{"id":48048,"date":"2021-02-23T20:05:38","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T20:05:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.womeninoptometry.com\/?p=48048"},"modified":"2021-03-12T15:40:20","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T15:40:20","slug":"i-see-you-musings-after-moderna-dose-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.womeninoptometry.com\/views\/article\/i-see-you-musings-after-moderna-dose-two\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI See You\u201d: Musings After Moderna Dose Two"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
With a very grateful heart, I am excited to have received my second dose of the Moderna vaccine! Side effects thus far: jumping up and down\u2014excited knowing that my family, patients and friends are just one little step closer to a life where this virus packs less of a punch.<\/p>\n
As my colleagues in optometry and all medical venues are aware, health care delivery right now is\u2026a challenge. We are performing and adapting under pressures no one could have anticipated. I care for patients employed in just about every lane of health care. Know what we have in common? Other than cleaning everything in sight a hundred times a day?<\/p>\n
We are tired. I have struggled to find words of encouragement for these patients and I always fall short. My health care lane means I improve sight. What I think we need currently as providers is\u2014vision. So I tell my patients that who are nurses, dental hygienists, pharmacy techs, hospice, PT and countless other practitioners: \u201cI see you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I see you after your third 12-hour shift in a row.<\/p>\n
I see you wiping down every surface. Again. And again.<\/p>\n
I see you giving every ounce of yourself to your patients, your families and your kids.<\/p>\n
I see you at the end of the day when there is absolutely nothing left in the tank.<\/p>\n
And I see you get up in the dark the next morning and do it all over again, smiling behind that mask.<\/p>\n
Health care during a global pandemic is hard. I usually begin every exam now with a cheeky, \u201cwell, how are you since the world fell off its axis?\u201d<\/p>\n
This is met mostly with chuckles and eye rolling. But sometimes patients\u2019 responses, especially health care providers, are more heartfelt. And we take a minute to talk about their corner of the world. How balancing patient care and their kids\u2019 virtual learning and finding time to update their contact lens prescription has just been\u2014hard.<\/p>\n
I see you.<\/p>\n
Do you see someone at Starbucks in scrubs in the morning? Grab their coffee for them. Trust me, they need caffeine.<\/p>\n
See someone grabbing lunch with a hospital badge\/medical ID? Swipe your card for theirs, too.<\/p>\n
Do you have a favorite practitioner you frequent? Call the office and ask if you can have food for the staff delivered one day.<\/p>\n
Do you have a visit coming up where staff will screen you, take your temperature and recite the COVID questions they have recited hundreds of times?<\/p>\n
Look them in the eye. Say \u201cthank you.\u201d Mean it.<\/p>\n
Tell the health care providers in your corner of the world\u2014you see them.<\/p>\n
Now, where did I put my coffee?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Amy Boyer, OD, of New Albany, Ohio<\/strong>—With a very grateful heart, I am excited to have received my second dose of the Moderna vaccine! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":48061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[146],"tags":[1245,1246,954,337,1247,616],"yoast_head":"\n