May10, 2020
On my night shifts in thehospital during this pandemic, I have come to appreciate and rely on thenurses, respiratory therapists, EVS staff, medical assistants, technicians,phlebotomists, pharmacists and more who bravely and sacrificially work with meto keep our patients alive so that they may be able to go home and see theirfamilies. I have also had the somber duty to console individuals who have losttheir loved ones of all ages to COVID-19. Regardless of what you hear, thepandemic is still raging and consuming lives of both the patients and thehealthcare providers who care for them. Please continue to support us, pray forus and be responsible citizens to protect yourself, your families, and yourneighbors.
July1, 2020
I puton a gown, gloves, face masks, and a face shield. Under the weight of thisequipment and the heat starting to build, I take a deep breath and walk into adark hospital room. I find Isaac coughing as he struggles to breathe and thehigh flow machine continuously forcing air into his lungs, his oxygen levelsbarely above the minimum required for life. He recognizes me only by the soundof my voice, “It’s Dr. Lin again, Isaac, how are you feeling?” He answers in asoft, tired voice. I grasp his shoulder to share with him some form of humantouch as he remains isolated from not only his family but all the healthcareworkers caring for him, divided by the specter of the COVID-19 virus. I tellhim to keep fighting, he nods and lays back down, wearied by his rapidbreathing and coughing.
As Ifinish my second year of internal medicine residency, I sometimes still wake upin disbelief at the current times. My hospital’s ER is slammed with patients.Our ICU beds are full. A few days ago, I could not find any high flow oxygenmachines in the entire hospital to use for a patient who was rapidly declining.Everyday, my fellow physicians and healthcare staff work tirelessly and riskour lives, our colleague’s lives, and our family’s lives caring for our COVIDpatients. The Hippocratic oath continues to guide us; our sense of duty andlove for our patients cuts through our fears. I am so proud of my fellowresident physicians in particular who do not think twice about physicallyexamining our COVID patients daily or jumping in to help a decompensatingpatient.
Thetsunami of COVID-19 rages on and we, physicians, on the frontlines willcontinue to heal you and the lives of your friends and loved ones everyday nomatter if you come to the hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia or another issue.However, we cannot defeat this virus alone. No miraculous medication caneliminate this pandemic. You, in the community, are the key to stopping thisvirus. We need your help to be responsible and to follow your local guidelineswhether it may be to wear masks or physically distance. We continue to prizethe value of the individual and freedom in this country, however pleaseexercise your freedom to help those of us taking care of your loved ones andalso for your neighbor and your country.
***Anynames mentioned in my post have been changed to protect the privacy of ourpatients
Steven is a 2010-2011 Fulbrighterunder English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Program to Sawan Anan Wittaya Schoolin Sukhothai. Lots of thing happened in Thailand during the year including thesevere flood which affected all parts of Thailand. Steven turned this tragicmoment into a meaningful lesson for his students and the school community. Withhis guidance, students arranged series of music performance in the market andwere able to raise fund for the flood victims. The performance received muchsupport from the locals and promoted the sense of family and caring among allinvolved. Indeed, Steven’s caring spirit grows through times as we can feelfrom this story.
