Let me set the stage for you:
A pandemic is raging.
People are scared.
People are sick and some are dying.
Loved ones are losing family members.
Activities like sports, parties, family get togethers, vacations, and more are getting cancelled.
There is a national coin shortage.
Businesses are closing their doors, some forever.
We have to wear masks everywhere we go.
The world around us is HURTING. The “unknown” surrounds us and is creating division in our society. There are arguments over the smallest of things, like having to wear a mask, and tensions are high.
In the midst of ALL of this, our healthcare heroes are continuing on. They are marching to battle an unknown enemy. They rage war against this adversary bravely and honorably without complaint. They take care of us daily so that we can be safe in our homes. They miss out on family time in order to keep their loved ones safe from this unknown enemy. They sacrifice sleep, food, and much more to care for the ones in their charge. They go to work for 12 hr shifts and come home worrying if they are exposing their loved ones. They are working tirelessly to give us peace of mind that SOMEONE will be there for us if and when we need them.
They do all of these things and are met with frustration, anger, resentment, hostility, the list could go on…. from patients who are frustrated, scared, anxious, and just want things to be normal again.
For example:
A few days ago I went to a Dr. appointment for my son and had a few questions for the doctor. He apologized for not having all of the answers to my questions. He said “I could tell you what our policy is today, but it could change tomorrow, I just don’t know. I don’t make these rules, I’m just having to enforce them.” I immediately felt the weight of what that Dr. was feeling. He felt the need to apologize for DOING HIS JOB. I can’t imagine how many people get angry about the new policies that hospitals and Dr. offices are having to put in place, and that hostility is directed toward the very people that are trying to take care of us. 😔
You see…. if we take a moment and put ourselves in their shoes, we would realize that they are doing their best, in the worst situation. They are giving up things that can’t be seen.
We understand that our readers have many questions when it comes to their healthcare right now. Specifically…..
Are you about to have a baby? Are you scared because of the unknown? Will your spouse be able to be there with you? Will you have to wear a mask during labor? Will you have to be separated from your baby? Can your family members, midwife, doula, or anyone come support you during labor?
These are all VERY good questions, but the honest answer is WE DONT KNOW. I tried getting concrete answers from our local hospital so that we could provide some resources to our moms here on the blog, but they told me the same thing my son’s doctor did. They just don’t know what might change tomorrow, so they cant say for certain what we might experience during a labor months from now. (And that is perfectly okay to be honest and say you don’t know. We understand.) This virus is so new and policies are changing so quickly, that even the doctors and nurses have trouble keeping up with current procedures. To make matters worse, when they enforce the rules, they are met with anger from the patient.
Times are hard right now. Doctors, NPs, nurses, pharmacists, support staff, and all of our Healthcare Heroes are trying to do their jobs as they are told, and their administration is having to make impossible decisions on how to best mitigate risks during this global pandemic.
To all non-healthcare workers: We want you to know that it is okay to be scared. It is okay to be worried and anxious about the unknown. We just want to remind you that our healthcare heroes are scared too. They are anxious too. They don’t know what tomorrow may hold for themselves or their families.
To our medical field friends: We love our healthcare heroes! Simply put, we know tensions are higher than ever, and we (the patient) are sorry when we get anxious and scared and want more information. You aren’t overreacting by enforcing your rules about masks (and any other guidelines). We are human too and are trying to prepare for the unknown, just like you. Please forgive us for not fully understanding how you feel. Please know—
We are here for you.
We see you.
We support you.
We will wear our mask to protect you.
We will follow the rules you give us because you are doing your best.
We will pray for you that God will protect you and your families and keep you safe from this unknown enemy.
Thank you to our Healthcare Heroes for fighting this battle tirelessly to keep us safe.
❤️ From everyone at Auburn-Opelika Moms
PS: We are always trying to provide great resources to all of our followers out there, especially during a pandemic like this one, so here is a link to CURRENT COVID procedures at our local hospital. They are awesome and have kept this link updated as procedures change. (Always remember to go straight to the source when you need information). We hope this is helpful for you!
