Brent Wolfrom is a family physician and Postgraduate Program Director for family medicine at Queen’s University. He was previously a full time Medical Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces.
My past experiences working with the Canadian Armed Forces, in the South Pacific and the Mediterranean, and in particular during my times deployed in Afghanistan, taught me a great deal about coping with crises, stress, confusion, guilt, loss and grief.
In particular, they taught me how I myself cope with crises, be it an unexpected emergency requiring immediate action, or an expected and prolonged event involving complex systems and little control, much like what we are about to experience with COVID-19. As we head down this road, I find myself experiencing so many of the same emotions that I did during my deployments. I also find myself reflexively, and largely unconsciously, setting up supports, defences and plans.
Based on these experiences and lessons, I wrote a message to my fellow physicians in my department with some of the advice I wish I had received 12-13 years ago. I thought the rest of our physician family may also be interested.
- This event is unlike anything we have lived through before and we expect it to be drawn out, especially if social distancing does what we hope it will. It is likely that at some point we will transition from an acute to chronic crisis mentality. This can be a difficult transition because it can feel like defeat. It’s not. It’s us getting better at beating COVID-19.
- Plan now for wellness and stick to your plan rigidly. However, also set expectations at a realistic level.
- Find supports who will talk with you about non-COVID, and ideally non-medical, topics and stay in touch daily even if just by text or email.
- There will be long and dark days ahead and people will all cope differently. A small word of encouragement or appreciation from a colleague will make all the difference.
- Support each other. If you have the time or capacity to help someone just do it.
- Communicate with those who need information and minimize communication with those who don’t. Be deliberate about your email distributions and who you include on the To vs CC lines. Information overload is going to happen, and we need to be deliberate about protecting each other.
- Brush up now on the skills you consider outside, but proximal to, your normal scope of practice. You don’t know where you will be needed in the coming weeks.
- Remind yourself daily that you are trained to deal with this situation, even if that means lying to yourself a little bit.
- Grief doesn’t equal failure. Bad outcomes don’t equal failure. Recite those two phrases daily.
- There will be many changes and constraints over the coming weeks to Sports, clubs and social events that used to recharge you. Try to find a replacement for each joyful activity you lose.
Canadian physicians are instrumental in our nation’s defence against this threat, and we will be even stronger and better at the end of all of this. Best of luck and I look forward to seeing you on the other side of this.
John Smith
I am a Canadian Environmental Pathologist. I believe the Australians are on the right path. I have discovered a new auto immune syndrome. It has similar characteristics to an Alpha-GAL allergy. It is triggered by carbohydrates, proteins, sugars, and other long chain molecules. I have found a correlation between areas where cotton mills, plantations and garment industry related cities and clusters of autoimmune diseases. I have been studying this for twenty years. I have multiple auto immune disease syndrome. My disease is related to numerous clusters of Paget’s bone disease, 3 on my street. It was the site of a large cotton mill .I was able to link this to the Alpha-GAL allergy when I was bit in Canada by a deer fly and showed the symptoms. I believe it triggered a sensitivity, I had since birth. I think The fly was not carrying the allergy but it did give me Lyme disease. The bacteria give off a carbohydrate when they die causing my symptoms. The same as Covid-19.
I believe the allergy was already in me waiting for the right carb to trigger it. I believe the high rates of death in New York and the southern U.S.A, are because they are where DDT and heavy metals in particular, cyanide were used to treat cotton. I have some similar symptoms like hearing impairment and loss of sense of taste. I would appreciate if others would look into this. Sincerely: John
victor snieckus
A thoughtful article on what you learned from your Afghanistan experiences, of which I was totally unaware, thank you, Brent.
‘setting up supports, defences and plans’ is certainly how we should proceed. ’ I take all of the ten points to heart. here is my comment to your point 2: Wellness: exercise every day by walking, 20 min on rowing machine. This is difficult and requires persistence, a regimen. Instilling it in others requires repetition in determined ways the rest i sent to you by email
Bob Petrovich
Thank you Dr Wolfrom for sharing your insght. The way I see it, its internalization applies to all of us, not only to medcal professionals.
I’ve coped your 10 points to my daily to do list.
Please stay safe !
Ellen Vibert-Miller
Thank you for sharing your past experiences and for your advice to others.
God Bless
Rich Hannah
Well said my friend.
Brent Wolfrom
Thanks Rich. Stay safe!
Renée Turcotte
Very supportive and instructive. Many thanks. I will also share with my colleagues and family. Take good care of yourself also.
Ruchika Swaro
That’s a very supportive and encouraging post. I will share with colleagues and big thank you.
Johny Van Aerde
Thank you for this… very good reflections and suggestions.
We are in this together.
Johny Van Aerde
Najma Ahmed
Thank you for this. Let us continue to support each other during these difficult times. Collaboration, not competition will count more than ever during this current crisis. The entire country is suffering. In fact the entire world. Let’s take care of one another.