Humanities during Covid-19

How Life Passes

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Submission By: Kwabena O.M. Adubofour, MD, FACP

Image Obtained from: https://unsplash.com/s/photos/dew-drop-rose

Here at Daily Dose of Humanities, we strive to share content that can engage our humanity, our compassion, and our resilience. In our goal to prevent burnout, we cannot forget about the lives we touch on a daily basis. Our patients remind us how valuable life, and all the little moments that make it up, can be. Life may be short, but its vibrancy is so precious, and can never be forgotten.

This poem written by one of our founders, Dr. Adubofour, is honoring the life of one of our many inspiring patients. 

Death in the ICU

For this life,

This once vibrant life hangs precariously.

A drop of morning dew

Shimmering,

Brilliantly, 

Bright

An array of fading rainbow colors

At the edge of a rosy thorn.

For this life hangs precariously

Only to falter,

To drop and disappear 

At the whisper of the passing breeze. 

–Kwabena O.M. Adubofour, MD, FACP

Winter plague, Fall breaks

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Submission by: Solomon Badejoko, MD, MPH

Original Image provided by Dr. Soloman

Walking down this cold lonely path home, I wondered if my efforts counted. 

I recall ventilated patients struggling with their own breath.

I saw healthcare workers struggle to prone patients, frantically adjusting pressures and giving medicines. Paradoxically, I heard their fear, and saw their thoughts- “it’s about to get real”!

Codes running, expiration time recorded and heads bowed for moments of silence and respect… The procession continued. 

Alas, it’s sunset. We tried. 

Destiny saved most but Heaven called the rest. 

Our efforts perhaps still counted. 

It’s time to unwind. 

Although we drop the stethoscopes, out comes the cell phones for nocturnal advocacy on mask wearing compliance. 

No time to rest. We will conquer this malady called Covid-TOGETHER. 

Suddenly the beautiful fall leaves hurry off the road in a whirlwind. 

Choppers’ chuff cry broke the silence, bringing in our rescue SEALs: vaccines. 

COVID no longer can stop us. Let’s go save more lives! 

Doctors and Coworkers Dance to Uplift Spirits!

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Submission by: Navneet Deol, OMSIII

With all of the uncertainty around the world during this pandemic, here is an entertaining video of an Oregon physician and his coworkers dancing together and spreading joy by uplifting each other during these unprecedented times.

Let us know what dance moves you pick up to shake off some of those quarantine blues!

NO VICTORY FOR THE INVISIBLE CROWN

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Original Submission by: Dr. Christine Amakye, Associate Specialist Anaesthetist, MB.ChB, MRCA, MSc

Lister Hospital, UK

Thank You Doctor Nurse - Free image on Pixabay

Though corona’s likened to a crown,

It’s brought many death as their lungs drown.

In minutes, days and weeks and months,

It’s led us all a deadly dance.

But God’s great blessings from above,

With social distancing and love,

And disinfectant, facemasks and scrubs,

Will once again make us ascend,

To health and wealth and peace and mend,

All broken hearts who’ve lost a friend;

And loved ones made to heaven climb,

Will rest in heav’nly peace sublime.

For those of us still left alive,

T’will be a different world in which to live,

But if we love, work hard, forgive,

We should attain God’s will and thrive.