Jefferson COVID Stories
What is the situation like at home while you are working/studying during the COVID situation?
Featured Response
Writer for Jefferson’s Office of Professional Writing, Publishing, and Communication on having her daughters home
My daughter accused me of being secretly glad all the chicks are back in the nest, and this rings a little bit true, although not for the reason she thinks--that I just want them around. A graduate student, college sophomore, and high school senior, my three daughters have been supportive companions to one another through this continued confinement. When the graduate student develops lesson plans, the other two chime in with ideas. When the high schooler gets lost in her ipad, the other two encourage her to exercise with them. Their mutual occupation frees up mental energy for me and my spouse to get our work done, too. Yet our son is in Nashville, married and out of the nest, so to speak. Still, we worry about him, about the tornado that hit his old neighborhood, and about his wife, a PACU nurse now doing hospital intake during a pandemic. What my daughter doesn't understand is that I am not just happy the other three are home. I'm grateful I know where they are and that they're not sick or exposed to all the world's dangers. I would never have wished for this in a million years, but I am glad I can witness their safety. For the moment.
– Pam Walter, Office of Professional Writing, Publishing, and Communication
It actually allows you to appreciate the humanness in everyone. For example, in the virtual meetings with students, they have met my dogs, and I have met their children. At home, life doesn't stop while you are trying to deliver/attend a class online. Last week at the end of a 'class', a student's 3-yo daughter joined in. She had heard my dogs barking in the background during the class, and began to ask me what color they were, their names, etc. She shared with me the name of her dog and how her grandmother has a basket on her bike to bring the dog on bike rides. I know this sounds like a very inconsequential event; however, this was a highlight to my week. Connecting to the humanness of others has been keeping me going!
– Administrator, Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education
Featured Response
Surgical ICU Nurse on Balancing Work and Home Life
Trying to plan a wedding, graduate with a masters and potentially move, all while working during this COVID situation has been extremely stressful. Going to work has been tough because everyone is on edge with the situation. Staying home is tough because my fiancé and I are also on edge, trying to plan our lives. Unfortunately, it’s looking more and more like we will have to postpone our wedding; however, we both are happy to be able to help those in need.
– Molly Silven, Surgical ICU Nurse
I'm an emergency department nurse. I married my husband February 1st––just in time! He's an Air Force pilot currently ordered to stay at home. If I was home, I'm sure I'd be stir-crazy by now, but he just takes everything in stride and is content to do little things around the apartment. We think a lot about people less fortunate--people who are losing their incomes. We are using the opportunity of the extra down time to read together, learn Spanish, play games, and connect with our family and friends via video chat. We even made a silly song about the pandemic with our friends by texting audio files to each other. It's quiet, slow, a break from our normal routines, a sort of meditative lull. It's like we're huddling in the basement playing Mario while a storm rages outside. Only I have to suit up a few days a week to go battle the winds.
- Nurse, Emergency Department
Featured Response
Head and Neck Surgeon Elizabeth Cottrill on the Situation at Home
Including audio profile from Humans of the Hospital
My husband and I are both physicians and working as much as possible from home. We have an 18 month old son and another baby on the way in August. We are trying our best to keep our son entertained and keep his normal daily schedule as well as provide education and variation in his environment despite a small house and tiny patio. My husband and I are trying to check in with each other every evening and talk about ways that we can support each other day by day and week by week. We are also trying, when possible, to take time to forget whats going on outside of our home and focus on the joy and wonder of life as seen through our son's eyes.
- Beth Cottrill, Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon
2 kids, ages 6 and 4, and my husband. Fluctuates between surprisingly well managed sibling affection and creativity to stressful chaos - that my husband, who is also trying to ‘work from home’, is left to primarily manage. I feel guilty leaving all of that on him, feel guilty at work not knowing how to actually help patients and families best. So many who are sick and hospitalized or not aren’t able to have their loved ones with them. I had a hospice conversation with a patient I’ve had for the past 5 years the other day. Her and I cried over our masks - and I couldn’t hug her. It felt like a failure in the humanistic side of how we care for people.
– Palliative Care Physician
Featured Response
Emergency Medicine Doctor Sean McGann on The Situation at Home
This is my biggest pandemic worry. I signed up for this risk; my wife and son did not. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment, so home separation is not feasible. We initially discussed living apart but decided that an indefinite separation would be logistically impossible and extremely damaging to our overall morale knowing that immediate family is the only loving human connection we get during this time. We also made the difficult decision to pull our son out of daycare. I did not feel right sharing my constant exposure risk with Max's entire daycare. This has put a huge burden on my wife, Lisa, who is trying to work fulltime from our bedroom while caring for an almost one-year-old needing constant attention. Our saving grace has been the help of three Jefferson medical students, Michelle, Christa, and Hannah, who have been coming over to help us care for Max. They jumped right in, becoming some of Max's best friends, and are now essential to our lives. They have been incredible additions to our family during this rough time. We value our time at home together now more than ever, but look forward to getting back to our friends, our families, and our normal lives. Until then, back to planning to best virtual 1st birthday party of all time.
– Sean McGann, Physician, Emergency Department
When medical students begin clinical rotations, we are thrilled to finally be able to "help real patients" after spending so long learning in the classroom. When COVID restrictions meant that med students were no longer able to be in the hospital, many of us, myself included, felt at a loss - how could we help while maximizing the safety of other health professionals and also ourselves? Through a friend, I connected with Sean and Lisa, who were looking for help watching their adorable 11-month old son, Max, while Lisa worked from home and Sean was on the front lines as an ED attending. Though I'm not directly helping patients, I take pride in knowing that in some small way, I am supporting the efforts of essential workers during this time. On a personal level, seeing the infectious smile of this little guy and watching him rapidly reach new milestones - he took his first steps just last week! - helps me keep everything in perspective and see the immense joy that is still in our world each day.
– Michelle Konkoly, medical student and Max’s new best friend
Lisa, Dr. McGann’s wife and Max’s mom, working from home.
I had just come back from maternity leave when COVID-19 started spreading in the US. Our four month old daughter went to four days of daycare before they closed. My husband and I are both trying to work full-time and take care of an infant. While challenging, she also is an incredible light in this period of uncertainty and stress.
– Physician, Department of Family and Community Medicine
I'm mostly doing telehealth but the screen time per family member is outstanding! Mother of the year, yet again! We are mixing it up with ping pong breaks in the basement which have been good for the heart and soul!
– Physician, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Hard but happy. We are grateful for our health, extra family time and jobs. There are a lot more dirty dishes than we could have ever imagined but also more full bellies and hearts with the extra quality time!
– Student, College of Design, Engineering, & Commerce
Both my dad and boyfriend are still working during this time, my sister is 9 months pregnant and also high risk. So, school is a good distraction from cleaning and not constantly calling and bothering my sister and dad.
– First year nursing student
Featured Response
JeffSTAT Flight Nurse shares her experience
I’ve faced the difficult choice about what to do with my 4 year old son while I go to work. I could send him to daycare where he may be exposed to the virus or send him to his grandparents where he could expose them if I’ve brought the virus home.
My final option is to send him to his grandparents indefinitely without having physical contact with either of them until this is over to keep everyone safe.
I’ve been sending him to daycare for now, but I wonder if I’m making the right choice. He’s happy and healthy but the guilt and fear weighs heavy on me.
– Jenna, JeffSTAT Flight Nurse
It’s really difficult. Everyday watching the news is become more devastating especially living in New Jersey. I have both friends and family including my fiancé involved in the health care industry that has my mind going non-stop. School has always been a priority but it’s hard to say that when staying alive and hoping none of your loved ones end up with this virus has made that difficult.
– Perfusion student
Somewhat stressful managing all the responsibilities of work and school, and my parents needing help home teaching my younger siblings, who are difficult to motivate through a computer screen.
– Student, College of Population Health
My spouse is really concerned pertaining to the health and the safety of myself and our household. He has not been himself this past week. I feel he is definitely stressed
– Nurse
My family has never fully understood what exactly I do everyday at work. Sure, they know I am a nurse and that I take care of the sickest patients in the hospital. However, they do not know what that entails emotionally, mentally, and physically. I got in an argument with my father when he mentioned that it didn't seem like things were "that bad" here in PA. I have been begging them to stay home, but they just don't get it. Caring for these patients requires more man power than I could imagine. We were warned. We were told. I felt ready. But I was not prepared for the fragile nature of each and every ICU patient that rolls into our unit. A patient coughs and their oxygen drops so low they could arrest. A cough. We all have had a cough before. It's hard to imagine that a single cough when you have COVID19 could kill you. That is what my family doesn't understand.
– Nurse in the Medical ICU
Honored to be a part of Jefferson, scared for my family.
– Nurse Practitioner, Surgical Oncology
Chaotic, never a dull moment.
– Clinical Research Coordinator, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
Home has become a tumultuous atmosphere of uncertainty, where family members keep checking the news for any shred of hope. However, despite this, we are still finding moments to laugh and spend time together. Having been in university for so long, it is nice to sit down and physically rekindle our relationships with each other.
– Medical student
The situation has been stressful and unpredictable. Working from home has been a challenge since usually PhD students preform many of our daily 'work' activities at lab. That part has been a bit frustrating, however I realize that all the other PhD students around the country are pretty much going through the same issues. As PhD students, the definitions of "essential" work have been mixed and we wonder if it would be okay for less productivity in comparison to when we were working in lab. Answers to these would ease some of the stress and anxiety we face. Although stressed, I have been trying to rearrange my daily schedule. I am finding out the best times of the day to work on particular tasks when my focus is at its best for those things to help push my thesis work, course work, and daily life tasks along. Having lab meetings, department seminars, and classes has been somewhat helpful in keeping some structured activities going. The first few weeks have been rough. Transitioning to online course in computational (coding) genomics was challenging, but as we learn how to communicate better through email or Zoom it has been easier. As time goes on I am sure we will adapt to the changing environment. And no doubt, we will come out of this better than before.
–PhD student, Jefferson College of Life Sciences
Sometime hectic, sometimes awesome, seldom boring! My husband is a first responder so not home a lot. Teaching with a toddler at home can be challenging but she has been amazing and we are really taking advantage of Pinterest art projects. We have also been participating in the PhillyOne Art project so that helps keep us connected. We are doing read alongs via zoom with neighborhood friends and daycare to help her stay connected with her little social circle
–Faculty, Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences
I am currently attempting to stay on top of all my work during this world pandemic. The first few weeks were the most difficult. I never been at home while still actively going through my semester as normal. Typically if I were home during the semester it would be for a weekend or spring break. It was difficult to adapt and develop a routine that worked for me to stay on top of my work. It made it harder not being able to go any where because everything was closed! I am from Long Island, NY. The virus was spreading very fast here and we had to be precautious. Working hard everyday to get through this as quick as possible.
– Student, School of Business
I have transitioned out of my role as pediatric hand therapist at Children's Hospital Colorado and am an assistant to the administrative staff of the Emergency Departments. I have become more familiar with Excel spreadsheets, organizing PAPR equipment and have been supporting the needs of the ever changing environment. Children's has changed their scope and have started accepting patients younger than 30 and are bracing for the impact of COVID-19.
– Advanced Certificate student, College of Rehabilitation Sciences
I am living.
– Student
An adjustment. I feel like a have a new job that requires all of my current skills plus the learning curve of mastering technology and rethinking how to deliver coursework and accomplish goals electronically.
– Administrator, College of Pharmacy
Ever since I was able to come back home to MD, it's been a lot better. I've been separate from my family for a while, so getting to be home is great.
– Student, College of Population Health
I am definitely more distracted & it’s easier to lose focus during class
– Student, College of Health Professions
Busy, boring, weird, throwback to childhood
– Architecture student
Navigating medical school by myself right now feels a bit like letting go of your parent’s hand in a dark, unknown forest. I’m not sure I was ready for this, but here we are, searching for the light and blazing a trail of our own. Each day I find a new method to connect with classmates and improve my study methods. It is challenging. But we are fortunate to be in the position we are in. Jefferson transitioned to online almost seamlessly! Myself, not so much. There is lots of time and I’m staying flexible with myself, though. Moving my desk by the window made me feel less trapped and more hopeful.
– First year medical student
My wife is working on a computer all day, all while worrying about me and trying to keep her mind occupied.
– Technician, Emergency Department
Pleasant overall but my son is bored to death, he'd rather go back to the dorm.
– Staff, Office of Global Affairs
It is nice, staying with my boyfriends family since home is far off in Texas, school work is definitely harder being online but do-able
– Physician Assistant student
I come in occasionally.... home “gets it” because I’m in a good place if I get sick
– Employee, Communications Department
It's not easy at home right now, I won't lie. As the IM program director and a hospitalist work has never been busier for me. This is complicated by my husband being a critical care doctor at a local institution. Our kids moved in with my parents for a few weeks but eventually my 7 year old needed to come home. Now they are with nannies most days, trying to do online schooling and feeling envious of all their friends at home with their families. I have no doubt the families staying at home are feeling immense stress as well. It is just hard!
– Director, Internal Medicine Program