152: Jacquelyn Horst

Optometrist

Dr Jacquelyn Horst is an Optometrist, who continued to work through the entire pandemic. Many office protocols had to change to encompass rigorous cleaning and spacing of appointments. Additionally, to limit staff exposure only one optometrist worked in the office at a time. This made Dr. Horst’s office days significantly busier. However, she did enjoy having some more days at home. When home, she was able to support her children with their homeschooling and was so grateful for that time together. 

For a long period of time Dr Horst had to take a break from watching the news. The stories of Covid deniers and reports of so many deaths made her incredibly anxious about going to work. However, Dr. Horst was encouraged by the hopefulness of her patients, especially her elder patients. Knowing that they survived so many other traumas in life, including war, and that they could remain optimistic for a Covid cure and end to the pandemic made her feel hopeful as well. Dr. Horst’s deepest wish is that we can learn from the experience of the pandemic, remember what we all lived through, and use this wisdom to improve our lives going forward.