Healthcare worker in the Emergency Department
I work in a busy pediatric emergency department as a physician assistant. That is, busy until a new coronavirus labeled covid19 appeared and everyone in Louisiana was subject to a stay at home order.
Only essential workers were to leave the house unless one was going out for supplies. This limited children’s interactions with each other and likely reduced how many illnesses children were getting exposed to.
Also, the news had been reporting that some people were afraid to go seek care for illnesses due to fear of catching covid19.
The volume in Children’s Hospitals across the country has decreased. Praise the Lord, for the children’s sake, that children have not been swarming the emergency departments.
Limited Funds
Unfortunately for me, that meant a smaller paycheck. A much smaller paycheck.
This has been a huge lesson in trusting the Lord. My husband lost his job in May of 2019 and we just bought a new house in the fall of 2019. We knew money would be tight by the summer of 2020. I never anticipated that a pandemic would affect my income while working in an emergency department!
God works in mysterious ways
My first thoughts were the possibility of foreclosure on our home. Naturally I have been praying and trying to offer up my worries. I knew I needed to trust in God’s plan and that His will will be done.
Fortunately, one of my coworkers told me that you can defer credit card payments without interest and our mortgage company has been amazing!
Also the government sent out stimulus checks and we got a tax return!
Thank the Lord we have help to pay the bills!
Decontamination
It was scary to watch the news and see people my age had died from covid19. The brother of a college classmate of mine died!
My daily prayer time has definitely increased!
My husband wanted to keep the possibility of me transmitting the virus to our family limited. Because of my being exposed to parents and patients potentially with covid19 all during my shift, my coming home routine has changed.
I drive home and take off my shoes and clothes before walking through the house. I toss my clothes into the washer without touching anything.
I head to the bedroom and place my backpack in the covid corner which remains untouched until my next shift. I head to the bathroom and wash my hands thoroughly.
Because I have already touched light switches, the soap dispenser, and faucet I use a disinfecting wipe to wipe down those surfaces and my cell phone.
Then I use the wipe to open the shower curtain and turn on the shower. I then take a very thorough shower!
All the little extra details to protect myself and my family make for a longer time before I can just sit down and eat.
Sacrifice
For the first two months of covid19, my husband and I tried to keep me away from the girls as much as possible. If he came into the master bedroom, he wore a mask.
I slept alone in the master bedroom and no one came into the room. I came home from my shift and there I stayed until my next shift.
I felt like a prisoner. I would put out my plate and cup and my husband would drop off food at the door.
I was able to interact with the girls outside while wearing a mask, but no touching. If the girls touched Mommy, they immediately got a bath.
Homeschooling happened on the porch, afterwhich my daughter would shower.
I knew I needed to offer up my loneliness for the protection of my family. It was a difficult time.
Homeschooling on the porch
Covid19 isn’t going anywhere
As the state relaxed its stay at home orders, we relaxed our covid19 policy at home as well.
Luckily for me, my husband still doesn’t want me touching surfaces throughout the home so he continues to cook for me.
It was so nice to be reunited with my family! Of course we are still cautious. My older girl knows about the virus and doesn’t want to get contaminated so she knows we can’t share food/drink.
I do miss wet kisses from my girls, but to be able to hold them and hug them again has been so uplifting.
Bright side
Before the pandemic hit, our lives felt hectic. Aside from playdates and getting together with friends, we had weekly commitments and routines- Challenge Jr, Catechism, grocery shopping, doctors appointments, miscellaneous errands, confession and Mass. I would have one day a week where I would stay at home if I was lucky.
As an introvert, I strive to protect my Fridays so I have one day that I do not have to leave the house. I know it seems silly, but leaving the house everyday of the week is stressful.
During the strict lockdown, I only left the house for groceries and work. This meant on my off days I was home!
Naturally, we were sad to not have access to confession and Mass. On Sundays when we were not allowed to go to church, we did dry Mass. It involves reading and praying many parts of the Mass including an added spiritual communion. We printed out the booklets from One Peter Five.
Most doctors appointments were video visits which has been amazing for us! Having more time at home has allowed me to get caught up on a lot of todos.
Now that I have been able to catch up on my todos and the state’s reopening is in phase 1, I am ready to get back out there. We have been lucky to be able to go to Mass and confession for the past 3 weeks.
Eventually when things open back up again and my daughter goes back to her weekly events, I know that I will have to start going out more.
With a mandatory shower after going out in public now, I have learned to cluster ALL of my errands into one big event. Why did I not do this before?!
What a blessing that I was able to get some down time and learn how to better structure my time in the future!
Conclusion
So what have I learned from working in the pandemic? To increase my trust in God’s plan!
- I trust that my PPE (mask, etc.) at work will protect me.
- I trust that my decontamination process at home is enough to protect my family.
- I trust that the Lord will provide financially.
- I trust that I will get my wet kisses soon enough.
- I trust that God can always shed light in a dark situation.
Jesus, I trust in you!
