For months, I’ve watched the battle over wearing masks. I admit I was skeptical about the whole pandemic when it first arose last year. I thought the “media” was blowing it out of proportion. I selfishly lived as though life was normal. But there was entire segment of the population who didn’t have that privilege: the medical professionals who keep us safe.
The current delta variant has shown its damaging effect on individuals no matter the age. I noticed more people I knew becoming affected by the virus. I’ve heard from friends or family members that relatives had died due to COVID-19. I have even seen graphic images of someone close to the family with people surrounding their loved one before taking them off the ventilator resulting in their passing. Within two weeks, I knew of 15 friends or family members who caught COVID-19. It almost seemed as if testing for COVID-19 as Dallas White Park was my new routine.
But it wasn’t until recently when I was at an area hospital where I saw the behind-the-scenes effects of the pandemic. I traveled to the Emergency Room to help a friend who was there for a non-COVID-related visit. They were already sitting in the waiting room for three hours upon my arrival. I didn’t think I would be sitting there 4.5 hours after that.
The hospital was full of COVID-19 patients on top of other residents. People were sleeping in the waiting room for hours. I saw nurses, CNAs, and other staff walking through the waiting room to take a break or come back from a convenience store, the only place open to get food. You could see in their faces the overwhelming effects of exhaustion. Their movement was staggered, which to me indicated they’ve been on their feet for hours.
At one point, a medical professional told another coworker, “I’m so tired. I’m exhausted. I was off, but they called me in and needed help.” Another worker leaving at 4 a.m. stopped to tell the front desk that she’ll be back a few hours later. We’ve all seen it on the news. We read it in the newspapers. We’ve seen it on social media.
But how many have seen a firsthand perspective of what this pandemic means for medical professionals who are not only sacrificing their own lives but providing countless hours of support, care, and nurture to hundreds of patients daily.
But wait — there’s more. An older man came into the ER with his wife for a head injury. He was using a towel to try and stop the bleeding. He told the front desk he’s starting to feel dizzy. What I would assume to be an immediate push to an ER room shockingly turned into the staff providing him with a “gag bag” in case he needed to throw up, put him in a wheelchair, and had him wait in the lobby. I sat in awe that he had sat there and waited. I sat nauseous as he began to gag to vomit. He was taken back ten minutes later.
This made me think deeply. We can fight every day about masks and mask mandates. But the truth of the matter is — people are dying. Medical professionals are tired and overworked. Other individuals who need medical attention are delayed because hospitals are full.
My friend ended up in the ER for 7 hours.
This is the world we are currently living in. But I think it’s time we stop thinking about ourselves and our opinions but come together to help those putting in endless hours to save lives. It’s not about just us anymore. It’s time to do something impactful that will bring unity to our community.
Wear a mask. Don’t wear a mask. But stop fighting when the issues go a lot deeper than what appears on the surface. I challenge you, to think before you blast someone for their decision or opinion. I challenge you to be grateful for those medical professionals on the front lines making a difference. I once thought COVID-19 was overrated. But now I have seen it, and it’s personal. Don’t let it be your loved one fighting for their life before you realize the real medical crisis we are facing.
Thank a nurse, CNA, doctor, or other medical professionals.
They need it now more than ever.
This is a true medical emergency, and it’s deeper than fighting over a mask.
Stay safe.
Tyler T. Gibson is the owner of Eagle Marketing & Design.
Published in the Daily Sun Newspapers
September 10, 2021
Adams Publishing Group
