1/n: I’m in Louisiana for a non-COVID family emergency.
Said emergency makes me visit the ICU every day, three times a day. Been here since Saturday, and in the process I’ve seen
A
LOT.
2/n: Today, I sat beside a woman in the icu as she wept. I rode an elevator with a grieving wife. There are sirens. My family’s ICU unit is getting back crowded…
3/n: the front desk manager just warned us that 2 people visitation might be stopped “soon” (so say your goodbyes)
4/n: I am a COVID vaccine inventor.
… In Louisiana… a “hot-spot”… watching the virus do what viruses do.
… Feeling helpless because people are opting out of the vaccine.
I um… I… I don’t have the words.
5/n: Please go get vaccinated, y’all.
Please. That’s it. I’m beyond the point of not begging.
Just go. If you are able-bodied… go.
*end rant*
6/n: Update: My ICU waiting room friend lost her husband to COVID. Yesterday, I grieved her husband like I would grieve an uncle. I can only imagine what the ICU docs and nurses have been through for 1.5 years.
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Sometimes, I start my lab meetings with a world view of “things”. It helps to provide a place where it’s clear science is second to sanity, inclusion, respect, etc.
I don’t even have to words to begin lab meeting next Monday,
My lab is at Harvard. Btw.
When there is war. I speak about loving everyone and peace, etc… and I remind people if they feel unsafe, tell me so I can provide a safe place.
When there is a viral uptick, I speak about safety precautions, freedom of masking, etc.
I’m up. Ever since my sister’s accident, I haven’t slept a bit. Soooo here is a thread on how a clinical trial drug likely saved her life, and moreover how Black respresentation amongst @DukeHospital’s surgery trial coordinators saved her life.
Sunday, my baby sister was in an accident. She had critical trauma and when she got to the ER was still alert and aware. With her level of trauma about 30% of people lose so much blood they don’t make it.
Knowing this, researchers have been studying clotting factors, and currently… in trial… is a drug that mimics the bodies inflammatory response to trauma to essentially speed the recovery response and the clotting… it nearly always works.
I just called into a meeting that EYE curated back in 2018 after interest in Coronaviruses got low. People were leaving our meetings so I rebranded it as the “emerging infectious diseases” meeting. When the pandemic started interest went up and it became a center-wide meeting.
The meeting today ended with “okay which principal investigator will take over”. It’s extremely hard to leave your baby behind… but… you know…
Today, my dad and my PhD dad get to witness me getting an honorary degree from UNC. I didn’t “walk” after defending my dissertation. So today... I walk.
So many full circle moments this year.
Honored.
1/n: I hope that no one to which I owe manuscript edits is reading this, but I felt a thread on my spirit as I listened to my UNC commencement address entitled "Home". instagram.com/tv/CPEMTyPHthd…
2/n: I just got an honorary doctorate from the institution (@unc) that I also received my PhD in Microbiology and Immunology in 2014. I cried during my "thank you", and I cried when I defended my dissertation, and I cried when @HarvardChanSPH announced my faculty appt last wk.
“She was also involved in several extracurricular activities, including serving as a representative on Student Congress, a delegate to the Association of Student Governments, a staff member in the Attorney General’s office and as a member of the science policy advisory group.”
This quote is a reminder to all students far and wide to not allow anyone to put you in a box. You are not “just” a PhD student. You are a citizen first. Do you, Boo.
1/n: I had to forego the only midday nap I’ve had in over a yr yesterday to address my @instagram DMs b/c so many are hurriedly writing about vaccine dosing, w/o remembering the current dosing is great, safe, effective AND (surprise) public trust matters. instagram.com/stories/kizzyp…
2/n: We understand things can change for science-driven efficiency. Would delaying a second dose be “ok”, probs; but ppl know about efficacy data from the current schedule. I'm often scrambling to find solid data to match X scientist's op ed so of course lay ppl are confused af.
3/n: Remember how confused ppl were when masks were first deemed not needed then suddenly science suggested that in fact they are?! That was us (scientists) on our high horses, not waiting for the data to policy circle to be completed. Just stop!