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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Today, for the second time in just over a year I'm traveling from a country--Spain-- where I've watched people do what they're asked: wear a mask, distance, and this time, get the vaccine, to flatten the curve. When I arrived in Spain in early July they were in their fifth wave, as they call it, cases rising and hospitals filling. Only 30% of the people were vaccinated because they had just started. Now, the last day of September, almost 80% of the population is fully vaxxed. The cases have plummeted. Some regions are fully opening up, although still requiring masks. On the train to Madrid yesterday, everyone wore a mask. No complaints. This picture basically says, "for you and for me" always wear a mask. To me it represents such a cultural difference from the US, where I'm from. It simply says "we're in this together" and people understand that. They might complain about restrictions, but the follow them because they understand that society is a collective endeavor. Today, I'm heading back to the US and dreading it. Back to the country where people think individual freedom includes the right to infect others. Where people are still pouring into emergency rooms with covid and asking for the vaccine. Where people still think covid doesn't exist.
October 6, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I've been working as a pediatric specialist for nearly 30 years. One of the things that always brought me the most joy was interacting with patients and families in meaningful communication and sometimes even in play. I loved reassuring small children and their families that as sick as they might be, they would be cherished as the delightful, vibrant, individual children that they had always been, despite and through the illness or injury that brought them to my care. Taking a break from the constant barrage of need and noise and nuance of the world of critical care by talking to a family or playing with a child not only sustained me, but helped me understand the patients and the families better, making me a better doctor. Now- with my mask, goggles or face shield, isolation gowns, gloves etc, I am unable to do this. I cannot watch as closely for non verbal cues from the parents who are similarly masked and shielded, the kids find us all slightly terrifying, no matter how smiley or compassionate we try to make our eyes and our voices muffled through the masks. The soothing touch of skin on skin for a fretful infant is not an option. The toddlers recoil from our billowing masked and shielded selves. the parents are even more exhausted in their own battles with isolation, financial stressors and now- a critically ill child. I wanted to put up a contrasting picture taken precovid of a rare break to play with a child, but cannot upload two. It is a striking contrast. I miss the doctor I was once able to be.
January 5, 2021