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 Beth Obertino-Norwood, PA(ASCP)CM
AAPA member since 2005
“Hello all. My journey through the COVID-19 crisis had been pretty similar to the stories I have heard from many of you. After a flurry of a few very busy days preparing our hospital for the upcoming surge of patients, our specimen numbers dropped significantly, and I am having to find new and creative ways to fill my days. Because of the limited number of COVID-19 tests available, we were getting emails every day about who qualified for testing. Because of safety concerns, no more visitors were allowed in the hospital, and because of concerns for staffing and employee safety, all travel was restricted to within one hour of the hospital. I understood the reasoning for each of these decisions, but everything became a little more real to me when our 29-year-old daughter living in Chicago got COVID-19. Suddenly, I was not only looking at the restrictions with the eyes of a medical professional, but also with the eyes of a mother.
The shortage of tests meant that because our daughter is in her 20s and has no comorbid conditions (no asthma, no diabetes, etc.), is not in a working or living situation where she could infect others, and is not sick enough to be hospitalized (thank goodness!), she did not qualify for testing. Her symptoms are classic, and we feel confident she has COVID-19, but she won’t be counted in the numbers of positive patients. She is isolated in her home, and her doctor is watching her and treating her with the assumption that she has COVID-19. I certainly would not want our daughter to have a test that could be better used on a healthcare worker or a more-at-risk patient, but I will admit that there was a ‘what do you mean you won’t test her’ reaction that I couldn’t help.
I do not expect our daughter to be hospitalized. She is young, otherwise healthy, and statistics are on her side. However, I am acutely aware of the fact that if she were to be hospitalized, we would not be allowed to visit her. It makes my heart ache for all of the families that have loved ones in our hospital and can’t lay eyes on them or comfort them.
My daughter’s fiancé is with her and keeping a watchful eye on her. Her doctor has been very responsive and is answering all questions and checking in. She does not need our help, but I am overly cognizant of the fact that we are in separate cities with travel restrictions and exposure concerns preventing me from being part of her care if needed. The isolation and separation that we were already dealing with now feels even worse.
I get an email from our hospital every day with the number of our current COVID-19 inpatients. But now I am more aware of all of those people with COVID-19 who are managing their symptoms at home. I feel grateful that they are not sick enough to warrant hospitalization or be on a ventilator but also understand that they, too, have scary and uncertain moments. Just how bad does one’s breathing need to be before you call your doctor again?
As a medical professional, I understand all of this. As a mother, I don’t like any of it! None of us do. I am so very grateful for Zoom and FaceTime so that we can keep in close contact with our children, friends, and family around our city, country, and world.
For now, I go to work, gross what cancer cases, biopsies, and placentas we have, and try to fill my days by being useful in other ways. I am more caught up on QA reports and procedures than I have ever been, and my grossing station has had a good deep clean. Although our surgical numbers are way down, I’m sure we will more than make up for them when elective surgery restrictions are lifted. I don’t know what our new normal will look like, but I look forward to the day when life and work is back to a routine. I especially look forward to seeing and hugging my children.“
We want to hear from you! During this time of isolation, now more than ever we need to see and hear from our PA community! How is COVID-19 affecting your work? What tips and tricks have you found useful? How are you using this time to promote pathologists’ assistants? Send us a summary describing your “new normal”, along with one or two high-resolution photos, and your story may be featured next (read previous features here). Or, if you have any COVID-19 resources to add to our list, please pass them along. Remember, we are all in this together, and the AAPA will be here to support you throughout this crisis and beyond.
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