 10). But I couldn’t do all the talking, so I got some help.
Then I recruited some friends who I had worked with or talked about collaborating with in the past.
Next, I had to find experts and people who could educate my audience by drawing on real-life industry experience. I simply tapped into the social networks of Facebook, LinkedIn and the vast amount of information on the world wide web. Found some nice folks and then sent some emails and private messages. Barefoot Investor declined, and I’m still waiting to hear back from Taylor Swift but the rest accepted.
As of today, Apple ranks me in the Top 20 of Investing Podcasts in Australia. If you had told me this would happen four weeks ago when I started, I would have laughed my head off.
My podcasting journey has just begun, but it is exciting. It’s like having another child- unpredictable, emotionally draining but rewarding all the same.
The supportive emails, private messages and comments in my FB posts have propelled me forward. Thanks to all of you who have listened, subscribed and shared an episode.
For any of you looking to start a blog, podcast or YouTube channel, my advice is just do it (just like Nike). What is the worst thing that could happen? I’d also encourage you to watch these two videos.
- Derek Sivers shows you how to start a movement by getting your first follower https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74AxCqOTvg
- Taylor Swift shows the emotional journey of creating your own content and how to deal with the battles of success in Miss Americana on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81028336
Back to Work
I did my first proper list yesterday with two joint replacements and it was great to be back sticking in spinals and running infusor pumps. I really missed the tea room conversation with the team.
I’ll look back fondly over the last 4 weeks. The past month gave me the opportunity to play with my babies and create a new one.
The curve is flattening and hopefully life will return to normal soon.
My condolences to those who have lost loved ones and my gratitude to the healthcare workers in the front line.
I just found out my father in law has been cured of nasopharyngeal cancer on his scan done yesterday. So that is another huge win in my household. Watching him go through radiotherapy during the lockdown in Malaysia was scary and inspiring.
That’s enough from me and I hope we don’t see a second wave.
So, what have you been up to during lockdown? Send me an email or leave a comment below.
