One Year of COVID-19

I had so many plans for 2020…including writing regularly for my own blog. But then…COVID-19 happened.

The most pessimistic side of me knew that we’d likely still be dealing with COVID-19 a year later, but the best parts of me hoped it would be over before the end of 2021. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would receive the first dose of a vaccine that is 95% effective in preventing moderate to severe disease from COVID-19. I’m so grateful to be one of the growing number of Americans vaccinated against this terrible disease.

As an ER doctor, I’ve seen this virus up close and personal…and its effects are humbling. To commemorate a year of us fighting this disease in the US, I wanted to share a reflection on a patient experience I had early in the pandemic. I still think about her and her family, even to this day.

As you read it, please remember the hundreds of thousands of Americans and the millions around the world that have lost their battle against COVID-19.

xo,

Dr. Kimberly

P.S. I also shared this story with the New York Times, and it was modified for their piece, In Harm’s Way.