APMA News - September/October 2020 - 24

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for the week so I was able to eat while working. On a couple
of days, I took a quick walk with one of my attendings-we
would walk up and down the hill the hospital is on to clear
our heads and get a little fresh air. We started each shift
with signout-both recovering signout from the night team
to start our shift and giving signout to the night team to end
our shift. We then would round on our patients. Throughout
the day, we managed our patients' medical conditions and
discharged patients. As we discharged, that opened a bed to
admit a new patient from the Emergency department.
Dr. Melick: We were quite busy throughout the day but
certainly did get breaks to decompress or discuss the latest
evidence on treatments. Some of my favorite discussions were
with fellow residents in fields like hematology or radiology
who imparted a very specific expertise to clinical management
of these patients.
APMA News: Do any other situations or circumstances
especially stand out, whether it's the number of patients you were
seeing, or the lack of resources or time?
Dr. Seidel: I think everyone involved can speak to the
frustration and fear that came with the lack of resources-this
was nothing unique to us at CHA. We did our best with what
we had. We had one Tyvek suit for each patient, and we
would clean it after each time we went into the room. We had
three N95 masks that we rotated through while the others
were resanitized. I wore a size medium throughout the peak
of the pandemic as I was never able to get a size small, which
is the size I needed in order to have a true seal.
Dr. Melick: One of the recurring situations that stood out to
me was the inability of families to see patients face to face. We
set up FaceTime and Zoom calls on occasion to coordinate
"visits," but of course that's not quite the same when a loved
one is so sick. We tried to be as helpful as possible, but it was
quite challenging to comfort patients who were so
disconnected from their families.
APMA News: I imagine you've seen more death than you've been
exposed to before as a resident. How are you caring for yourself
amid the pressure and stress?
Dr. Seidel: It's all about your mindset. I had a very positive
attitude from the start. It was a very serious, surreal experience,
but my positive attitude and my strong belief in the oath that
I took as a physician carried me through. I think the patients
were the most afraid-they were the ones fighting for their
lives, and I knew I had to not only show up, but I also had to
be mentally and physically present for each of my patients. I
saw more death on a daily basis than I had ever been exposed
to, but I like to hold onto the memories of those who fought
the virus and made it through. I have the best family, friends,
and colleagues, who were more than supportive through this
entire experience. Staying strong for my patients and my
loved ones was my driving force and guiding light.
Dr. Melick: I certainly saw more death than I had prior to my
time managing COVID patients. We had plenty of resources
24 APMA News September/October 2020

available for therapy as well as wellness checks. I tried to
keep my mind and body as active as possible to keep my
spirits up. Fortunately, these practices have always worked
for me, but I did experience a few episodes of high stress and
uncertainty.
APMA News: You've been part of a rare historic event. What will
you always remember?
Dr. Seidel: At first, I felt as if everything in the hospital was
"contaminated," and I was scared to take my mask off to eat
or drink. I had never not been able to touch my patient.
When you entered a patient's room, you had to "suit up" with
a white Tyvek suit and face shield. But in short order, this
became the new norm-what was originally unfamiliar
became routine. I still take the necessary precautions, but fear
is no longer an emotion I experience. I feel so fortunate that I
am able to contribute in such a great way.
Dr. Melick: This has been a defining period in my life, and
while there has been terrible tragedy, I have gained an ability
to be more flexible in my daily life and appreciate what I
have. I was very happy to have a sense of purpose during the
pandemic and would be happy to serve again if needed.
APMA News: Is there anything else you'd like APMA members to
know?
Dr. Seidel: I was actually one of the first to volunteer to be
redeployed. This was a critical time in health care, and I was
eager to help. I know many have struggled with the idea of
being redeployed as they believe we did not sign up for this,
but asking a doctor to treat sick patients is in no way
unrealistic. When I became a physician, I did not expect to
treat healthy people.
As of May 1, CHA had delivered inpatient care to more than
600 COVID-19 patients. Fifty-eight percent of those patients
had a full recovery-one of the best outcome percentages in
Massachusetts. n

Joslin Seidel, DPM

Garrett Melick, DPM
APMA News - September/October 2020

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