“Anesthesia providers are vital during code or trauma situations as airway specialists. So when COVID-19 cases rose in Canada, I knew that anesthesiology would play a role in Canada’s fight against this predominantly respiratory disease.
There is a psychological toll that you experience when treating patients diagnosed with COVID-19. It ranges from the fear of ‘Is this the day I catch COVID?’ to the paranoia of properly wearing PPE, to seeing how futile our collective efforts to save someone can be.
Discussing multiple declining patients with their family over the phone – when you are no more than a disembodied voice spreading bad news – is emotionally draining.
In many ways, I feel privileged to be rotating on the COVID-19 intensive care units. I remain employed when so many others are jobless. I am able to contribute in some small fashion and can continue to have social interactions at work, unlike many who are self-isolating.
I have used the lack of formal lectures and exams to pursue personal interests. I’m slowly compiling a series of recipes for a cookbook and have started meditating to help relieve stress.
When we reflect on our attempts during this invaluable learning experience, I hope we acknowledge that we did our best to maintain a Canadian standard of healthcare against a virus everyone was ill-prepared to fight.”

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