COVID Blues

Hi there.  How are you doing through all of this COVID panic and mania?  If you're like me, you've become tired of just about everything:  the isolation, the social distancing, the lack of toilet paper, wearing masks in public, the confusion in the media regarding the virus, and the political upheaval around us.  Because I'm a doctor, so many people have asked me my thoughts about mask wearing, glove wearing, if it's safe to socialize with a small number of people, do I think there will be a vaccine soon, does having the virus give a person immunity, etc.  Unfortunately, even health care workers don't have all the answers, and we even disagree about certain aspects of this viral pandemic. 

Needless to say, this viral funk has led me to not feel like blogging over the past month.  If you are able to see my Facebook posts, I've concentrated on positive messages, images, and things that will make you laugh or lift your mood.  My initial posts were about COVID-19, but honestly, the further we get into this pandemic, the less I feel I know about this virus.  What I can tell you, is that as an Obstetrician, I haven't seen many positive cases, and I'm thankful for that.  I think my whole family had COVID-19 before the pandemic was announced or tested for in early March.  We all had mild-to-moderate illness with slow recovery.  One of my colleagues that I work with had COVID-19 and had moderate illness, even with several health problems.  I'm grateful that it wasn't severe.  Through this entire time, I've worked more than full-time, which I know that many cannot say.  I'm so grateful for my job, though many days, it was scary coming to the hospital.  Not knowing how much of this illness I would see, not knowing if I would contract a severe form of the virus, and not knowing if I would take it home to my loved ones weighed on me...and still does.

Many people have lost loved ones to this virus.  It just breaks my heart to know there are so many who were affected by death or the loss of a loved one.  Our elderly loved ones have had to be isolated without visitors, and I'm certain this has taken a toll on their health and happiness.

There is so much unknown ahead of us.  As businesses start to open again, and we feel our way along this new path, please join me in staying positive.  We really need to support each other, care for each other, and love each other.  We are actually in this together, though our individual paths may look a little different.  Take each step with kindness, patience, and grace. Remember that we are social individuals and we need each other.  God made us this way, to need relationships and to care for each other. God bless you all!

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32