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1/
Tonight
Me: “Sis! I got your text. Damn.”
Her: *coughs* “Yeah. I feel like I got run over by a truck.”
Me: “How's your breathing?”
Her: “Bad cough. But OK, I guess.”
*coughing paroxysm*
Me: “Do you feel short-winded?”
Her: “No. Just worn down.”
Me: "Okay."
*silence*
Tonight
Me: “Sis! I got your text. Damn.”
Her: *coughs* “Yeah. I feel like I got run over by a truck.”
Me: “How's your breathing?”
Her: “Bad cough. But OK, I guess.”
*coughing paroxysm*
Me: “Do you feel short-winded?”
Her: “No. Just worn down.”
Me: "Okay."
*silence*
2/
Her: “Dang. I would be the one to test positive for #COVID on the same damn day they start giving the vaccine.” *chuckles then coughs*
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. So, I let out a weak laugh, too.
Her: "Damn. This is kinda scary."
Me: *thinking* "Yeah."
It is.
Her: “Dang. I would be the one to test positive for #COVID on the same damn day they start giving the vaccine.” *chuckles then coughs*
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. So, I let out a weak laugh, too.
Her: "Damn. This is kinda scary."
Me: *thinking* "Yeah."
It is.
3/
Her: “What should I do?”
Me: “Well, you’re already isolated. So that’s good.”
After that, I told her about supportive care, red flags and reasons to go to the hospital. As I was talking, she started coughing again. Super hard.
Me: “You okay, sis?”
Her: *coughing* “Yeah.”
Her: “What should I do?”
Me: “Well, you’re already isolated. So that’s good.”
After that, I told her about supportive care, red flags and reasons to go to the hospital. As I was talking, she started coughing again. Super hard.
Me: “You okay, sis?”
Her: *coughing* “Yeah.”
4/
Right now, as of that moment when we spoke, she was okay. But the thing is . . . . I have no idea whether or not it will stay that way. So, when she asked me should she worry, I was honest.
Me: “I think it's good to appreciate how sick people can get with this.”
*silence*
Right now, as of that moment when we spoke, she was okay. But the thing is . . . . I have no idea whether or not it will stay that way. So, when she asked me should she worry, I was honest.
Me: “I think it's good to appreciate how sick people can get with this.”
*silence*
5/
Her: “Girl, I should go review my will and make sure everybody has my passwords.”
She laughed. I did, too. Because it was a joke.
But then we stopped.
Her: “Damn. Should I do that for real?”
Me: “Most people do okay. But it’s always good to. . .”
I trailed off.
Shit.
Her: “Girl, I should go review my will and make sure everybody has my passwords.”
She laughed. I did, too. Because it was a joke.
But then we stopped.
Her: “Damn. Should I do that for real?”
Me: “Most people do okay. But it’s always good to. . .”
I trailed off.
Shit.
6/
What do you say to that?
"Yeah, sis, get all your stuff in order just in case you have to get rushed by ambulance to a hospital for emergency intubation for 4 weeks."
or
"Yeah, sis, do that. Because you know folks are fine then they like hella aren't."
Some even die.
What do you say to that?
"Yeah, sis, get all your stuff in order just in case you have to get rushed by ambulance to a hospital for emergency intubation for 4 weeks."
or
"Yeah, sis, do that. Because you know folks are fine then they like hella aren't."
Some even die.
7/
I don’t have an ending to this. It is happening in real time. And it's ramping back up. Near peers calling me. Me feeling panicked but trying not to sound like I am.
~ 1 in 3. That’s the number of Black Americans who personally know someone in #the300K who’ve died.
~ 1 in 3.
I don’t have an ending to this. It is happening in real time. And it's ramping back up. Near peers calling me. Me feeling panicked but trying not to sound like I am.
~ 1 in 3. That’s the number of Black Americans who personally know someone in #the300K who’ve died.
~ 1 in 3.
8/
I wonder what the data would say about Black American physicians and text messages from those affected. 3 in 3 maybe?
Sigh.
I am worrying about my friend right now. I am also worrying about a bunch of other people, too.
I wonder what the data would say about Black American physicians and text messages from those affected. 3 in 3 maybe?
Sigh.
I am worrying about my friend right now. I am also worrying about a bunch of other people, too.
9/
Add to this questions and concerns about vaccines. The stuff I have to do. And my kids in virtual learning environments at critical ages. And me not feeling too sure itfit's all okay.
Oh-and the inpatient service that awaits me Wednesday.
It's a lot man.
Add to this questions and concerns about vaccines. The stuff I have to do. And my kids in virtual learning environments at critical ages. And me not feeling too sure itfit's all okay.
Oh-and the inpatient service that awaits me Wednesday.
It's a lot man.
10/
Then I look at my watch and realize I haven’t seen a headline about somebody’s unarmed child being shot in a MIN-ute. So now I’m bracing myself and worrying about that, too.
Yeah.
What a dichotomous emotional ping pong today. A vaccine and a friend with COVID.
Damn.
Then I look at my watch and realize I haven’t seen a headline about somebody’s unarmed child being shot in a MIN-ute. So now I’m bracing myself and worrying about that, too.
Yeah.
What a dichotomous emotional ping pong today. A vaccine and a friend with COVID.
Damn.
11/
Her: “Kimberly, you BETTER be checking on me.”
Me: *not joking* “Adding you to my virtual rounds list.”
Her: *laughs* “Whaat? How many people you got on it?”
Me: “I got you on it and that’s all that matters.”
Her: *coughs* "But I'm your VIP."
Me: "Gotcha."
*laughter*
Her: “Kimberly, you BETTER be checking on me.”
Me: *not joking* “Adding you to my virtual rounds list.”
Her: *laughs* “Whaat? How many people you got on it?”
Me: “I got you on it and that’s all that matters.”
Her: *coughs* "But I'm your VIP."
Me: "Gotcha."
*laughter*
12/
Know this:
For us, words like "disproportionate impact" directly translate to . . .sorority sisters and roommates. Godfathers and play cousins. Siblings and barbers. And family.
Sigh.
Please check on your Black colleagues, okay? Because 1 in 3 is a lot.
That’s all.
Know this:
For us, words like "disproportionate impact" directly translate to . . .sorority sisters and roommates. Godfathers and play cousins. Siblings and barbers. And family.
Sigh.
Please check on your Black colleagues, okay? Because 1 in 3 is a lot.
That’s all.
