Here we go again.

[+ purplekow]

This afternoon at work, I was called to an emergency meeting . As with the most of the rest of the country, CoVid cases are on the rise in NJ and many of the surrounding hospitals have already been seeing large numbers of patients. There are several communities in this area in which for reasons both political and social, social distancing and mask use have not been embraced. As a result, while the rest of the state was relatively quiet, some of the local hospitals have continued to have a significant number of CoVid patients.

 

The meeting today was to inform us of the planned changes to bed distribution which will be made this weekend. This bed distribution will once again include an additional ICU and one CoVid assigned floor and one floor held empty for overflow of CoVid patients. The neighboring hospitals had reached near peak capacity and there are plans to transfer some of the more seriously ill patient to our temporarily underutilized ICU. The five local hospitals each had thirty to forty patients with CoVid in the hospital and about half of those were requiring intensive care.

 

The hospital at which I work had ten patient with Covid, three in the ICU. Just last week we had only 2 patients with CoVid, none in the ICU.

I am taking care of two CoVid patients now after going most of the summer with none.

 

There is a different feeling to the whole operation this time. Much more organized and matter of fact. Less panic but there is certainly a level of apprehension. Some have expressed doubt as to their ability to go through this again, but off course they will.

 

We have protocols whereas in the spring we had clinical trials and seat of the pants attempts to stem the tide of the infection. He have more equipment and p[ans to conserve that equipment and methods to insure that the equipment is used to its best efficiency. We have clinical experience and a working familiarity in the vicissitudes that any patient's course may take.

 

I. am confident that this time we will be better prepared and just as determined to care for these patients with every diligence.

 

The two patient's I am caring for now do not fit the mold of what many would consider the expected CoVid patient and each has had a rock course. One of the patient's is a 22 year old man of Haitian descent who had just began having success as a fashion model. He has been ill for three weeks and was first tested positive at that time. He was treated at another hospital, While there, he developed problems with blood clot formation which has led to failure of several organs. The CoVid testing is still positive but the acute symptoms have resolved, but the clot issues remain. He is a young 22 year old. He is not at all worldly and his only concern expressed irelates to his discharge and his return to modeling. The damage he has suffered will likely be permanent and I can see that it is very likely he will need a transplant in the not too distant future. He will be one of the under recognized victims of the chronic effects of this virus.

 

The other patient is a 42 year old woman who worked at a local fast food restaurant and who had been sick for almost two weeks when she came to the ER with a high fever and shortness of breath. When I first examined her, I experienced the deep in the gut expectation that she was not going to do well. Apart from the fever and the shortness of breath, she was otherwise medically stable. By the second day, she was requiring higher doses of oxygen and was breathing even more quick. Her chest muscles were obviously being called upon to work harder. These accessory muscles of respiration are called into use only in times of significant respiratory compromise. I spoke with her husband. I explained the situation and tried to offer hope to him that I did not have myself. During the night her condition worsened and it seemed likely that she was going to need to be placed on a ventilator. The vast majority of patients with CoVid who require that kind of support rarely live to leave the hospital. And then, in the morning, unexpectedly, she was better. Not totally better but much improved. She has gone from the brink and has returned. Breathing more easily, I expect her to be home by the end of the weekend, It will be heartening to see her leave that isolation room, even if that bed will be filled with another victim in short order.

 

So gentleman, please be safe. Please act as though your life depends on you being very respectful of this virus, because it does.

[Guest]

You are a quiet and unassuming healthcare hero. Thank you for your caring and empathetic commitment to those in your care. I am glad to hear that this wave feels different, but sorry that it had to come.

 

For my part, I will remain committed to masks and social distancing and shall not contribute to the problem rooted in the ignorance of those who won’t.

[+ sync]

Shocking and depressing.

Edited October 31, 2020 by Cooper

[+ Pensant]

What is it with plastic surgeons? I’m friends with one too, and he has similar views.

Edited October 31, 2020 by Cooper

[+ purplekow]

People do not need as much plastic surgery when they are wearing masks. More to the point, elective surgeries such as cosmetic surgery are put on hold in times of health crises. Many surgeons were unable to keep up their life style during the last phase. Many surgeons did not work for weeks but at least at my hospital, it was nearly impossible to get them to do necessary procedures on CoVid patients.

[+ sniper]

Lets be honest, most(not all) plastic surgeons are in it for the money, not a desire to help people. I know of one (college acquaintance) who is an exception - she does the vanity surgeries so she can do reconstructive surgeries for cancer patients pro bono. But most of them want to be like the guys on Nip/Tuck.

[John Doe II]

This afternoon at work, I was called to an emergency meeting . As with the most of the rest of the country, CoVid cases are on the rise in NJ and many of the surrounding hospitals have already been seeing large numbers of patients. There are several communities in this area in which for reasons both political and social, social distancing and mask use have not been embraced. As a result, while the rest of the state was relatively quiet, some of the local hospitals have continued to have a significant number of CoVid patients.

 

The meeting today was to inform us of the planned changes to bed distribution which will be made this weekend. This bed distribution will once again include an additional ICU and one CoVid assigned floor and one floor held empty for overflow of CoVid patients. The neighboring hospitals had reached near peak capacity and there are plans to transfer some of the more seriously ill patient to our temporarily underutilized ICU. The five local hospitals each had thirty to forty patients with CoVid in the hospital and about half of those were requiring intensive care.

 

The hospital at which I work had ten patient with Covid, three in the ICU. Just last week we had only 2 patients with CoVid, none in the ICU.

I am taking care of two CoVid patients now after going most of the summer with none.

 

There is a different feeling to the whole operation this time. Much more organized and matter of fact. Less panic but there is certainly a level of apprehension. Some have expressed doubt as to their ability to go through this again, but off course they will.

 

We have protocols whereas in the spring we had clinical trials and seat of the pants attempts to stem the tide of the infection. He have more equipment and p[ans to conserve that equipment and methods to insure that the equipment is used to its best efficiency. We have clinical experience and a working familiarity in the vicissitudes that any patient's course may take.

 

I. am confident that this time we will be better prepared and just as determined to care for these patients with every diligence.

 

The two patient's I am caring for now do not fit the mold of what many would consider the expected CoVid patient and each has had a rock course. One of the patient's is a 22 year old man of Haitian descent who had just began having success as a fashion model. He has been ill for three weeks and was first tested positive at that time. He was treated at another hospital, While there, he developed problems with blood clot formation which has led to failure of several organs. The CoVid testing is still positive but the acute symptoms have resolved, but the clot issues remain. He is a young 22 year old. He is not at all worldly and his only concern expressed irelates to his discharge and his return to modeling. The damage he has suffered will likely be permanent and I can see that it is very likely he will need a transplant in the not too distant future. He will be one of the under recognized victims of the chronic effects of this virus.

 

The other patient is a 42 year old woman who worked at a local fast food restaurant and who had been sick for almost two weeks when she came to the ER with a high fever and shortness of breath. When I first examined her, I experienced the deep in the gut expectation that she was not going to do well. Apart from the fever and the shortness of breath, she was otherwise medically stable. By the second day, she was requiring higher doses of oxygen and was breathing even more quick. Her chest muscles were obviously being called upon to work harder. These accessory muscles of respiration are called into use only in times of significant respiratory compromise. I spoke with her husband. I explained the situation and tried to offer hope to him that I did not have myself. During the night her condition worsened and it seemed likely that she was going to need to be placed on a ventilator. The vast majority of patients with CoVid who require that kind of support rarely live to leave the hospital. And then, in the morning, unexpectedly, she was better. Not totally better but much improved. She has gone from the brink and has returned. Breathing more easily, I expect her to be home by the end of the weekend, It will be heartening to see her leave that isolation room, even if that bed will be filled with another victim in short order.

 

So gentleman, please be safe. Please act as though your life depends on you being very respectful of this virus, because it does.

How do you know the blood clots are directly related to covid?

[JayCeeKy]

What is it with plastic surgeons? I’m friends with one too, and he has similar views.

I don't want to hijack the thread further but I will add that, although initially plastic surgeons suffered financially from Covid due to a drop in elective surgeries, they are now going gangbusters given that their patients can now hide their treatments by recovering at home or even venture forth in public while hiding their "scars" behind masks. Plastic Surgeons should be grateful. At the risk of overgeneralizing, I know a PS in Kentucky and yes, he is a Prima Donna also.

[+ keroscenefire]

So gentleman, please be safe. Please act as though your life depends on you being very respectful of this virus, because it does.

 

Thanks for all that you do! Healthcare workers are so important and needed right now. COVID-19 is getting really scary in so many places. Colorado just had it's highest ever daily number of cases today and my friends who work in hospitals are all saying they are filling up.

 

I've stopped hiring for the time being and increased my social distancing to having just a handful of friends in my "bubble" that I only meet outside and/or with masks. I haven't seen my family in person since it has gotten bad again and because my dad in particular has health issues that make him vulnerable.

 

I think we should all prepare for another inevitable lockdown.

[Guest]

How do you know the blood clots are directly related to covid?

It's an extremely well-documented and well-known complication of Covid-19 infection. In fact, I thought it was standard of care at this point to put patients who are hospitalized on anticoagulation. The only question at this time is what is the correct dosing.