COURSE, IS ANOTHER SURGE. THOSE COUPLE OF WEEKS, THERE WAS
NOTHING -- THAT WAS A WAR ZONE.
>> MAUREEN JOINS US.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT
YOU’RE DOING.
YOU’RE DOING. HOW ARE YOU FEELING PHYSICALLY
AND MENTALLY?
AND MENTALLY? >> HI, STEPHANIE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I AM DOING OKAY.
I THINK THAT THE FURTHER WE
PROGRESS IN THIS WHOLE
SITUATION, THE MORE WE ALL KIND
OF MUDDLE THROUGH AND FIND WHAT
IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE OUR NEW
NORMAL.
NORMAL. AND I THINK THAT’S JUST WHAT
WE’RE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
>> WELL, SADLY, A MONTH AGO,
YOUR NORMAL, THE INITIAL SURGE,
YOU DESCRIBED AS A WAR ZONE IN
THE ICU.
THE ICU. WHAT’S IT LIKE NOW?
>> THAT’S ALWAYS SUCH A HARD
QUESTION.
QUESTION. IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PAINT A
PICTURE OF WHAT IT’S LIKE IN
HOSPITALS RIGHT NOW.
ESPECIALLY IN THE ICU, YOU KNOW,
WE ARE STILL VERY FULL WITH A
LOT OF PATIENTS WHO ARE VERY
SICK WITH COVID-19, BUT WE ARE
ALSO STARTING TO BE ABLE TO KIND
OF MAKE ROOM AND REWORK THINGS
AND REALLY HAVE AN INCREASED
CAPACITY FOR OTHER PATIENTS.
IT’S STILL KIND OF STRANGE NOT
TO HAVE FAMILIES AND VISITORS
THERE, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE
DONE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB
OF STARTING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO CONNECT WITH PATIENTS’
FAMILIES BETTER, HOW TO CONNECT
WITH VISITORS BETTER.
AGAIN, IT’S KIND OF THAT WHOLE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A NEW
NORMAL RIGHT NOW.
>> MAUREEN, TAKE ME OUT OF THE
HOSPITAL AND TAKE US TO YOUR
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. FROM WHERE I SIT, WE’VE SEEN THE
ARMED PROTESTERS IN MICHIGAN.
WE’VE HEARD ALL THE ANGER IN
YOUR STATE.
YOUR STATE. CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT
IS ACTUALLY GOING ON THERE
BECAUSE YOU’RE SOMEONE WHO IS
PUTTING YOURSELF AT RISK EVERY
TIME YOU GO TO WORK.
>> I THINK THAT THE SITUATION
THAT WE’RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS
SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US HAVE
EVER IMAGINED HAVING TO FACE.
THE WORLD HAS BEEN PUT ON PAUSE.
AND ON EVERY SINGLE SIDE OF
THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A
TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE.
TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU’RE IN
THE HOSPITAL OR YOU’RE AT HOME.
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED OR
JUST IN SO MANY DIFFICULT
SITUATION
SITUATION SITUATIONS.
SITUATIONS. I THINK THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVEN’T HAD EXPOSURE TO THE
HOSPITAL SIDE OF THINGS WHO
HAVEN’T BEEN INSIDE THE WALLS OF
A HOSPITAL WHO HAVEN’T HAD A
LOVED ONE AFFECTED OR THEMSELVES
AFFECTED, IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND FROM A HEALTH CARE
PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE
NOT IMMUNE.
NOT IMMUNE. EVERYBODY IS FEELING THE EFFECTS
OF THIS PANDEMIC FINANCIALLY,
EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY,
EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY.
MENTALLY. I THINK IT’S DRAINED EVERYBODY.
AND CLEARLY EVERYBODY IS AT
SOMEWHAT OF A BREAKING POINT
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. >> WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND?
UNDERSTAND? EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET BACK TO
WORK.
WORK. YOU’VE GOT SOME BUSINESSES
OPENING LATER THIS WEEK.
BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE WHO
ARE SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW AND FEEL
THAT THE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN
AWAY.
AWAY. WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO
UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHAT THIS
DISEASE DOES AND WHAT IT’S LIKE
INSIDE A HOSPITAL?
>> I THINK IT’S REALLY EASY TO
ALWAYS BE ABLE TO SEE OUR OWN
PERSPECTIVE.
PERSPECTIVE. TO FEEL OUR OWN FEAR, TO FEEL
OUR OWN PAIN.
IT’S ALSO VERY EASY TO BLAME
SOMEBODY ELSE OR TO FIND FAULT
IN THE WAY SOMEONE ELSE DOES OR
DOESN’T DO SOMETHING.
AND I THINK IN THE MIDST OF ALL
OF THAT, IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO
ALWAYS GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE
HEART OF THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT’S HOW ANYBODY
IN HEALTH CARE HAS GOTTEN
THROUGH UP UNTIL THIS POINT IS
STICKING TO THE HEART OF THINGS
AND TREATING EVERY PATIENT LIKE
THEY’RE OUR OWN FAMILY MEMBER.
AND SO, I THINK THAT’S WHAT IT
REALLY COMES DOWN TO IS, YOU
KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE’RE
ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE’RE ALL HURTING IN DIFFERENT
WAYS.
WAYS. AND NO ONE WANTS TO SEE
ANYBODY’S FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER,
MOTHER, DAUGHTER, BROTHER,
COUSIN, GRANDFATHER GET SICK OR
DIE FROM THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE.
YOU KNOW, BUT NONE OF US WANT TO
SEE ANYBODY SUFFER AT HOME
EITHER.
EITHER. WE’RE ALL STILL IN THIS