Physician’s story of visit to a suspected-COVID patient from early days of pandemic. Details the stress of not knowing how to protect herself, patients’ isolation from his family, lack of treatment options, frantic pace of ER when infections and frequent deaths taxed medical professionals’ emotional and physical stamina. Relates patients’ conditions to her own father. Vivid starting point to discuss burnout (contrast with simple exhaustion and overwork), remind all audiences of what early months of uncontrollable COVID were like as memories fade. Ends by evoking a Celine Dion/Andrea Bocelli song about prayer that could contribute to discussion of music in healing.
Access
- Link: https://pulsevoices.org/stories/in-need-of-a-prayer
Details
Language: English
Setting (class level or workshop): Professional and Undergraduate
Type of Story: Newspaper or Magazine
Medium: written
Contributed by: Health Story Hub
Citation:
Reilly, J. M. (2020, December 26). In need of a prayer. Pulse Voices. https://pulsevoices.org/stories/in-need-of-a-prayer.