There's a German word for everything

I learned a new word this week:

I'm not Germanologist, but I seem to recall that in that language you can pretty much make endless compound words. I don't know if we've all been grief eating, but we definitely have been stress eating.

We are fortunate to have businesses and neighbors feeding us everyday, every shift. Pizza, lots of pizza. Trays of Italian ziti, salad, sandwiches. Buffalo Wild wings. One woman brought us bags of snacks from CVS, like she must have cleaned out their fridge of humus, yoghurts, and string cheese. Two big bags of apples and oranges appeared. Oh, and someone gave us a HUGE tray of those tiny donuts from Doughnuttery in the Turnstyle Underground Market. Mmmm.

Cheeseburger & tiny doughnuts,
don't judge. 

I'm keeping all the names, menus, and notes attached so that we can thank everybody in some future day. It's nice being appreciated. I don't know if I'm comfortable with the "Hero" label but I know that my staff are working their asses off. This shit is nuts. And literally everyday something changes...charting, work flow, patient flow, PPE requirements, who can get tested and when, how to contact Employee Health. It adds to the stress.

One good thing is that people are staying away from the ER with minor complaints. This truly helps. Accept for the occasional drunk or EDP (emotionally disturbed person), we pretty much get to concentrate our efforts on people with Covid or suspected Covid.


We've also been getting Thank You notes and cards from people near and far....

 Thank you cards put up around the unit :)

It makes a difference, for all staff. Everyone is working harder and hoping that they won't get sick and that they won't bring it home and get their family sick. Since this started, I know several people who sent their family away to live with grandparents, etc. We all have routines for shedding our work clothes at home: leaving the shoes in the garage, getting undressed just inside the front door. I change into street clothes before I leave and put my scrubs and work shoes in a plastic bag.

I haven't seen my dad in weeks, we talk over the phone which is great because he's so hard of hearing and this usually involves screaming at each other until he finally says, "I think I'm having problems with my phone, I'll talk to you later!"

This seemed like we were being overly cautious a few weeks ago now seems like the right thing. You hear news about how easily this disease spreads-in NJ four family members died after being exposed to a friend who had Covid at a family gathering. In Washington state, 2 choir members died and 45 got Covid after going to choir practice, even though they took prudent precautions. It's not bad until it's bad. My mother's cousin was buried today with only his daughter at the grave side because of Covid. How heartbreaking and it's happening all over the country.

Choir members get Covid
4 members of NJ family die of Covid