Grit and Gratitude: A Happy Thanksgiving from Pulsara

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone. As we reflect on the year, a lot has changed, and there have been many hurdles to overcome. Through it all, though, there are many silver linings that we here at Team Pulsara are grateful for.

• We're incredibly grateful for our essential workers—the brave folks on the front lines fighting COVID-19. They've worked tirelessly, put their own health on the line, and have made many sacrifices this year in order to serve others. 
• We're thankful we had the opportunity to support healthcare providers as COVID-19 swept across the world this year. We're thankful for the amazing Pulsara team members who jumped in and developed a new version of the Pulsara app practically overnight, enabling doctors, nurses, and paramedics to use Pulsara for telehealth video calls with patients. 
• We're thankful for YOU—for your support, and your belief in us and our mission to improve the lives of patients and caregivers through innovative communication. 

As we all approach the end of the year, here's what some of our resident Pulsarians are grateful for this Thanksgiving season: 

"We lost my father at the end of 2019. But we adopted his little furball Dracula. He always makes me laugh and keeps me close to dad every day. What a goof—he gets into EVERYTHING. But he cracks me up. I just feel thankful to have my dad with me in this way."

— Jessie Senini, Client Services Specialist for the Southern Region

"I'm thankful for:

• A rewarding job where I get to work with terrific people, turning out software that tangibly helps save lives and improve the outcome of medical emergencies.
• Being an introvert who is well-practiced at staying home and working from home.
• Grocery delivery (a dream of mine pre-pandemic since I don't like shopping).
• Fun people in my "quarantine bubble."
• Good health.
• New hobbies now that I'm home more (raising chickens!).
• Informal end of week team meetings that include everyone sharing a 'highlight of the week.'"

— Julie Burgan, Senior Test Engineer

"Amidst the chaos, my wife and I are both very thankful that we both have the love and support from our teammates in life. This includes everybody at work (and that we have work), our family, and our friends. At home, my wife, our little dog Savvy and I are together every day. We are very thankful that we get to spend quality time together with each other. Other than our dog getting way too used to being spoiled and interrupting every web meeting I have, we are just so thankful for our health, family, friends and love."

— Shawn Olson, Technical Services Manager

"I'm thankful for purpose-driven work. I feel so lucky to work for a company that is truly changing the lives of both caregivers and patients. Pulsara's mission and results inspire me every single day!

I'm also incredibly grateful for my health and that of my family, friends, and coworkers.

Finally, I'm thankful for all of the frontline healthcare workers and their bravery during our time of need." 

— Hannah Ostrem, Director of Marketing

"I have a wealth of things to be grateful for—from living in beautiful Montana and working with a brilliant team and company to having a warm home to live and work in every day. But what I’m most thankful for are the close relationships in my life—my wonderful wife and our many dear friends all over the world."

— Nathan Williams, Content Marketing Strategist

"I haven't worked a day in my life for the past 25 years. Instead, I've had the honor and privilege of working alongside some of the brightest and coolest colleagues I could ever imagine. Together, we've created new opportunities. Together, we've fundamentally changed how people share information and communicate. And together, at Pulsara, we tangibly make a difference in people's lives ...

Each line of code.
Each Excel chart of accounts.
Each sales proposal to a potential client.
Each implementation.
Each witty marketing sentence.
Each employee benefit.
Each strategic meeting.
Each global conversation.

Each day ... changing the world. I'm proud of the Pulsara Team. I'm proud of the Clinicians we serve. And I'm THANKFUL that I have an opportunity to be part of this team."

~ Kris Kaull, Chief Marketing Officer

"I think one thing I’ve been most grateful for in this funky 2020 year is the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place. My wife and I, along with our puppy, have been able to get outside way more than usual, mostly to get away from people. From fly fishing and rafting on the Yellowstone River to hiking in the Tobacco Root mountains, we have been able to fully appreciate Montana’s public lands. To top off the year, I was fortunate to harvest an elk and mule deer, again, enabling me to fully appreciate the abundance of resources that Montana holds."

— Chris Palmer, Software Engineer

"This year, I'm especially grateful for:

• My job (!!!) and the structure/stability it provides.
• The time to explore my natural surroundings through exercise.
• The ability to spend the holidays with my family in CA (yay remote work!).
• Lots of time to read this year!
• Wild Crumb bakery. :-)
• Ease of communication via technology.
• The health of my loved ones.
• Scientists and front-line medical workers!"

— Kyrie Dawson, Test Engineer

"I’m thankful for being able to endure 2020’s highs and lows with such an amazing work team! Having the daily connection with so many of my fellow Pulsarians has been both a comfort and an inspiration. I believe our team has become closer, more intuitive, and we’ve managed to meet goals throughout it all! I am feeling grateful and blessed."

— Marla Lauersdorf, HR Director

• My new pup Max. We’ve only been together for a few short days, but they’ve been amazing.
• My amazing teammates who constantly inspire me and are always willing to help when my creativity is blocked.
• Moving to a new house where there are no noisy upstairs neighbors and I can sleep through the night.
• While it doesn’t beat the experience of seeing them in person, I’m so thankful for all of the artists I’ve gotten to see perform virtually this year — all for free. Unless I moved to a big city or went to a couple of massive music festivals, I still wouldn’t have been able to see as many as I have this year. Live streaming has also presented the opportunity to get to know and actually connect with these producers — and even other fans — in a way that you can’t at festivals or shows."

— Audrey Peart, Marketing Associate

"I'm thankful for the unexpected blessings of 2020: more time with family; getting to work for an AMAZING company with such a cool cohort of teammates, where the work I do every day matters; getting outside for more hikes this year than ever before; the technology that allows me to keep in touch with friends across the states; and the space and peace for spiritual reflection and growth.

...And the extra time that allowed me to marathon the Clone Wars on Disney+. Twice." 

— Kinsie Clarkson, Marketing Communications Coordinator

"What I'm most grateful for are three things:

1. The closeness I feel with my dad and sisters (he had a cardiac event and it was undiscovered for two days in early October). He has been so painfully vulnerable, surrendering, and it has connected us all in a deeper way. We've got him. He knows it.  And he is thriving; still learning, growing and getting stronger at 84, despite himself.
2. The inability to gather in-person has led to reconnecting with friends who live far away. "Friends From Anywhere," kind of like "Work From Anywhere." I didn't realize how much I missed these people!  It's allowed me to be more intentional with my relationships. This is tied into #3...
3. At the beginning of the pandemic, I read somewhere that the stay at home order is like a directive from God or the Universe to the human race, a collective sending to our rooms to think about our behavior.  I've come to appreciate, if not enjoy, the time and opportunity to be introspective."

— Anna Larson, Program Director of Strategic Initiatives

Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us here at Team Pulsara!