Thread by @gradydoctor

1/
#NarrativeintheTimeofCOVID

Red shirt, khaki pants.
Same happy face—even behind the mask.

You: “Dr. Manning! Where you been?”
Me: “I been around!”

*elbow air bump*

You: “This your patient?”
Me: “It is. You coming for her?”
You: “Yeah. But I can wait for you.”

2/
Me: “You sure?”
You: “Yeah. Go ahead.”
Me: "Awesome."
You: *thumbs up*

Concentrating while donning my PPE. Between each step, I use more hand foam. Then more hand foam. Even when I wasn’t sure because I figured more sanitizer is almost always right.

Yeah.

3/
I slipped into the room, hands up like that of a surgeon. I greeted my pt--and also the environmental services person cleaning up something in the room.

Yeah.

My pt and I chatted first—about how she was feeling. And also about the weather. (Unseasonably warm that day.)

4/
I located the dedicated stethoscope in her room. And then I placed it to her chest, back, abdomen. My gloved hands pressed into her flesh and she winced.

Me: “I’m sorry.”
Her: “Still hurts.”

I laced my latex fingers and nodded. Then explained the plan.

5/
I said bye to my pt. Then gave a nod to EVS friend who seemed to be finishing up, too.

She paused for me.

Meticulous doffing. Wondering if EVS lady is judging me.
From her “smize” behind her mask I could tell she was not.

It was gracious of her to let me leave first.

6/
You were a few feet away when I came out.
Six feet, I'm willing to bet.
Red shirt, khaki pants.

You glanced over at me.

You: “You all set?”
Me: “I am—thanks. Taking her to CT?”
You: “Yep—unless your plan changed?”
Me: “Nah. Same plan.”
You: *thumbs up*

7/
Someone walked in your direction and cracked a joke. You threw your head back and laughed, mask slightly askew now. Your eyes were dancing.

Then the EVS employee came out and smiled at me again with her eyes. I returned the favor.

All of it was ordinary, none of it heavy.

8/
You: “Be careful, Dr. Manning, okay? We need you.”

The EVS employee nodded in agreement. Out of habit, I said I would.

I was about to walk off but stopped.

Me: "Hey--I appreciate y'all."
You: *thumbs up*
EVS: *already on to the next spill*

And that was that.

9/
Such a mundane moment yet it stuck in my head like song on replay.

All month long I’d been getting these messages. Thanking me for being “on the frontline.” I got memes and images of doctors and nurses leaping tall buildings in a single bound.

And free lunches, too.

Yep.

10/
But then I thought about you:
Red shirt, khaki pants.
Transporting patients all over the hospital.

In the middle of a pandemic.

And her
Cleaning up spills in full PPE.
But still "smizing."

I wondered if anyone had sent you a meme.
Or bought y'all lunch.

Hmmm.

11/
And no. I won’t trivialize the critical role HCWs play during this scary time.

But.

What I’m learning is that the #COVID19 “frontline” looks a lot of ways. Sometimes it’s scrubs and a Patagonia vest.

But it also can include:
red shirts
khaki pants

and grace.

#iseeyou

12/
Shout out to ALL of our @GradyHealth patient transporters (like “Champ” pictured), our environmental services team, our food services employees, and so, so many more who are essential to everything we do.

We need you, too. 👊🏽🏥🙏🏽