Last week, I received this Facebook message from a local health care worker (HCW) that offers a perspective on those on the frontlines in this battle with COVID-19:
Everyone is thinking of coworkers and even coworkers’ families before themselves. No one wants to give it to someone else…
We have tested quite a few people… some positive. Even the negatives some are still sick as shit with something. That have to be cared for…and you hope u don’t infect them.
These young nurses are crushing it. These environmental service people are crushing it. Respiratory therapists are.. Jesus ..beyond belief.
The mental exhaustion is real… just thinking every second what you are touching, cleaning constantly, making sure your PPE is properly donned and sealed and discarded. And yes, if u should throw it away at all.. will that be your last protective gear.
Everyone is thinking of coworkers and even coworkers’ families before themselves. No one wants to give it to someone else, and no one wants to take it home to families. No one wants to give it to another patient.
It’s just the beauty of being a HCW.
We try to be rational, we try to offer hope…
We try to have mental downtime but you go home, strip in the garage and still thin you’re a carrier.. so isolate as much as possible.
I just fear complete and mental exhaustion for HCW–PTSD, especially if some of the public is not taking it serious. It’s like a slap in the face from uncooperative people. Like spinning our wheels.
It takes a mental toll when we are doing everything possible, and some are disregarding Temporary requests… because they don’t believe in government because they just want to be assholes. Or it won’t happen to their grandma. Or they don’t care… it’s selfish.
You want to just throat punch them. And of course, they would want someone to be healthy to take care of their Dumbasses if needed.
We try to be rational, we try to offer hope…We mainly just miss good ole fashion spending time with our patients, touching talking hugging.
It just all sucks.