This says it all right now. The lady speaking is clergy and is local to me. I removed her name simply to keep her FB page from being slammed.
Today is the first day where my ENTIRE shift was consumed with helping people die of Covid 19. I had what you might call a small ‘break’ while I was in a virtual training for an hour on how to help lead virtual support groups for staff to process how traumatic this all is but that was while I was actively waiting to get called to help with another patient who was already in the midst of the dying process. While many of my shifts have been consumed with helping people die all day, I have never had a day in chaplaincy where I helped everyone die of the exact same thing. This is just a small window into healthcare as I’m the chaplain.
I witnessed a whole team of people pouring into these lives today—nurses in full PPE doing rounds of chest compressions, dripping sweat, and then continuing with care for more patients right after. Since this pandemic began, I have helped people in their 20s die of this virus and people in their 90s...all from outside a window while I send two loved ones in alone in full PPE to say goodbye. It turns out no one is actually immune. Other than minors, I have seen someone in almost every decade die of this virus. I don’t even work in the downtown hospital.
I’m sharing this now because also this week I have had more than one person tell me they do not think the virus is real, think we are exaggerating it, or we are taking too many precautions. I’m genuinely concerned for the staff I deeply care about as the next months projected numbers look terrifying if people gather outside of their pods to eat together for Thanksgiving as they are expected to do. This is a season for us to find new ways to come together creatively, to support one another, pray for one another, and be in something together to effect change. Together we could actually save lives.
I’m praying for softened hearts as we all make sacrifices in order to support our devoted and very exhausted healthcare workers. I’m still holding onto hope that we will hear God calling us to this bigger story where we work together creatively to value each human life as sacred and TOGETHER, we make a difference.
news.yahoo.com
