There are now 16 states (as of the end of June) that require people to wear face coverings when out in public. But we need to acknowledge it: many Americans really don’t want to. Our president and vice-president don’t wear masks, even though members of their staff have tested positive for COVD-19. When protestors gathered in state capitols to rally against stay-at-home orders, most did so …
Let’s assume you have coronavirus
He did a double-take as we passed on our small town sidewalk the other day.
“Hey Doc, I didn’t recognize you dressed like that, without your …”, he gestured to where my tie or stethoscope would have been. I was wearing a cafe-au-lait colored T-shirt and faded Levis.
“Did you hear about the appointment with the cardiologist yet,” I asked.
“It’s in two weeks,” he answered. “Tell me, Doc, how serious is this …
When a diagnosis leads to sadness instead of triumph
Antibody testing, also called serological testing, can be used to determine whether an individual is currently infected with COVID-19 or has previously been infected with COVID-19 and recovered. Unlike the molecular testing (PCR tests), which detects the presence of genetic material from the virus from a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab, these antibody tests identify exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19) by looking for antibodies generated by the immune …
Should you get a COVID-19 antibody test?
Debby Ann has a pit bull, and I remembered that when she called me recently. It had belonged to her son, who is now deceased. He was murdered. She wants to meet me for lunch.
Debby Ann is a pretty lady, at least she was the last time I saw her. We worked together for a while. She has an especially pretty face, and nice blond hair. In her twenties, I …
The social worker and a patient who lost her son
With a leftover airline credit to spend, I recently decided to take a quick trip down to southern California and make one of my routine treks along Interstate 5 from San Diego to Orange County. I wanted to see how the area was dealing with the pandemic and enjoy some sun.
No trip would be complete without a visit to my favorite bar in Encinitas, which had expanded its barbecue offerings …
Safe restaurant practices as crisis therapy: lessons from a bartender
With promising early results of a coronavirus vaccine, there is increased excitement among the American public and policy-makers for a possible resolution to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, despite cheerleading by the scientific community and industry leaders, numerous uncertainties remain. Even with a favorable trial, the earliest “doable” COVID-19 vaccine, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious …
Ensuring equity and coverage for future coronavirus vaccinations
I have chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and I do not want anyone to infect me. Because of my leukemia, I have low immunoglobulin levels, so I am extremely cautious. If I were to become infected, it would mean that I did something to put myself in danger. We have been telling people for the last three months to socially distance, but people still want to go to bars and restaurants and …
How can we stop the spread of coronavirus?
With COVID-19 continuing to spread, some might assume that the one place to avoid is a hospital emergency room. After all, the space is filled with health care providers who work in close contact with sick people.
This assumption could be harmful to a person in need of emergent medical care, and now, thanks to a study we recently conducted, we also know it’s likely incorrect.
Our study found that health care …
Is COVID-19 contraction risk lower in ER than in routine activities?
“Alright, sir, that’s the plan, and we will take good care of you. What questions do you have for me?” I asked after discussing the patient’s condition and hospital course. The patient looked satisfied and nodded as if he understood the plan, and asked: “Well, one question, where are you from?” I immediately let out an internal sigh, knowing where this conversation was going and replied, “Well sir, I was …
The story of an Indian doctor with vitiligo
Barriers. Barriers of yellow tape and plastic mark our makeshift rooms. Red zippers define the “ENTER” and “EXIT.” In the middle is a window of still clearer plastic, partially obscured by taped ECGs. Barriers are put up to keep us safe, but they can do so much more, if we let them.
A tap on the plastic window has become the universal command of attention from the nurses, residents, and respiratory …
A new ICU reality that may not disappear soon
Fear, despair, and exhaustion are emotions collectively expressed by health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Years of health care experience has not equipped us with ways to maintain our mental wellbeing in the face of current pandemic, as evidenced by painful stories of fellow colleagues who have lost their lives. An especially vulnerable group among health care providers are Asians, who account for Read more…
Mental health among Asian American health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Patricia, she is maybe 40. She is mentally ill. Her mother was shot while cooking in her kitchen with a rifle someone was fooling with, and the weapon went off. Patricia was there to see her mother’s head just about blown off. She was 16 then.
I don’t know why I mention the long-ago shooting, except it never goes far out of my mind when the subject is Patricia.
Persons like Patricia …
The forgotten letter a social worker wrote on behalf of a psychiatrist
Before COVID-19, I could only ponder the importance of human connection in medicine, of narrowing the physical and emotional space between physician and patient. I wondered where we had wandered as a profession, one struggling to reconnect with the humanistic principles upon which it was founded. Though the incredible value of modern medical advancement is undeniable, progress in the field has been mirrored by a regression in engaged presence. The …
The pandemic exposes the need for humanism
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As women physicians, especially physician-moms and women physicians of color, we have handled and achieved more than the vast majority of the population, in order to reach our current status of physician.
We do because we can.
We are Superwomen. Until we’re not.
Without thought, we take on others’ responsibilities, because we can.
In addition to our own personal responsibility to ourselves and to our loved ones, we take on the responsibilities of our …
What does it mean to be responsible during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Work is a necessary part of life. More than simply a means to a paycheck, work gives individuals a sense of dignity and accomplishment. Feeling as though one is participating in meaningful work, whether it is contributing to a massive project or an individual artistic pursuit, allows one to feel as though they have a purpose.
While this urge to create or work appears to be a universal human trait, the …
The second surge of COVID-19 that was predicted after individuals across the country celebrated the Memorial Day holiday seems to have begun. Cases in Arizona have nearly doubled since the holiday weekend as hospitals in the state are reaching capacity. Oregon and Utah have paused reopening in the midst of spikes in numbers of cases …
Masks are not a partisan issue. They are a public health issue. #AmericaMaskUp
As the reopening was being evaluated, I found myself contemplating the routine use of a mask in public. I was already wearing it 12 hours a day in the hospital. On one of the clinic days, after constantly conversing while wearing the mask, I also found out the hard way that I don’t have the taste buds for non-woven sub-micron thin polypropylene spaghetti. The prospect of wearing one while going …
Are you a mask wimp? Get over it.
The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over
COVID-19 continues to devastate communities across the U.S., with 100,000 deaths and climbing. Health care workers have rushed to the frontlines without hesitation to respond to the needs of our patients. Fortunately, due to social distancing and other public health measures, the coronavirus caseload may be plateauing and even decreasing. As a nation, we have largely avoided the Read more…
The nation’s best hospitals must remain focused on COVID-19
A couple of months ago, I had a lecture on the “Principles of Epidemiology and Public Health.” I remember looking at the graphs taken from the American Heart Association and noting that the incidence of developing coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction was higher in black men compared to their white counterparts. I thought to myself, “So this means that race is a risk factor in …
Dissecting systemic racism in health care
“Have you ever been on a cruise?” Betty asks.
It’s a strange question in the age of COVID-19, where thousands of people have been stranded on large ships over the past few months. I’m a wound physician who rounds at nursing homes, and my gloved hand holds her warm, wrinkled foot. I’m looking at a wound on her ankle that is almost healed.
“I went on a cruise before, but it was …
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