Many thousands have died worldwide from COVID-19 and many thousands more (hoping for 5, not 6 or 7 figures) over the coming months. This is a human disaster on a scale seen recently in the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
2. Of course we focus on the dead, we must. But we must also listen to the survivors. Interviews with people who've survived COVID-19 reveal a surprising range of experiences.
3. One thing they certainly all share, and share with their families and friends, is the fear and stress of wondering "do I have it? will I get really sick, how will it affect my family? will I die?"
4. All disease sufferers know this experience, and survivors have a special wisdom to share. We must be very careful not to dismiss people who survived with a "light case" of COVID-19, we must listen to them.
5. This is what Rpbert Jay Lifton calls the "wisdom of the survivor," a term he coined when writing his amazing book Death in Life, about the experience of Hiroshima bombing survivors.
6. Lifton's insights are of value to us now, not only applicable to Hiroshima. Survivors have experiences that help us build communities of support, empathy, and preparation for future disasters. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
7. I am concerned that we will downplay the fears and dread and real struggles COVID-19 victims are going through just to find out whether or not they have the illness. That suffering is ALSO part of the disaster. We need to value it, and learn from these survivors. /end
8. I want to make sure that his name is spelled correctly, so be sure to check out the work of Robert Jay Lifton!
billmoyers.com/story/dangerou…
billmoyers.com/story/dangerou…
