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5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021
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Image courtesy of Sophia Tolliver
5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021 | Contributor Information
Who would have thought we'd still be in a pandemic nearly 2 years later?
As a family medicine physician, I've had my share of success and sadness when it comes to engaging patients about staying healthy and preventing disease. When I think about everything that has gone on in my own life within this time frame, it's easy to get caught up in the negativity — vaccine politics, healthcare worker burnout, racial and social unrest. However, I choose at this time to focus on that which has served as a continual source of peace and joy.
I prescribe myself an attitude of thankfulness as the antidote to a bad day or negative frame of mind. The people and things on this list make it a lot easier to maintain a positive outlook.
Here are the five things I'm most thankful for this year.
Image courtesy of Sophia Tolliver
5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021 | Contributor Information
Friends and Family
Self-explanatory! Who am I without my family? Especially my mother, who raised me and my sisters out of poverty; she has two physicians and a lawyer to show for all her hard work. My sisters keep me grounded and inspire me to do better each day. My husband and my daughter, Giavonna, are a joy to grow with and nurture. I can talk to my best girlfriends about anything; they help me keep things in perspective.
Image courtesy of Sophia Tolliver
5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021 | Contributor Information
Travel
Hear me out: It's hard to tell sometimes whether we're coming out of or coming into a new phase of the pandemic. For a long time, travel was frowned upon for safety reasons — but now that we have vaccinations in place, the risk of me getting sick has decreased significantly. I love to travel, and I hope to pick up where I left off as soon as possible. My absolute most favorite place to go every year is Miami, Florida. (That's where this fabulous picture of me and my best girlfriends was taken.) The food, the beaches, the spas — it can be a very chill experience and a welcome respite to the rigors of the daily practice of medicine.
Image courtesy of Sophia Tolliver
5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021 | Contributor Information
The Holidays
For me, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year: The anticipation of planning family get-togethers, formulating the menu with new and time-honored recipes, informal competitions to see who has the best macaroni and cheese year after year. Planning for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year makes me giddy like a little kid. Friends and family, the cooking, the food, the togetherness — isn't that what the holidays are all about?
Image courtesy of Sophia Tolliver
5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021 | Contributor Information
Health
I wake up in the morning thankful that I made the wake-up list when so many people did not. I give thanks for the breath in my lungs and functioning within my right mind. I am grateful for being in a position to help others achieve and maintain good health as well. Family medicine was and is a ripe specialty to discuss disease prevention and health promotion, and I feel thankful that I get to do that every day.
Image courtesy of Sophia Tolliver
5 Things: What the Pandemic Has Made Me Especially Thankful For
Sophia Tolliver, MD | November 22, 2021 | Contributor Information
Weekends
"Working for the Weekend" isn't just a 1980s rock song. We're all looking for that little bit of rest and relaxation away from the workweek. On the weekends, I get to catch up on home projects, like trying to figure out how to renovate our bathroom. Or I give in and crash on the couch and binge a favorite show. Who would have thought we'd get such a sense of satisfaction and achievement by sitting on our bums and staring at a screen for hours upon end?
Currently, I'm watching The Great British Bake Off, and it's just good TV. I finished Chef's Table, and it's really what I consider poetic TV — it speaks to the senses and it feels like you are watching a beautiful work of art. The last episode I watched featured chef Mashama Bailey in Savannah, Georgia, and the stories and recipes are intertwined so tastefully and artfully.
Sophia Tolliver, MD, is a clinical assistant professor and vice-chair for wellness in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center. She has four degrees from The Ohio State University and enjoys trying new food and singing karaoke in her spare time.
Whether you're road-tripping across the country or looking to spice up your daily commute, hospitalist Gerard Acloque has five podcasts to help make the drive that much more interesting.Medscape Features Slideshow, Nov 2021
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Contributor Information
Sophia Tolliver, MD
Family Medicine Physician
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Columbus, Ohio
Disclosure: Sophia Tolliver, MD, has reported no relevant financial relationships.
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