Posted Sunday by Daniel J. Wandsneider, a doctor at a hospital on Colorado's eastern plains:
"I’ve been using the same N95 mask since last Wednesday. I’m here until Sunday, maybe longer," Wandsneider said.
Wandsneider says the number of COVID-19 patients rose quickly. "Supplies are starting to run a little bit on the low side and we do see -- in a couple of weeks -- (we) are are not going to have masks or gloves," he said.
About 1/3 of his COVID-19 patients -- some of them in their 30s -- require critical care.
One patient in her 60s died.
"I went from saying, 'She’s doing wonderful' to the next morning saying we had to intubate her. She’s critically ill. Hadn’t quite seen anything like that before," Wandsneider said.
The lack of equipment like ventilators in smaller hospitals is also a concern.
While Wandsneider is committed to his patients, he is also concerned about his family and himself.
"It think’s it’s really only a matter of time. If I come out of this and don’t get the virus, I think it’ll be a miracle," he said.
Wandsneider is wanting to remind people that he’s seeing a lot of people in their 30s with the virus. He’s hoping people heed the stay-at-home orders.
Over 100 hours into my shift, I have first hand experiences with this virus and it’s as bad as you can imagine. For example, a healthy patient day 8 of illness on a few liters of oxygen turns to fulminate respiratory failure on mechanical ventilation within 16 hours. This isn’t another flu. This will infect your friends, parents, grandparents. We’re several weeks behind where we should be in terms of social isolation and healthcare preparedness. It’s the beginning. I wish I had understood the severity of the situation sooner and been a better advocate. I appreciate so many people who are doing their part. There are many who are making this a personal matter, and those are the people who will allow this disease to perpetuate as the 1918 pandemic did for nearly two years. Keep each other accountable and don’t make this personal. Don’t panic, but be prepared to settle in for longer than you think.Denver station KDVR quotes him as saying:
"I’ve been using the same N95 mask since last Wednesday. I’m here until Sunday, maybe longer," Wandsneider said.
Wandsneider says the number of COVID-19 patients rose quickly. "Supplies are starting to run a little bit on the low side and we do see -- in a couple of weeks -- (we) are are not going to have masks or gloves," he said.
About 1/3 of his COVID-19 patients -- some of them in their 30s -- require critical care.
One patient in her 60s died.
"I went from saying, 'She’s doing wonderful' to the next morning saying we had to intubate her. She’s critically ill. Hadn’t quite seen anything like that before," Wandsneider said.
The lack of equipment like ventilators in smaller hospitals is also a concern.
While Wandsneider is committed to his patients, he is also concerned about his family and himself.
"It think’s it’s really only a matter of time. If I come out of this and don’t get the virus, I think it’ll be a miracle," he said.
Wandsneider is wanting to remind people that he’s seeing a lot of people in their 30s with the virus. He’s hoping people heed the stay-at-home orders.
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