Thread by @DrAndriaTatem

My rant for the day ;

Yesterday I went to get a glass of wine and something to eat after work. There was a table of people that asked me to join them and offered to pay. I declined because I really wasn’t in the mood and I knew I wouldn’t be good company /1

They kept asking and said come on over and have fun with us. I said I’m really not in the mood and I wouldn’t be good company.

One young lady looked at me and saw my scrub bottoms (I had on a Coming to America t-shirt) /2

She told the group: leave her alone she doesn’t have time to deal with us.

Woman: I know you’re tired. As a healthcare worker you are truly a hero right now…just as much as our soldiers /3

Me: INSTANT TEARS 😭
Not only am I a pediatrician but I’m also an army veteran.

Woman: Well double thank you for your service

You know my daughter has Aspergers and asthma and we’ve been in and out of the hospital her entire life /4

Woman: I took her a couple of weeks ago for an asthma exacerbation. She’s used to seeing the tree and all of the playrooms but she was placed on an adult unit this time

She asked one of her nurses when she could go see the tree /5

Woman: The nurse told her she couldn’t because that entire unit was filled with children with COVID

My daughter cried and asked me could we pray for the kids with COVID

So when I say you’re a hero and I understand why you’re not in the best mood…I understand /6

Woman: Can I pray for you?

My thoughts: I just met this woman…she’s praying for my peace, compassion, strength and energy to fight through the concurrent panoramas (my moms words) that we’re going through /7

My thoughts: I say current and not just covid because we have concurrent panoramas of political/social injustice, COVID, and willingfull ignorance.

Y’all…I’m tired. I’ve never thought that after all this work to get here that I wouldn’t be happy doing what I love. /7

My thoughts: but I am. I’m tired of people with no science background telling me how to go my job

I’m tired of my body my choice applying to masks and vaccines but not a woman’s body.

I’m tired of patients lying about their symptoms and putting us at unnecessary risk. /8

My thoughts: I’m tired of seeing doctors and nurses preaching to the public against science.

I’m just tired. /9

However…this encounter with this woman who’s name I don’t even know encouraged me.

I see that there ARE people that appreciate us. There ARE people that still believe in science. There ARE people, patients that still need MY help /10

And that keeps me going.

Thank you for listening to my rant of frustration and fatigue. To my colleagues, I know we’re tired but there ARE people that are thankful for us and need us.

YOU are the true heroes /11
#MedTwitter #BlackMedTwitter #MedEd #CompassionFatigue