The third wave is ravaging our communities. We are heartbroken & exhausted.
As our ICU & dedicated COVID-19 units continue to fill, Dr. Shelly Dev, critical care physician at Sunnybrook, shares an unfiltered, raw account of what it's like on the front-lines. (1/11)
⬇
"There is nothing predictable about COVID-19 in this third wave. You think you can draw on the expertise you’ve gained over the years, but there is no pattern with this disease.” (2/11)
“You see a patient who seems relatively stable, then within an hour, they’re on a ventilator. Their deterioration can be so fast, it’s scary.” (3/11)
"The rise of the variants means this is a separate illness from last year.
This third wave is different.
More people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s are getting sick. These are people who were healthy." (4/11)
"Some are people who couldn’t stay home because they are essential workers. Then they bring the virus home, and their whole family gets sick." (5/11)
"These lockdowns are incredibly tough. It’s reasonable to feel angry & frustrated right now. I hate what it’s doing to my children, my parents, my in-laws. I hate that small businesses are suffering. But what I hate more is watching people get sick & die from this virus." (6/11)
“It’s devastating to look after people when you know they won’t survive.” (7/11)
"The biggest challenge in hospitals is the health of our health-care workers. You can have all the equipment in the world, but none of that matters if you don’t have the specialized staff – nurses, respiratory therapists, custodial staff – in good enough health to work." (8/11)
“They are our most valuable resource. Health-care workers have been pushed to their limits during this pandemic, & they are exhausted.
I’m so worried about my colleagues and friends who are doing their best, every day, even as it takes a toll on their own mental health.” (9/11)
"Right now, as communities of people, we have an opportunity to help each other and to show solidarity.
Keep wearing a mask, maintain your distance, stay home when possible and get your vaccine as soon as you are eligible." (10/11)
“Thank you to everyone who is doing their part. We are so grateful.” (11/11)
Photos in this thread were taken on one of Sunnybrook’s dedicated COVID-19 units over the past two weeks.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
The Mobile Health Unit (MHU) is a resource that allows us to provide safe and quality care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when hospital beds and resources are limited.
"The Mobile Health Unit is part of a systems strategy to ensure we have capacity... We are utilizing it to take patients from perhaps all over the [health-care] system."
Hear from Robert Burgess, Sr. Director of Emergency Preparedness at Sunnybrook:
“Safety of our patients… has been our priority when setting up the Mobile Health Unit. We are confident that the care provided will be of the very highest quality."
Hear from Debra Carew, Clinical Operations of the Mobile Health Unit: