Serratus Movement Centre

In November of 2019, I moved from my long time place of employment and business at Goodlife Fitness Kenaston. A corporate decision in Ontario was made that there would be no more therapists in Canada as they wished to focus on core aspects of the fitness industry.

My clinic John Dobbin Massage Therapy has been successful at Goodlife. I was a bit worried but I also knew that Kenaston was supposed to close as well and that change was inevitable. Goodlife was planning three new locations and closing two old locations. After nearly 10 years, I wasn't sure how it was going to affect me.

My colleague and I tried to figure a place to go to. We had been working together for years in a single clinic room. She was an athletic therapist so had an office but sometimes you need a gym associated with your clinic. I just preferred to work in a gym after so many years. There were a number of offers and previously from a variety of clinics but I wanted to continue work with a fitness center.

My colleague Sue had previously worked with Serratus Movement Centre when they were on Corydon opposite Mona Lisa. In the subsequent years they had moved to Henlow Bay off  of Scurfield in a larger site and prospered in the niche areas of training, classes and youth programming. It turned out to be a perfect site as it was close to my old location and close to other clients working, living and at fitness centers elsewhere.

Serratus had clinic rooms in offices at the front of their building. It seemed a perfect fit. So in November of 2019, I moved to Serratus. Goodlife had me take everything that wasn't nailed down from massage chairs to filing cabinets. Although I moved November 1, I had to return every day for nearly three weeks to shred files older than a certain time. I was able to keep other files but there was a lot of sorting. Moreover, I was able to remove any remaining things at other Goodlifes. It was a lot of work while trying to get clients to move with me.

In addition to massage I work in entertainment so at the same time I was renting equipment and working events such as Commerce Social and various conferences, galas, etc. I had worked on a few movies as well. By December, I was finished with Kenaston and everything was moved and sorted as I was working at my location in Serratus while gearing up for a big 2020.

Little did we know 2020 and up to now in 2021 would be so awful. I was just gearing up for a big year when early January I was hit in the eye and a week or so later the sickest I've been with the flu. It laid me out for days and I had to go hospital where they worried about Covid. Keep in mind this was before there was even a case in North America. I did recover after a very long time but in February 2020, my parents seniors home was hit by a virus that made people violently sick. My mom and dad got it and in my assistance to them, I got it. Once again I was so sick. Sicker than my parents, in fact.

Meanwhile, business was slowing as Covid 19 fears grew. Still, as I recovered, I felt we should be okay but as cases hit North America, I felt like everyone should expect updates on how to avoid what we saw in China, Europe and in parts of North America. Still, I was optimistic about my new clinic and entertainment business prospects for the new year.

By mid March everything was shut down for everyone as the first wave hit. My entertainment business completely collapsed and has been that way since March. It is only now that prospects are returning with the movie business. As for massage, I've been allowed to work since May but by the fitness center has varying capacity or has been totally closed three times. It can not be more awful for them.

Still, limited as I have been, I can work. Had I still been at Goodlife, the doors would have been locked and not opened for any business therein.

And for a while in summer, it seemed like we might have beaten the worst of it although there was no entertainment opened which hurt my busy summer schedule.

I don't think anyone imagined it could get worse. And worse even still. I spent a great deal of summer emptying and prepping my parent's place for sale. That was every day really at the same time I worked. But I appreciated even limited work at my clinic at Serratus but with no vaccines yet, it was nerve-wracking. So many people just didn't go out or were under restrictions.

Then the second wave hit in October and for my parent's it was awful as they went to hospital with Covid 19 and I was in isolation as well. They ended up being in various hospitals from Victoria to Grace to St. Boniface Hospital. As their house sold at same time they were in terrible shape, I had to empty their seniors home as it was apparent that any recovery would be in a personal care home.

It was a scary and emotional time and I suffered in health even as I worked to get my parent's safely out of hospital. My parents are in a personal care home. Covid still has a impact there. A man died last week. People with vaccines are still vulnerable but single doses are not enough and double doses in seniors still mean you can get quite sick and lose the battle.

I thank goodness for my clinic at Serratus. I have not been idle the last year. Been working on projects while helping parents. paying the bills, seeing clients and isolating to keep myself and everyone safe.

As we get back to more normal, I can't wait to see my colleagues at work again.