Thoughts from Dr. Kryder
March 25, 2020
In regards to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Dan Kryder, Primary Care Physician Director and Chief of Staff at Alomere Health recently shared nine thoughts with his family and we wanted to share these thoughts with you too:
1. Please take good care of yourself. There is a reason that the airlines ask you to put your own mask on first in case of an emergency. Take deep breaths at the top of every hour. Drink plenty of water. Eat lots of vegetables. Take regular walks. Find a new hobby. Meditate on God’s word. Pray.
2. Check in virtually with your neighbor- the one next door certainly but also your neighbor across the country and on the other side of the globe. Our dear friends have a daughter who is eight years old and for her home school this week she composed a dozen letters to residents in our nursing home. My heart melted. These are life lines to our most lonely and vulnerable. I am holding on to hope because this is just one example of thousands in our little community who are stepping up to care for those that are struggling right now. Keep pushing kindness, my friends.
3. If you currently have a respiratory mask at home, ask yourself, “Do I plan on intubating anyone this week?” If the answer is no, then you do not need a mask. Please consider dropping them off at your closest hospital because there is a doctor there that definitely needs it. Like today.
4. If you develop symptoms of mild fever, cough or congestion then stay home and self isolate for seven days or 3 days after symptoms resolve whichever comes last. In other words, do not come into the clinic or ER for mild symptoms. If you are concerned or develop symptoms that progress or you have shortness of breath then complete an online visit through your local health care system or call your local clinic for advice. Please do not show up at your ER unless less there is an emergency.
5. Understand that the numbers of cases are going to keep rising as testing becomes more prevalent. That is okay- we are making slow progress in testing. Unfortunately capacity to test is still limited at this time in many areas. See point number four. Also realize that the lag time on the “flattening of the curve” is about two weeks after isolation protocols are put in place. There is likely to be a long way to go on this. Fortunately there are excellent examples of the effectiveness of these quarantines.
6. This is real and it is happening quickly. Ask the nurses and doctors in Seattle and New York and Chicago. Please continue to support the medical community who are putting their lives on the line everyday. The best way to do this right now is to stay home. We can do this together.
7. While there are vaccination trials underway, we are realistically 12-18 months from any significant production. This makes our slowing of the steep curve of disease prevalence that much more important in the mean time. We want to be able to have enough hospital beds, oxygen and ventilators to treat sick patients until greater community immunity is developed through recovery or by immunization.
8. Although there are a few medications that are under investigation for improving outcomes of this disease, we have no good studies on this at present to guide treatment protocols. More to come in the near future.
9. I am a data driven physician trained on evidence based medicine but I am convinced that science will never fully answer who we are or why we are here. I have faith in a God that is greater than our “momentary troubles.” My restless mind finds peace in Proverbs 3. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” We must take each day as they come, keep our perspective eternal and love each other well.
