Before you step out from your home against the advice of health care experts, think twice about the situation of the brave people fighting out there to contain COVID-19. Think about the thousands of families whose members are stepping out to protect you and this world, with the hope that they will come back and see their family too.
Mar 30, 2020 | BY RAJESH GUNAGE, RATNESHWAR THAKUR
Doctors are life-savers, when COVID-19 has taken the whole world as a hostage and the situation is getting worse. In such dire times Doctors are fighting and putting their own life at risk. This is also true for other heroes who are working in health care industry, including scientists who are developing cures and inventors making new life saving kits and medical equipment like ventilators. We are grateful to all the frontline warriors fighting to overcome the COVID-19. Life has changed for all and time will unfold many individual sacrifices and stories of saving humanity.
In the midst of all, we feel the need to give a big shout out to all the doctors who are now heroes of all, especially of those who are battling this COVID-19 infection. This article is a humble attempt and is dedicated to show the life events in a single day of one such doctor, Dr. Craig Spencer (MD, MPH) - Director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. In 2019, he was elected to the Board of Directors for Doctors Without Borders USA.
It is an eye opener when a life savior shares how it feels to bear the immense pressure of saving lives of thousands of people.
"....Woke up at 6:30am. Priority is making a big pot of coffee for the whole day, because the place by the hospital is closed. The Starbucks too. It's all closed. No one is out. Might be the freezing rain or it's early. Regardless, that's good. No people on the road- is a good start.
I just walked in for 8am shift and immediately the calm of the early morning city streets is transformed to war like hospital situation. The bright fluorescent lights of the ER (emergency room) reflect off everyone's protective goggles. Hospital is full of people coughing. You stop. Mask up. Walk in.
I took sign-out from the previous team, but nearly every patient is the same, young & old: Cough, shortness of breath, fever. I am really worried about one patient. Very short of breath, on the maximum amount of oxygen we can give, but still breathing fast. I hope she survives.
It's clear what this is, and what needs to happen. I had a long and honest discussion with the patient and family over the phone. It's best to put her on life support now, before things get much worse. You're getting set up for that, but...
I was notified of another really sick patient coming in. I rushed over. He is also extremely sick, vomiting. They need to be put on life support as well. We brought them back. Two patients, in rooms right next to each other, both getting a breathing tube. It's not even 10am yet.
Sometime in the afternoon I realized I haven't drunk any water, afraid to take off the mask. It's the only thing that protects you. Surely you can last a little longer - in West Africa during Ebola, I spent hours in a hot suit without water. One more patient...
By late afternoon, I was forced to eat. Restaurant across the street were closed. Right, everything is closed. But thankfully the hospital cafeteria is open. I washed my hands (twice), cautiously took off mask, & ate as fast as I could. I get another message and yet another patient…
At the end of shift I signed out to the oncoming team. It's all #COVIDー19. Over the past week, we've all learned the signs - low oxygen, lymphopenia, elevated D-dimer. I worry about my friends and family throughout the city without PPE. Hospitals running out of ventilators and number of patients are growing every second.
Before I leave, I wipe EVERYTHING down. My phone. My badge. My coffee mug. All of it. Drown it in bleach. Wiped it - down again.
I walked out and take off mask. I felt naked and exposed. It's still raining, but I want to walk home. Feels safer than the subway or bus, plus I need to decompress. I have a kid and wife waiting at home. The streets are empty.
I got home. I strip in the hallway (it's ok, my neighbors know what I do). Everything in a bag. My wife kept the kid away, but she hasn't seen me in days, so it's really hard. Took the shower. Rinse it all away. Never happier. Time for family.
Every night I reflect on the fact that it's really hard to understand how bad this is - and how bad it’s going to be. Hospitals are nearing capacity. We are running out of ventilators. Ambulance sirens don't stop.
You might hear people saying it isn't bad. It is.
You might hear people saying it can't take you down. It can.
I survived Ebola. I fear #COVIDー19.
Do your part. Stay home.
Stay safe.
And every day I'll come to work for you…"
This story is entirely taken from tweet feeds of Dr. Craig Spencer MD MPH.
Now before you step out from your home against the advice of health care experts, think twice about the situation of the brave people fighting out there to contain COVID-19. Think about the thousands of families whose members are stepping out to protect you and this world, with the hope that they will come back and see their family too.
Trust these saviors, it has not spared anyone, anywhere - across the world.
Thank you - doctors and saviors. We owe you with our lives.
Disclaimer: Authors claim no competing interest.
All day...