The calm w88 online live casino before
Dr. Sam Dugan offers a look into the life of a resident physician during the pandemic
It&w88 online live casino;s a longer walk than usual, still cold outside, snow dancing through the night air. The straps of a backpack have replaced the usual leather bag. The cowboy boots that normally provide some rhythm are instead plastic contraptions that are easier to clean.
Your phone rings, and looking down, w88 online live casino see notifications for seven new text messages, three missed calls, 17 unread emails. w88 online live casino’ve time to open your inbox, and the subject lines are all too familiar: Disregard previous email, UPDATE: IMPORTANT MUST READ. The same sender authored another email an hour earlier, that subject reading: **Reporting COVID MORTALITY**. The first email gave us 24 hours to report another dead father or mother. The newest version states it must be done IMMEDIATELY. We&w88 online live casino;re so used to ALL CAPS these days that it doesn&w88 online live casino;t sound like shouting anymore.
In your plastic shoes, feet from the door, it’s time to mask up. Your ears are still bleeding from the night before, but after w88 online live casino read the texts from your folks and sister – so funny when she worries – w88 online live casino put the mask straps over your ears once more. Your fingers only shake a little.
They ask when w88 online live casino come in – How are w88 online live casino doctor? –but they don&w88 online live casino;t wait for the answer. The next three questions are what they really want to hear. Have w88 online live casino been outside the state in the last two weeks? Do w88 online live casino have a fever? Do w88 online live casino have a cough? w88 online live casino’re sure the answers are no, but what about that cough this morning? Was it really just the coffee going down wrong? They swab your forehead and w88 online live casino wonder why – it’s 18 degrees outside, so of course it will be negative – but this is the gatekeeper.
Your badge opens the door, and just like the night w88 online live casino’ve left behind, the hallway is silent. Gone are the people asking where Starbucks is, or where the pre-op area is. Gone is the puppy with the vest saying “pet me,” and the man who played the big piano in the lobby. The only audible sound is the faint call of the hammer. That’s why the walk is long. w88 online live casino used to park closer, but the garage can make way for beds, and so it must.
The only person w88 online live casino see on the way is a good friend who wishes she could give w88 online live casino a hug. Instead w88 online live casino ask about the shift. She’s a resident, too, and she tells w88 online live casino about three intubations, two dead. Maybe w88 online live casino’re in for an “easy” night. It’s hard to tell if she’s smiling because all w88 online live casino can really see around the mask are eyebrows.
Luckily we still have N95 masks, but functioning in them is challenging. w88 online live casino think back to the phantom cough from this morning and remind yourself that it’s just the mask making it hard to breathe. On w88 online live casino go, your face clean where normally a beard would’ve sat. Backpack down, clean scrubs on and wait. It’s not long. The phone rings, and your admit begins. Respiratory, slight fever, 40-year-old male, no real medical history, works in Seattle. w88 online live casino tell the ER doc w88 online live casino’ll be right there and put a disposable mask over the N95 to keep it “cleaner” since w88 online live casino’ll need to wear it again.
The ER is quiet mostly, as empty as the hallways, with no family members to chat with. It’s hard to recognize the nurses and staff behind the mask, so w88 online live casino just nod and smile, then chuckle to yourself because they can’t see the smile anyway. The patient is behind the plastic, which has been taped to the walls and ceiling with red duct tape. A nurse asks if w88 online live casino know what w88 online live casino’re doing going behind it. “Yes, I was here last night, too.” “Oh, that was w88 online live casino. How are w88 online live casino?” “Living the dream!” It’s the line w88 online live casino use when w88 online live casino don’t really want to stop and explain.
Behind the plastic, there are no family members in the room. The patient doesn&w88 online live casino;t look that sick. Just a bit of oxygen, chest x-ray with some peripheral haziness, no other medications. He looks familiar and w88 online live casino realize – it’s that guy from the gym. w88 online live casino see him there a lot. It’s only day two of symptoms for him. w88 online live casino ask him to write down anyone he has been around recently, and he sheepishly adds that he and his wife went to a friend’s house the other day for a beer, being home so much was just a bit too much to take. w88 online live casino discuss the plan, make sure to get a cellphone number for his wife and ask if he would like chest compressions and intubation should it come to that. w88 online live casino try to normalize it, “I ask everyone this – it’s just part of the hospital procedure. We’ll get w88 online live casino right upstairs, sir.” Then it’s clean the PAPR, outer mask off, disinfect hands, and repeat that because w88 online live casino can’t remember if w88 online live casino actually did it.
On your way out w88 online live casino stop and ask the charge nurse if there are any ventilators left, and she knows as well as w88 online live casino do that there will be one less tomorrow. w88 online live casino call the patient’s wife. This doesn’t usually happen over the phone: There’s a hand on the shoulder. w88 online live casino usually end with, “We’ll take good care of him,” and pat the patient’s leg. Simple touch goes a long way, but not over the phone. w88 online live casino remind the worried wife that the hospital doesn’t allow visitation right now. w88 online live casino save her number in the chart and add a note to “Please notify via phone if patient expires.”
w88 online live casino go back to your room, passing through empty halls. The rest of the night is quiet, except for a call to the NICU for a newborn with hypoglycemia. The NICU nurse is upset w88 online live casino’ve also been in the ER tonight, but so far there isn’t a hospital policy, so w88 online live casino change scrubs and promise to scrub down before w88 online live casino head down.
w88 online live casino take a phone call from a clinic patient. Poor girl, she’s 18 and has a sore throat. She’s hard to understand through her tears. Hurts to swallow. No fever though, no cough. Likely just strep throat. There will be no swab, no clinic visit, best not to come into the office. w88 online live casino send a script in for antibiotics. She’ll probably get better quickly. “Call back if w88 online live casino get worse.”
Nobody else all night. Where are the chest pain complaints? Where is that guy who always wanted the Norco? Where is that lady who never makes it to dialysis? No matter, quiet nights are good. w88 online live casino’re on for a month, so take them when w88 online live casino can.
w88 online live casino head out – it’s still freezing. Put the bag by the truck, take the scrubs off quickly, hope nobody sees, into the bag go the scrubs and the mask. New clothes are waiting in the truck. The sun peaks over the mountains just in time for the drive home. w88 online live casino head straight to the shower once the scrubs are in the wash. A Willie Nelson tune begins as the water starts warming up. w88 online live casino glance at your phone. There are still 17 new emails, one proclaims: Peak expected in next 7-20 days.
