Items
Creator is exactly
Karen Joiner
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2020-07-12Work Reality
My mother has been a healthcare employee for over 20 years. She loves her job and her patients. She is also immunodeficient. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was placed on medical leave. After 3 months in isolation, she returned to work to face her new reality. Thankfully, in the time she was at home, her employer acquired ppe and has implemented strict social distancing policies, including teleappoinments. Her employer has been understanding and supportive of her medical needs. And she feels as safe as she can feel when she is at work. But this doesn't mean it is easy. She wears two masks (an N95 mask covered by a secondary mask) and goggles the entire time she works. She has deep seemingly permanent indentations from the ppe on her face. Even with the protection, she still worries about her level of exposure as she comes into contact with 20-30 different patients per day. I have only seen her once since the shelter-in-place orders began in California. And I'm not sure when I'll see her again. I miss her. Her grandkids miss her. When people question why my family is taking the COVID-19 pandemic so seriously, I tell them about my mom. She does not have a choice to stay home or to avoid exposure to the virus. With her condition, she is high risk and could likely die. If I can help her, and many others like her, stay safe during this pandemic, I will do it. Even if it means a great deal of personal sacrifice. -
2020-05-09A Birthday To Remember: Celebrating With A 50 Participant Surprise Zoom Party!
We were invited to partake in a surprise Zoom call for a dear friend's 39th birthday. Our friend's partner asked all attendees to arrive to the virtual party 10 minutes before the official start time of 7 p.m. with a favorite celebratory drink in hand. Over 50 participants arrived on time for the call and stayed as long as 2.5 hours. Friends connected via the messaging chat function of Zoom, as well as through live video. Since we are unable to show our love for someone in person during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, it is heartwarming that people still choose to show up the best they can for those they love.