Lambeth Hochwald

The double whammy of pandemic burnout and the aging of baby boomer physicians has, indeed, the makings of some scary headlines. A recent survey by Elsevier Health predicts that up to 75% of health care workers will leave the profession by 2025. And a 2020 study conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projected a shortfall of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033.

“We’ve paid a lot of attention to physician retirement,” says Michael Dill, AAMC’s director of workforce studies. “It’s a significant concern in terms of whether we have an adequate supply of physicians in the U.S. to meet our nation’s medical care needs. Anyone who thinks otherwise is incorrect.”

To Mr. Dill, it’s the number of older physicians – in all specialties – ready to retire that should be the biggest concern for hospitals all across the country.

“The physician workforce as a whole is aging,” he said. “Close to a quarter of the physicians in the U.S. are 65 and over. So, you don’t need any extraordinary events driving retirement in order for retirement to be a real phenomenon of which we should all be concerned.”

And, although Mr. Dill said there aren’t any data to suggest that doctors in rural or urban areas are retiring faster than in the suburbs, that doesn’t mean retirement will have the same impact depending on where patients live.

“If you live in a rural area with one small practice in town and that physician retires, there goes the entirety of the physician supply,” he said. “In a major metro area, that’s not as big a deal.”
 

Why younger doctors are fast-tracking retirement

Fernando Mendoza, MD, 54, a pediatric emergency department physician in Miami, worries that physicians are getting so bogged down by paperwork that this may lead to even more doctors, at younger ages, leaving the profession.

“I love taking care of kids, but there’s going to be a cost to doing your work when you’re spending as much time as we need to spend on charts, pharmacy requests, and making sure all of the Medicare and Medicaid compliance issues are worked out.”

These stressors may compel some younger doctors to consider carving out a second career or fast-track younger physicians toward retirement.

“A medical degree carries a lot of weight, which helps when pivoting,” said Dr. Mendoza, who launched Scrivas, a Miami-based medical scribe agency, to help reduce the paperwork workload for physicians. “It might be that a doctor wants to get involved in the acquisition of medical equipment, or maybe they can focus on their investments. Either way, by leaving medicine, they’re not dealing with the hassle and churn-and-burn of seeing patients.”
 

What this means for patients

The time is now to stem the upcoming tide of retirement, said Mr. Dill. But the challenges remain daunting. For starters, the country needs more physicians trained now – but it will take years to replace those baby boomer doctors ready to hang up their white coats.

The medical profession also needs to find ways to support physicians who spend their days juggling an endless array of responsibilities, he said.

The AAMC study found that patients already feel the physician shortfall. Their public opinion research in 2019 said 35% of patients had trouble finding a physician over the past 2 or 3 years, up 10 percentage points since they asked the question in 2015.

Moreover, according to the report, the over-65 population is expected to grow by 45.1%, leaving a specialty care gap because older people generally have more complicated health cases that require specialists. In addition, physician burnout may lead more physicians under 65 to retire much earlier than expected.

Changes in how medicine is practiced, telemedicine care, and medical education – such as disruption of classes or clinical rotations, regulatory changes, and a lack of interest in certain specialties – could also be affected by a mass physician retirement.
 

What can we do about mass retirement?

The AAMC reports in “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2019 to 2034” that federally funded GME support is in the works to train 15,000 physicians per year, with 3,000 new residency slots added per year over 5 years. The proposed model will add 3,750 new physicians each year beginning in 2026.

Other efforts include increasing use of APRNs and PAs, whose population is estimated to more than double by 2034, improve population health through preventive care, increase equity in health outcomes, and improve access and affordable care.

Removing licensing barriers for immigrant doctors can also help alleviate the shortage.

“We need to find better ways to leverage the entirety of the health care team so that not as much falls on physicians,” Mr. Dill said. “It’s also imperative that we focus on ways to support physician wellness and allow physicians to remain active in the field, but at a reduced rate.”

That’s precisely what Marie Brown, MD, director of practice redesign at the American Medical Association, is seeing nationwide. Cutting back their hours is not only trending, but it’s also helping doctors cope with burnout.

“We’re seeing physicians take a 20% or more cut in salary in order to decrease their burden,” she said. “They’ll spend 4 days on clinical time with patients so that on that fifth ‘day off,’ they’re doing the paperwork and documentation they need to do so they don’t compromise care on the other 4 days of the week.”

And this may only be a Band-Aid solution, she fears.

“If a physician is spending 3 hours a day doing unnecessary work that could be done by another team member, that’s contributing to burnout,” Dr. Brown said. “It’s no surprise that they’ll want to escape and retire if they’re in a financial situation to do so.”

“I advocate negotiating within your organization so you’re doing more of what you like, such as mentoring or running a residency, and less of what you don’t, while cutting back from full-time to something less than full-time while maintaining benefits,” said Joel Greenwald, MD, a certified financial planner in Minneapolis, who specializes in helping physicians manage their financial affairs.

“Falling into the ‘like less’ bucket are usually things like working weekends and taking calls,” he said.

“This benefits everyone on a large scale because those doctors who find things they enjoy are generally working to a later age but working less hard,” he said. “Remaining comfortably and happily gainfully employed for a longer period, even if you’re not working full-time, has a very powerful effect on your financial planning, and you’ll avoid the risk of running out of money.”
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The double whammy of pandemic burnout and the aging of baby boomer physicians has, indeed, the makings of some scary headlines. A recent survey by Elsevier Health predicts that up to 75% of health care workers will leave the profession by 2025. And a 2020 study conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projected a shortfall of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033.

“We’ve paid a lot of attention to physician retirement,” says Michael Dill, AAMC’s director of workforce studies. “It’s a significant concern in terms of whether we have an adequate supply of physicians in the U.S. to meet our nation’s medical care needs. Anyone who thinks otherwise is incorrect.”

To Mr. Dill, it’s the number of older physicians – in all specialties – ready to retire that should be the biggest concern for hospitals all across the country.

“The physician workforce as a whole is aging,” he said. “Close to a quarter of the physicians in the U.S. are 65 and over. So, you don’t need any extraordinary events driving retirement in order for retirement to be a real phenomenon of which we should all be concerned.”

And, although Mr. Dill said there aren’t any data to suggest that doctors in rural or urban areas are retiring faster than in the suburbs, that doesn’t mean retirement will have the same impact depending on where patients live.

“If you live in a rural area with one small practice in town and that physician retires, there goes the entirety of the physician supply,” he said. “In a major metro area, that’s not as big a deal.”
 

Why younger doctors are fast-tracking retirement

Fernando Mendoza, MD, 54, a pediatric emergency department physician in Miami, worries that physicians are getting so bogged down by paperwork that this may lead to even more doctors, at younger ages, leaving the profession.

“I love taking care of kids, but there’s going to be a cost to doing your work when you’re spending as much time as we need to spend on charts, pharmacy requests, and making sure all of the Medicare and Medicaid compliance issues are worked out.”

These stressors may compel some younger doctors to consider carving out a second career or fast-track younger physicians toward retirement.

“A medical degree carries a lot of weight, which helps when pivoting,” said Dr. Mendoza, who launched Scrivas, a Miami-based medical scribe agency, to help reduce the paperwork workload for physicians. “It might be that a doctor wants to get involved in the acquisition of medical equipment, or maybe they can focus on their investments. Either way, by leaving medicine, they’re not dealing with the hassle and churn-and-burn of seeing patients.”
 

What this means for patients

The time is now to stem the upcoming tide of retirement, said Mr. Dill. But the challenges remain daunting. For starters, the country needs more physicians trained now – but it will take years to replace those baby boomer doctors ready to hang up their white coats.

The medical profession also needs to find ways to support physicians who spend their days juggling an endless array of responsibilities, he said.

The AAMC study found that patients already feel the physician shortfall. Their public opinion research in 2019 said 35% of patients had trouble finding a physician over the past 2 or 3 years, up 10 percentage points since they asked the question in 2015.

Moreover, according to the report, the over-65 population is expected to grow by 45.1%, leaving a specialty care gap because older people generally have more complicated health cases that require specialists. In addition, physician burnout may lead more physicians under 65 to retire much earlier than expected.

Changes in how medicine is practiced, telemedicine care, and medical education – such as disruption of classes or clinical rotations, regulatory changes, and a lack of interest in certain specialties – could also be affected by a mass physician retirement.
 

What can we do about mass retirement?

The AAMC reports in “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2019 to 2034” that federally funded GME support is in the works to train 15,000 physicians per year, with 3,000 new residency slots added per year over 5 years. The proposed model will add 3,750 new physicians each year beginning in 2026.

Other efforts include increasing use of APRNs and PAs, whose population is estimated to more than double by 2034, improve population health through preventive care, increase equity in health outcomes, and improve access and affordable care.

Removing licensing barriers for immigrant doctors can also help alleviate the shortage.

“We need to find better ways to leverage the entirety of the health care team so that not as much falls on physicians,” Mr. Dill said. “It’s also imperative that we focus on ways to support physician wellness and allow physicians to remain active in the field, but at a reduced rate.”

That’s precisely what Marie Brown, MD, director of practice redesign at the American Medical Association, is seeing nationwide. Cutting back their hours is not only trending, but it’s also helping doctors cope with burnout.

“We’re seeing physicians take a 20% or more cut in salary in order to decrease their burden,” she said. “They’ll spend 4 days on clinical time with patients so that on that fifth ‘day off,’ they’re doing the paperwork and documentation they need to do so they don’t compromise care on the other 4 days of the week.”

And this may only be a Band-Aid solution, she fears.

“If a physician is spending 3 hours a day doing unnecessary work that could be done by another team member, that’s contributing to burnout,” Dr. Brown said. “It’s no surprise that they’ll want to escape and retire if they’re in a financial situation to do so.”

“I advocate negotiating within your organization so you’re doing more of what you like, such as mentoring or running a residency, and less of what you don’t, while cutting back from full-time to something less than full-time while maintaining benefits,” said Joel Greenwald, MD, a certified financial planner in Minneapolis, who specializes in helping physicians manage their financial affairs.

“Falling into the ‘like less’ bucket are usually things like working weekends and taking calls,” he said.

“This benefits everyone on a large scale because those doctors who find things they enjoy are generally working to a later age but working less hard,” he said. “Remaining comfortably and happily gainfully employed for a longer period, even if you’re not working full-time, has a very powerful effect on your financial planning, and you’ll avoid the risk of running out of money.”
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The double whammy of pandemic burnout and the aging of baby boomer physicians has, indeed, the makings of some scary headlines. A recent survey by Elsevier Health predicts that up to 75% of health care workers will leave the profession by 2025. And a 2020 study conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projected a shortfall of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033.

“We’ve paid a lot of attention to physician retirement,” says Michael Dill, AAMC’s director of workforce studies. “It’s a significant concern in terms of whether we have an adequate supply of physicians in the U.S. to meet our nation’s medical care needs. Anyone who thinks otherwise is incorrect.”

To Mr. Dill, it’s the number of older physicians – in all specialties – ready to retire that should be the biggest concern for hospitals all across the country.

“The physician workforce as a whole is aging,” he said. “Close to a quarter of the physicians in the U.S. are 65 and over. So, you don’t need any extraordinary events driving retirement in order for retirement to be a real phenomenon of which we should all be concerned.”

And, although Mr. Dill said there aren’t any data to suggest that doctors in rural or urban areas are retiring faster than in the suburbs, that doesn’t mean retirement will have the same impact depending on where patients live.

“If you live in a rural area with one small practice in town and that physician retires, there goes the entirety of the physician supply,” he said. “In a major metro area, that’s not as big a deal.”
 

Why younger doctors are fast-tracking retirement

Fernando Mendoza, MD, 54, a pediatric emergency department physician in Miami, worries that physicians are getting so bogged down by paperwork that this may lead to even more doctors, at younger ages, leaving the profession.

“I love taking care of kids, but there’s going to be a cost to doing your work when you’re spending as much time as we need to spend on charts, pharmacy requests, and making sure all of the Medicare and Medicaid compliance issues are worked out.”

These stressors may compel some younger doctors to consider carving out a second career or fast-track younger physicians toward retirement.

“A medical degree carries a lot of weight, which helps when pivoting,” said Dr. Mendoza, who launched Scrivas, a Miami-based medical scribe agency, to help reduce the paperwork workload for physicians. “It might be that a doctor wants to get involved in the acquisition of medical equipment, or maybe they can focus on their investments. Either way, by leaving medicine, they’re not dealing with the hassle and churn-and-burn of seeing patients.”
 

What this means for patients

The time is now to stem the upcoming tide of retirement, said Mr. Dill. But the challenges remain daunting. For starters, the country needs more physicians trained now – but it will take years to replace those baby boomer doctors ready to hang up their white coats.

The medical profession also needs to find ways to support physicians who spend their days juggling an endless array of responsibilities, he said.

The AAMC study found that patients already feel the physician shortfall. Their public opinion research in 2019 said 35% of patients had trouble finding a physician over the past 2 or 3 years, up 10 percentage points since they asked the question in 2015.

Moreover, according to the report, the over-65 population is expected to grow by 45.1%, leaving a specialty care gap because older people generally have more complicated health cases that require specialists. In addition, physician burnout may lead more physicians under 65 to retire much earlier than expected.

Changes in how medicine is practiced, telemedicine care, and medical education – such as disruption of classes or clinical rotations, regulatory changes, and a lack of interest in certain specialties – could also be affected by a mass physician retirement.
 

What can we do about mass retirement?

The AAMC reports in “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2019 to 2034” that federally funded GME support is in the works to train 15,000 physicians per year, with 3,000 new residency slots added per year over 5 years. The proposed model will add 3,750 new physicians each year beginning in 2026.

Other efforts include increasing use of APRNs and PAs, whose population is estimated to more than double by 2034, improve population health through preventive care, increase equity in health outcomes, and improve access and affordable care.

Removing licensing barriers for immigrant doctors can also help alleviate the shortage.

“We need to find better ways to leverage the entirety of the health care team so that not as much falls on physicians,” Mr. Dill said. “It’s also imperative that we focus on ways to support physician wellness and allow physicians to remain active in the field, but at a reduced rate.”

That’s precisely what Marie Brown, MD, director of practice redesign at the American Medical Association, is seeing nationwide. Cutting back their hours is not only trending, but it’s also helping doctors cope with burnout.

“We’re seeing physicians take a 20% or more cut in salary in order to decrease their burden,” she said. “They’ll spend 4 days on clinical time with patients so that on that fifth ‘day off,’ they’re doing the paperwork and documentation they need to do so they don’t compromise care on the other 4 days of the week.”

And this may only be a Band-Aid solution, she fears.

“If a physician is spending 3 hours a day doing unnecessary work that could be done by another team member, that’s contributing to burnout,” Dr. Brown said. “It’s no surprise that they’ll want to escape and retire if they’re in a financial situation to do so.”

“I advocate negotiating within your organization so you’re doing more of what you like, such as mentoring or running a residency, and less of what you don’t, while cutting back from full-time to something less than full-time while maintaining benefits,” said Joel Greenwald, MD, a certified financial planner in Minneapolis, who specializes in helping physicians manage their financial affairs.

“Falling into the ‘like less’ bucket are usually things like working weekends and taking calls,” he said.

“This benefits everyone on a large scale because those doctors who find things they enjoy are generally working to a later age but working less hard,” he said. “Remaining comfortably and happily gainfully employed for a longer period, even if you’re not working full-time, has a very powerful effect on your financial planning, and you’ll avoid the risk of running out of money.”
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

There are times when, as health care providers dealing with the stress of the profession, many doctors feel that tapping into a higher purpose – or even praying – might be a helpful way to cope.

Whether you’re spiritual, religious – or neither – the Medscape Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2023 asked if you have a religious or spiritual belief. Turns out 69% of physicians shared that they have a spiritual or religious practice.
 

Tapping into the universe

Nick Shamie, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery at University of California, Los Angeles, says the constant challenges of making life-and-death decisions offer an opportunity to check in with a higher power.

“Sometimes when I’m going into a tough surgery or have a tough situation, I pause and think about how this isn’t about me and the situation I’m in,” says Dr. Shamie, whose family is Muslim. “It’s about the whole universe. I feel like someone, or some being, is looking over my shoulders, and if my intentions are good, I’ll be fine. The person I’m going to take care of will be fine. That’s how I use my faith.”

Having a belief in something greater than herself also fuels Jill Carnahan, MD, a family medicine physician and functional medicine expert in Boulder, Colo.

“This is key for me as a physician,” says Dr. Carnahan, author of “Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith.” “I urge physicians to think about their source of strength. That’s not necessarily even religious. It could be meditation or being in nature.”

Dr. Carnahan likes to share with patients that there are lessons that can come from being ill – whether treating ill patients or struggling with one’s own illness.

“I like to teach this idea of illness as a teacher,” says Dr. Carnahan, who has Crohn’s disease and is a cancer survivor. “This is tough, but what you’re saying here is that there is meaning or purpose to this experience. It brings awareness to your life that may not have been there before.”

Often illness is our body’s way of getting our attention that our life, relationships, or work needs adjustment. Illness can be a reminder to make changes. “For example, a diagnosis of autoimmunity may be a reminder to take better care of ourselves, or a diagnosis of cancer may cause us to get out of an unhealthy relationship or change jobs to do something more fulfilling, as we have increased awareness of the brevity of life.”

When patients are affected by illness, pain, reduced functionality, and even imminent death, understanding the experience is difficult, and finding any purpose in it may seem impossible. Still, studies show that those who find meaning in the experience cope better with their illness.

Finding that meaning may be a strong driver of survival and may be positively related to hope, belief, and happiness.
 

Spirituality supports patients

Even if you’re not religious yourself, it can be helpful to support a patient who opts to pray before an arduous procedure, says Sharyar Baradaran, DDS, a periodontist specializing in gum surgery in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“I’ve had patients who go into meditation mode, or they say a prayer before I start surgery,” he says. “I take that opportunity to connect. In that instance, we hold hands. I want them to know that I understand what they’re going through and how they’re trying to find the courage to undergo surgery.”

When Dr. Shamie was a child, his father described religion as embodying the basic tenet of being good to others. “I’ve taken that to heart,” he says. “All religions, all faiths have that as a central premise.”

These doctors agree that when you take the time to stop and hold a patient’s hand, bow your head during their prayer, or acknowledge or speak for a few moments about their faith, especially during a health crisis, surgery, or challenging diagnosis, patients appreciate it and develop an even deeper connection with you.

Dr. Baradaran believes spirituality can play an important role in how health care providers care for patients. Though it may not be widely discussed or reported, and physicians may find little time and space to address patients’ spiritual needs, there is growing sensitivity regarding spirituality in health care. One study found that while physicians understand its importance, nurses are more apt to integrate spirituality into practice.

“No matter the religion, if you’re spiritual, it means you’re listening and being respectful,” says Dr. Baradaran, who is Jewish. “There are times that I’m not familiar with the prayers my patients are saying, but I always take them in, absorb them, and respect them. This allows me to have a deeper connection with them, which is wonderful.”

Dr. Shamie says that he turns to his faith in good times as well as tough ones.

“I see a lot of people who are dealing with very difficult situations, and it’s not their choice to be in this position,” he says. “At those moments, I think to myself how fortunate I am that I’m not experiencing what this individual or family is going through. I do thank God at that time. I appreciate the life I have, and when I witness hardships, it resets my appreciation.”

For Dr. Carnahan, faith is about becoming comfortable with the inevitable uncertainty of life. It’s also about finding ways to tap into the day’s stresses.

“As physicians, we’re workaholics, and one in four of us are burnt out,” she says. “One solution that really works is to step back from the day-to-day grind and find time to pray or meditate or be in nature.”

There are times when a tragedy occurs, and despite your most intense efforts, a patient may die. Those experiences can be crushing to a physician. However, to guide you through the loss of a patient or the daily juggles of managing your practice, Dr. Carnahan suggests finding time every morning to focus on the day ahead and how you connect with the universe.

“I take 15 minutes in the morning and think about how I will bring love to the world,” she says. “If you look for the miracles and the good and the unexpected, that gratitude shift allows your mind to be transformed by what’s happening. It’s often in those moments that you’ll realize again why you went into medicine in the first place.”
 

Doctors without faith

So, what does this mean if you’re among the 25% of physicians in the Medscape report who do not have a religious or spiritual leaning and aren’t apt to be spiritually minded when it comes to your patients? An article on KevinMD.com points out that atheist physicians are often in the closet about their atheism because they usually bow their heads or keep a respectful silence when a patient or their family offers a prayer request before surgery or a prayer of thanks after a procedure.

The retired atheist physician who wrote the piece reminds us that nonreligious doctors are good people with a high moral compass who may not believe in an afterlife. However, that means they try to make their patients’ quality of life the best they can.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

There are times when, as health care providers dealing with the stress of the profession, many doctors feel that tapping into a higher purpose – or even praying – might be a helpful way to cope.

Whether you’re spiritual, religious – or neither – the Medscape Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2023 asked if you have a religious or spiritual belief. Turns out 69% of physicians shared that they have a spiritual or religious practice.
 

Tapping into the universe

Nick Shamie, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery at University of California, Los Angeles, says the constant challenges of making life-and-death decisions offer an opportunity to check in with a higher power.

“Sometimes when I’m going into a tough surgery or have a tough situation, I pause and think about how this isn’t about me and the situation I’m in,” says Dr. Shamie, whose family is Muslim. “It’s about the whole universe. I feel like someone, or some being, is looking over my shoulders, and if my intentions are good, I’ll be fine. The person I’m going to take care of will be fine. That’s how I use my faith.”

Having a belief in something greater than herself also fuels Jill Carnahan, MD, a family medicine physician and functional medicine expert in Boulder, Colo.

“This is key for me as a physician,” says Dr. Carnahan, author of “Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith.” “I urge physicians to think about their source of strength. That’s not necessarily even religious. It could be meditation or being in nature.”

Dr. Carnahan likes to share with patients that there are lessons that can come from being ill – whether treating ill patients or struggling with one’s own illness.

“I like to teach this idea of illness as a teacher,” says Dr. Carnahan, who has Crohn’s disease and is a cancer survivor. “This is tough, but what you’re saying here is that there is meaning or purpose to this experience. It brings awareness to your life that may not have been there before.”

Often illness is our body’s way of getting our attention that our life, relationships, or work needs adjustment. Illness can be a reminder to make changes. “For example, a diagnosis of autoimmunity may be a reminder to take better care of ourselves, or a diagnosis of cancer may cause us to get out of an unhealthy relationship or change jobs to do something more fulfilling, as we have increased awareness of the brevity of life.”

When patients are affected by illness, pain, reduced functionality, and even imminent death, understanding the experience is difficult, and finding any purpose in it may seem impossible. Still, studies show that those who find meaning in the experience cope better with their illness.

Finding that meaning may be a strong driver of survival and may be positively related to hope, belief, and happiness.
 

Spirituality supports patients

Even if you’re not religious yourself, it can be helpful to support a patient who opts to pray before an arduous procedure, says Sharyar Baradaran, DDS, a periodontist specializing in gum surgery in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“I’ve had patients who go into meditation mode, or they say a prayer before I start surgery,” he says. “I take that opportunity to connect. In that instance, we hold hands. I want them to know that I understand what they’re going through and how they’re trying to find the courage to undergo surgery.”

When Dr. Shamie was a child, his father described religion as embodying the basic tenet of being good to others. “I’ve taken that to heart,” he says. “All religions, all faiths have that as a central premise.”

These doctors agree that when you take the time to stop and hold a patient’s hand, bow your head during their prayer, or acknowledge or speak for a few moments about their faith, especially during a health crisis, surgery, or challenging diagnosis, patients appreciate it and develop an even deeper connection with you.

Dr. Baradaran believes spirituality can play an important role in how health care providers care for patients. Though it may not be widely discussed or reported, and physicians may find little time and space to address patients’ spiritual needs, there is growing sensitivity regarding spirituality in health care. One study found that while physicians understand its importance, nurses are more apt to integrate spirituality into practice.

“No matter the religion, if you’re spiritual, it means you’re listening and being respectful,” says Dr. Baradaran, who is Jewish. “There are times that I’m not familiar with the prayers my patients are saying, but I always take them in, absorb them, and respect them. This allows me to have a deeper connection with them, which is wonderful.”

Dr. Shamie says that he turns to his faith in good times as well as tough ones.

“I see a lot of people who are dealing with very difficult situations, and it’s not their choice to be in this position,” he says. “At those moments, I think to myself how fortunate I am that I’m not experiencing what this individual or family is going through. I do thank God at that time. I appreciate the life I have, and when I witness hardships, it resets my appreciation.”

For Dr. Carnahan, faith is about becoming comfortable with the inevitable uncertainty of life. It’s also about finding ways to tap into the day’s stresses.

“As physicians, we’re workaholics, and one in four of us are burnt out,” she says. “One solution that really works is to step back from the day-to-day grind and find time to pray or meditate or be in nature.”

There are times when a tragedy occurs, and despite your most intense efforts, a patient may die. Those experiences can be crushing to a physician. However, to guide you through the loss of a patient or the daily juggles of managing your practice, Dr. Carnahan suggests finding time every morning to focus on the day ahead and how you connect with the universe.

“I take 15 minutes in the morning and think about how I will bring love to the world,” she says. “If you look for the miracles and the good and the unexpected, that gratitude shift allows your mind to be transformed by what’s happening. It’s often in those moments that you’ll realize again why you went into medicine in the first place.”
 

Doctors without faith

So, what does this mean if you’re among the 25% of physicians in the Medscape report who do not have a religious or spiritual leaning and aren’t apt to be spiritually minded when it comes to your patients? An article on KevinMD.com points out that atheist physicians are often in the closet about their atheism because they usually bow their heads or keep a respectful silence when a patient or their family offers a prayer request before surgery or a prayer of thanks after a procedure.

The retired atheist physician who wrote the piece reminds us that nonreligious doctors are good people with a high moral compass who may not believe in an afterlife. However, that means they try to make their patients’ quality of life the best they can.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

There are times when, as health care providers dealing with the stress of the profession, many doctors feel that tapping into a higher purpose – or even praying – might be a helpful way to cope.

Whether you’re spiritual, religious – or neither – the Medscape Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2023 asked if you have a religious or spiritual belief. Turns out 69% of physicians shared that they have a spiritual or religious practice.
 

Tapping into the universe

Nick Shamie, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery at University of California, Los Angeles, says the constant challenges of making life-and-death decisions offer an opportunity to check in with a higher power.

“Sometimes when I’m going into a tough surgery or have a tough situation, I pause and think about how this isn’t about me and the situation I’m in,” says Dr. Shamie, whose family is Muslim. “It’s about the whole universe. I feel like someone, or some being, is looking over my shoulders, and if my intentions are good, I’ll be fine. The person I’m going to take care of will be fine. That’s how I use my faith.”

Having a belief in something greater than herself also fuels Jill Carnahan, MD, a family medicine physician and functional medicine expert in Boulder, Colo.

“This is key for me as a physician,” says Dr. Carnahan, author of “Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith.” “I urge physicians to think about their source of strength. That’s not necessarily even religious. It could be meditation or being in nature.”

Dr. Carnahan likes to share with patients that there are lessons that can come from being ill – whether treating ill patients or struggling with one’s own illness.

“I like to teach this idea of illness as a teacher,” says Dr. Carnahan, who has Crohn’s disease and is a cancer survivor. “This is tough, but what you’re saying here is that there is meaning or purpose to this experience. It brings awareness to your life that may not have been there before.”

Often illness is our body’s way of getting our attention that our life, relationships, or work needs adjustment. Illness can be a reminder to make changes. “For example, a diagnosis of autoimmunity may be a reminder to take better care of ourselves, or a diagnosis of cancer may cause us to get out of an unhealthy relationship or change jobs to do something more fulfilling, as we have increased awareness of the brevity of life.”

When patients are affected by illness, pain, reduced functionality, and even imminent death, understanding the experience is difficult, and finding any purpose in it may seem impossible. Still, studies show that those who find meaning in the experience cope better with their illness.

Finding that meaning may be a strong driver of survival and may be positively related to hope, belief, and happiness.
 

Spirituality supports patients

Even if you’re not religious yourself, it can be helpful to support a patient who opts to pray before an arduous procedure, says Sharyar Baradaran, DDS, a periodontist specializing in gum surgery in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“I’ve had patients who go into meditation mode, or they say a prayer before I start surgery,” he says. “I take that opportunity to connect. In that instance, we hold hands. I want them to know that I understand what they’re going through and how they’re trying to find the courage to undergo surgery.”

When Dr. Shamie was a child, his father described religion as embodying the basic tenet of being good to others. “I’ve taken that to heart,” he says. “All religions, all faiths have that as a central premise.”

These doctors agree that when you take the time to stop and hold a patient’s hand, bow your head during their prayer, or acknowledge or speak for a few moments about their faith, especially during a health crisis, surgery, or challenging diagnosis, patients appreciate it and develop an even deeper connection with you.

Dr. Baradaran believes spirituality can play an important role in how health care providers care for patients. Though it may not be widely discussed or reported, and physicians may find little time and space to address patients’ spiritual needs, there is growing sensitivity regarding spirituality in health care. One study found that while physicians understand its importance, nurses are more apt to integrate spirituality into practice.

“No matter the religion, if you’re spiritual, it means you’re listening and being respectful,” says Dr. Baradaran, who is Jewish. “There are times that I’m not familiar with the prayers my patients are saying, but I always take them in, absorb them, and respect them. This allows me to have a deeper connection with them, which is wonderful.”

Dr. Shamie says that he turns to his faith in good times as well as tough ones.

“I see a lot of people who are dealing with very difficult situations, and it’s not their choice to be in this position,” he says. “At those moments, I think to myself how fortunate I am that I’m not experiencing what this individual or family is going through. I do thank God at that time. I appreciate the life I have, and when I witness hardships, it resets my appreciation.”

For Dr. Carnahan, faith is about becoming comfortable with the inevitable uncertainty of life. It’s also about finding ways to tap into the day’s stresses.

“As physicians, we’re workaholics, and one in four of us are burnt out,” she says. “One solution that really works is to step back from the day-to-day grind and find time to pray or meditate or be in nature.”

There are times when a tragedy occurs, and despite your most intense efforts, a patient may die. Those experiences can be crushing to a physician. However, to guide you through the loss of a patient or the daily juggles of managing your practice, Dr. Carnahan suggests finding time every morning to focus on the day ahead and how you connect with the universe.

“I take 15 minutes in the morning and think about how I will bring love to the world,” she says. “If you look for the miracles and the good and the unexpected, that gratitude shift allows your mind to be transformed by what’s happening. It’s often in those moments that you’ll realize again why you went into medicine in the first place.”
 

Doctors without faith

So, what does this mean if you’re among the 25% of physicians in the Medscape report who do not have a religious or spiritual leaning and aren’t apt to be spiritually minded when it comes to your patients? An article on KevinMD.com points out that atheist physicians are often in the closet about their atheism because they usually bow their heads or keep a respectful silence when a patient or their family offers a prayer request before surgery or a prayer of thanks after a procedure.

The retired atheist physician who wrote the piece reminds us that nonreligious doctors are good people with a high moral compass who may not believe in an afterlife. However, that means they try to make their patients’ quality of life the best they can.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

When Lynda Carter talks about her late husband Robert Altman, you can sense right away that this was a love affair for the ages.

“As I’ve often said, if you were a friend of Robert’s, you were one of the luckiest people in the world,” said Ms. Carter, the singer-songwriter and actor best known for her role as Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series, who married Mr. Altman, an attorney, in 1984.

For Ms. Carter, Mr. Altman, and their children, Jessica and James, everything changed in 2017, when Mr. Altman was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare bone marrow disorder – about one case is reported per 100,000 Americans each year – that was found during routine blood work.

“Robert was never sick a day in his life,” she said in an interview. “He skied and swam, and in many ways we were in the prime of our lives together. When he was initially diagnosed, we weren’t even clear what he had. The buzzword was that he had a rare blood disorder, not cancer.”

The family was told to wait and see if the disease would get worse, which it did, unfortunately, at the exact time COVID-19 hit.

This condition can progress from myelofibrosis to secondary acute myeloid leukemia, a rare blood cancer, said Michael Caligiuri, MD, a leading researcher in immunology, lymphoma, and leukemia and president of City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif., one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States.

“This disease is chronic and slow changing, but when it progresses more acutely to a form of leukemia, it can advance rapidly,” he said.

At the acute phase, there’s not much that can be done for the patient.

“This becomes very much a life-and-death situation,” he said. “You want to hope for the best, but there needs to be an expectation of the worst in terms of trying to prepare the patient and the family for what may come so that they can start to psychologically and legally put the person’s life in order.”

Despite every effort, Mr. Altman died in February 2021 at the age of 73.

Now, to honor her husband, Ms. Carter is gifting her time and resources to create the Robert & Lynda Carter Altman Family Foundation Research Fund, working with the Translational Genomics Research Institute, a leading biomedical research institute at City of Hope.

The goal: To speed up critical research that will improve early detection and survival for this hard-to-treat blood cancer.

“I’m excited to be a part of this team and to know that I may play a small part in helping other families facing this same diagnosis,” Ms. Carter said. “It’s thrilling seeing the progress these scientists are making, from genomic research into a universe of trillions of codes that might actually become a drug therapy someday.”

With the creation of the foundation, there will be funding to develop better diagnostics and better treatments.

“In many instances, this research will shed light on other related disorders, too,” said Dr. Caligiuri. “Cancer is a disease of the genes, and in most cases, we’re not inheriting from our mothers or fathers, but the DNA gets switched around in one of the trillion cells in our body, the way a word is misspelled.”

What happens next is that the cell doesn’t die.

“Instead, it undergoes a nuclear reaction and grows and grows,” he said. “In this case, the first evidence of a problem was myelofibrosis. That ticking time bomb continued until it exploded into leukemia.”

Dr. Caligiuri said the goal of their research will be to develop a device that can rearrange that DNA or block the DNA changes so the disease doesn’t progress to leukemia or, if it does, so “that we can turn it into a chronic condition, not an acute one that’s life-threatening.”

For Ms. Carter, this foundation is one very heartfelt way that she can honor her husband’s legacy.

“When I lost Robert, I was left with so many questions,” she said. “I wanted to understand why rare cancers are so difficult to treat and what research or treatment advances were being made to change that. Robert was never one for self-aggrandizement, but I think he would like this. I think Robert would really be touched by this.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

When Lynda Carter talks about her late husband Robert Altman, you can sense right away that this was a love affair for the ages.

“As I’ve often said, if you were a friend of Robert’s, you were one of the luckiest people in the world,” said Ms. Carter, the singer-songwriter and actor best known for her role as Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series, who married Mr. Altman, an attorney, in 1984.

For Ms. Carter, Mr. Altman, and their children, Jessica and James, everything changed in 2017, when Mr. Altman was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare bone marrow disorder – about one case is reported per 100,000 Americans each year – that was found during routine blood work.

“Robert was never sick a day in his life,” she said in an interview. “He skied and swam, and in many ways we were in the prime of our lives together. When he was initially diagnosed, we weren’t even clear what he had. The buzzword was that he had a rare blood disorder, not cancer.”

The family was told to wait and see if the disease would get worse, which it did, unfortunately, at the exact time COVID-19 hit.

This condition can progress from myelofibrosis to secondary acute myeloid leukemia, a rare blood cancer, said Michael Caligiuri, MD, a leading researcher in immunology, lymphoma, and leukemia and president of City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif., one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States.

“This disease is chronic and slow changing, but when it progresses more acutely to a form of leukemia, it can advance rapidly,” he said.

At the acute phase, there’s not much that can be done for the patient.

“This becomes very much a life-and-death situation,” he said. “You want to hope for the best, but there needs to be an expectation of the worst in terms of trying to prepare the patient and the family for what may come so that they can start to psychologically and legally put the person’s life in order.”

Despite every effort, Mr. Altman died in February 2021 at the age of 73.

Now, to honor her husband, Ms. Carter is gifting her time and resources to create the Robert & Lynda Carter Altman Family Foundation Research Fund, working with the Translational Genomics Research Institute, a leading biomedical research institute at City of Hope.

The goal: To speed up critical research that will improve early detection and survival for this hard-to-treat blood cancer.

“I’m excited to be a part of this team and to know that I may play a small part in helping other families facing this same diagnosis,” Ms. Carter said. “It’s thrilling seeing the progress these scientists are making, from genomic research into a universe of trillions of codes that might actually become a drug therapy someday.”

With the creation of the foundation, there will be funding to develop better diagnostics and better treatments.

“In many instances, this research will shed light on other related disorders, too,” said Dr. Caligiuri. “Cancer is a disease of the genes, and in most cases, we’re not inheriting from our mothers or fathers, but the DNA gets switched around in one of the trillion cells in our body, the way a word is misspelled.”

What happens next is that the cell doesn’t die.

“Instead, it undergoes a nuclear reaction and grows and grows,” he said. “In this case, the first evidence of a problem was myelofibrosis. That ticking time bomb continued until it exploded into leukemia.”

Dr. Caligiuri said the goal of their research will be to develop a device that can rearrange that DNA or block the DNA changes so the disease doesn’t progress to leukemia or, if it does, so “that we can turn it into a chronic condition, not an acute one that’s life-threatening.”

For Ms. Carter, this foundation is one very heartfelt way that she can honor her husband’s legacy.

“When I lost Robert, I was left with so many questions,” she said. “I wanted to understand why rare cancers are so difficult to treat and what research or treatment advances were being made to change that. Robert was never one for self-aggrandizement, but I think he would like this. I think Robert would really be touched by this.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

When Lynda Carter talks about her late husband Robert Altman, you can sense right away that this was a love affair for the ages.

“As I’ve often said, if you were a friend of Robert’s, you were one of the luckiest people in the world,” said Ms. Carter, the singer-songwriter and actor best known for her role as Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series, who married Mr. Altman, an attorney, in 1984.

For Ms. Carter, Mr. Altman, and their children, Jessica and James, everything changed in 2017, when Mr. Altman was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare bone marrow disorder – about one case is reported per 100,000 Americans each year – that was found during routine blood work.

“Robert was never sick a day in his life,” she said in an interview. “He skied and swam, and in many ways we were in the prime of our lives together. When he was initially diagnosed, we weren’t even clear what he had. The buzzword was that he had a rare blood disorder, not cancer.”

The family was told to wait and see if the disease would get worse, which it did, unfortunately, at the exact time COVID-19 hit.

This condition can progress from myelofibrosis to secondary acute myeloid leukemia, a rare blood cancer, said Michael Caligiuri, MD, a leading researcher in immunology, lymphoma, and leukemia and president of City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif., one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States.

“This disease is chronic and slow changing, but when it progresses more acutely to a form of leukemia, it can advance rapidly,” he said.

At the acute phase, there’s not much that can be done for the patient.

“This becomes very much a life-and-death situation,” he said. “You want to hope for the best, but there needs to be an expectation of the worst in terms of trying to prepare the patient and the family for what may come so that they can start to psychologically and legally put the person’s life in order.”

Despite every effort, Mr. Altman died in February 2021 at the age of 73.

Now, to honor her husband, Ms. Carter is gifting her time and resources to create the Robert & Lynda Carter Altman Family Foundation Research Fund, working with the Translational Genomics Research Institute, a leading biomedical research institute at City of Hope.

The goal: To speed up critical research that will improve early detection and survival for this hard-to-treat blood cancer.

“I’m excited to be a part of this team and to know that I may play a small part in helping other families facing this same diagnosis,” Ms. Carter said. “It’s thrilling seeing the progress these scientists are making, from genomic research into a universe of trillions of codes that might actually become a drug therapy someday.”

With the creation of the foundation, there will be funding to develop better diagnostics and better treatments.

“In many instances, this research will shed light on other related disorders, too,” said Dr. Caligiuri. “Cancer is a disease of the genes, and in most cases, we’re not inheriting from our mothers or fathers, but the DNA gets switched around in one of the trillion cells in our body, the way a word is misspelled.”

What happens next is that the cell doesn’t die.

“Instead, it undergoes a nuclear reaction and grows and grows,” he said. “In this case, the first evidence of a problem was myelofibrosis. That ticking time bomb continued until it exploded into leukemia.”

Dr. Caligiuri said the goal of their research will be to develop a device that can rearrange that DNA or block the DNA changes so the disease doesn’t progress to leukemia or, if it does, so “that we can turn it into a chronic condition, not an acute one that’s life-threatening.”

For Ms. Carter, this foundation is one very heartfelt way that she can honor her husband’s legacy.

“When I lost Robert, I was left with so many questions,” she said. “I wanted to understand why rare cancers are so difficult to treat and what research or treatment advances were being made to change that. Robert was never one for self-aggrandizement, but I think he would like this. I think Robert would really be touched by this.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Managing type 1 diabetes is never easy. But if you ask 16-year-old climbing star Katie Bone, she’ll tell you that she will never let this disease get in the way of her goals.

“My motto is the same one as Bethany Hamilton’s – the surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack: ‘I don’t need easy, I just need possible,” said Ms. Bone, who lives in Albuquerque and has been a competitive rock climber since she was 8 years old. “That really stuck with me.”

Just watching her compete on NBC’s hit reality show American Ninja Warrior in June is proof of that. Not only did the nationally ranked climber fly through the obstacles with grace and grit, but she proudly showed off her two monitoring devices: a glucose monitor on one arm and a tubeless insulin pump on the other.

“I specifically decided to keep my devices visible when I went on the show,” she said. “It’s part of my life, and I wanted to show that I’m not ashamed to wear medical devices.”

Still, it has been a long journey since Bone was diagnosed in 2017. She was just 11 years old at the time and had recently done a climbing competition when she started feeling ill.

“I didn’t perform well,” she said. “I needed to go to the bathroom a lot and felt really nauseous. Three days later, we ended up in urgent care.”

When her doctor first told her she had diabetes, she started crying.

“My grandma had type 1 and was extremely sick and died from complications,” she said. “That was all I knew about diabetes, and it was scary to think my life could be like that.”

But her outlook brightened when her doctor assured her that she could keep climbing.

“When I was told that I could keep competing, a switch flipped for me and I made a decision that nothing would hold me back,” she says.

But every day isn’t easy.

“It’s sometimes really hard to manage my diabetes during competitions,” she said. “When we climb, for example, we’re not allowed to have our phones, and I manage my [glucose monitor] through my phone. This means accommodations have to be made for me.”

And managing her diabetes can be unpredictable at times.

“If my blood sugar is low or high, I might be put last in a competition,” she said. “That messes up my warm-up and my mental game. It’s a never-ending battle.”

Ultimately, Ms. Bone’s goal is to inspire others and advocate for diabetes awareness. She says she’s been overwhelmed by viewer responses to her appearance on the show.

“I heard from so many parents and kids,” she said. “I want the world to know that wearing a pump on your arm only makes you more amazing.”

She also draws inspiration from others with diabetes.

“Everyone with this disease is a role model for me, since everyone is fighting their own battles,” she said. “Diabetes is different for everyone, and seeing how people can do what they do despite the diagnosis has been incredibly inspiring.”

For now, the rising high school junior plans to continue training and competing.

“My goal is to make the 2024 Olympic climbing team in Paris,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to compete in the Olympics since I was a little kid. Nothing can stop me.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Managing type 1 diabetes is never easy. But if you ask 16-year-old climbing star Katie Bone, she’ll tell you that she will never let this disease get in the way of her goals.

“My motto is the same one as Bethany Hamilton’s – the surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack: ‘I don’t need easy, I just need possible,” said Ms. Bone, who lives in Albuquerque and has been a competitive rock climber since she was 8 years old. “That really stuck with me.”

Just watching her compete on NBC’s hit reality show American Ninja Warrior in June is proof of that. Not only did the nationally ranked climber fly through the obstacles with grace and grit, but she proudly showed off her two monitoring devices: a glucose monitor on one arm and a tubeless insulin pump on the other.

“I specifically decided to keep my devices visible when I went on the show,” she said. “It’s part of my life, and I wanted to show that I’m not ashamed to wear medical devices.”

Still, it has been a long journey since Bone was diagnosed in 2017. She was just 11 years old at the time and had recently done a climbing competition when she started feeling ill.

“I didn’t perform well,” she said. “I needed to go to the bathroom a lot and felt really nauseous. Three days later, we ended up in urgent care.”

When her doctor first told her she had diabetes, she started crying.

“My grandma had type 1 and was extremely sick and died from complications,” she said. “That was all I knew about diabetes, and it was scary to think my life could be like that.”

But her outlook brightened when her doctor assured her that she could keep climbing.

“When I was told that I could keep competing, a switch flipped for me and I made a decision that nothing would hold me back,” she says.

But every day isn’t easy.

“It’s sometimes really hard to manage my diabetes during competitions,” she said. “When we climb, for example, we’re not allowed to have our phones, and I manage my [glucose monitor] through my phone. This means accommodations have to be made for me.”

And managing her diabetes can be unpredictable at times.

“If my blood sugar is low or high, I might be put last in a competition,” she said. “That messes up my warm-up and my mental game. It’s a never-ending battle.”

Ultimately, Ms. Bone’s goal is to inspire others and advocate for diabetes awareness. She says she’s been overwhelmed by viewer responses to her appearance on the show.

“I heard from so many parents and kids,” she said. “I want the world to know that wearing a pump on your arm only makes you more amazing.”

She also draws inspiration from others with diabetes.

“Everyone with this disease is a role model for me, since everyone is fighting their own battles,” she said. “Diabetes is different for everyone, and seeing how people can do what they do despite the diagnosis has been incredibly inspiring.”

For now, the rising high school junior plans to continue training and competing.

“My goal is to make the 2024 Olympic climbing team in Paris,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to compete in the Olympics since I was a little kid. Nothing can stop me.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Managing type 1 diabetes is never easy. But if you ask 16-year-old climbing star Katie Bone, she’ll tell you that she will never let this disease get in the way of her goals.

“My motto is the same one as Bethany Hamilton’s – the surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack: ‘I don’t need easy, I just need possible,” said Ms. Bone, who lives in Albuquerque and has been a competitive rock climber since she was 8 years old. “That really stuck with me.”

Just watching her compete on NBC’s hit reality show American Ninja Warrior in June is proof of that. Not only did the nationally ranked climber fly through the obstacles with grace and grit, but she proudly showed off her two monitoring devices: a glucose monitor on one arm and a tubeless insulin pump on the other.

“I specifically decided to keep my devices visible when I went on the show,” she said. “It’s part of my life, and I wanted to show that I’m not ashamed to wear medical devices.”

Still, it has been a long journey since Bone was diagnosed in 2017. She was just 11 years old at the time and had recently done a climbing competition when she started feeling ill.

“I didn’t perform well,” she said. “I needed to go to the bathroom a lot and felt really nauseous. Three days later, we ended up in urgent care.”

When her doctor first told her she had diabetes, she started crying.

“My grandma had type 1 and was extremely sick and died from complications,” she said. “That was all I knew about diabetes, and it was scary to think my life could be like that.”

But her outlook brightened when her doctor assured her that she could keep climbing.

“When I was told that I could keep competing, a switch flipped for me and I made a decision that nothing would hold me back,” she says.

But every day isn’t easy.

“It’s sometimes really hard to manage my diabetes during competitions,” she said. “When we climb, for example, we’re not allowed to have our phones, and I manage my [glucose monitor] through my phone. This means accommodations have to be made for me.”

And managing her diabetes can be unpredictable at times.

“If my blood sugar is low or high, I might be put last in a competition,” she said. “That messes up my warm-up and my mental game. It’s a never-ending battle.”

Ultimately, Ms. Bone’s goal is to inspire others and advocate for diabetes awareness. She says she’s been overwhelmed by viewer responses to her appearance on the show.

“I heard from so many parents and kids,” she said. “I want the world to know that wearing a pump on your arm only makes you more amazing.”

She also draws inspiration from others with diabetes.

“Everyone with this disease is a role model for me, since everyone is fighting their own battles,” she said. “Diabetes is different for everyone, and seeing how people can do what they do despite the diagnosis has been incredibly inspiring.”

For now, the rising high school junior plans to continue training and competing.

“My goal is to make the 2024 Olympic climbing team in Paris,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to compete in the Olympics since I was a little kid. Nothing can stop me.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

When you speak to Santiaga Nunez, right away, you can sense her deep and unwavering devotion to her son, Lloyd Tyler Rochez, born in 2002 with trisomy 13, a genetic disorder that can involve severe learning problems and health woes that affect nearly every organ.

Lloyd’s diagnosis was confirmed shortly after he was born, when his doctors noticed that his facial features weren’t measuring right for a baby of his size, he had an extra finger on his left hand, and his fingers were joined on the right. His heart was also on the right side of his chest instead of the left. When he had breathing issues, he was quickly rushed to the neonatal ICU (NICU) in the New York City hospital where he was born.

Ms. Nunez wasn’t sure exactly what was wrong with her newborn, but the next morning, a genetics expert came to her room to discuss her medical history and whether anyone in the family had Down syndrome. That same health care provider told her that the next step was to run some tests and do more bloodwork.

Four days later, when Ms. Nunez was told that Lloyd had trisomy 13 and was likely to live for only 2 weeks, she was unable to come to terms with the news.

“There was so much information being told to me at once,” recalls Ms. Nunez, now 42, who is also the mom of two daughters, ages 8 and 10. “I had just turned 22, and this was my first experience giving birth. I can’t even remember everything the doctors told me.”

But she does remember her doctor telling her something about faith.

“After he tried to explain trisomy 13 to me, the downside and the prognosis, at the end he said, ‘I don’t know if you believe in some supernatural being, but if you want to ask that someone for a miracle, I would advise you to do that. Pray for your miracle, and you may get it.’”

Prepared for the worst, Ms. Nunez, who now works from her Martinsburg, WV, home as a case manager for unaccompanied minors coming to the U.S., decided that she would commit to providing the best possible care for her new baby no matter how long he lived.

Thus began an incredible story of Lloyd defying all the odds. While he stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks, his breathing soon began to stabilize, and he could eat by mouth. With that, he was discharged and allowed to go home.

“I was this inexperienced first-time mom who had been told to watch for all sorts of things, like making sure he didn’t turn blue at night,” she says. “I spent so many sleepless nights, but I was dedicated to Lloyd.”

Then, when Lloyd was 6 months old, Ms. Nunez made another important choice.

“I decided that I wasn’t going to live each day as if he was going to die,” she says. “I decided, instead, to enjoy him every day.”

But many health complications still came about, including a serious intestine issue at 8 months, at which point Lloyd’s doctors suggested waiting until he was a year old to have surgery.

Lloyd was able to get through the procedure, but while he was in the recovery room, he stopped breathing.

“I started screaming ‘my son is dying,’” Ms. Nunez recalls. “The nurses put me in a room, and I think I was in there for 10 minutes, but it felt like an eternity of me screaming.”She soon learned that Lloyd had had a seizure. He spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital.

“That was our life,” she says. “He would have respiratory pneumonia, for example, and we would go back to the hospital. We were in and out and in and out.”

But she kept the faith, and since then, Lloyd’s health has mostly stabilized. Ms. Nunez can care for him at home on her own and with family members who help out from time to time.

And, while Lloyd is unable to speak, he smiles and laughs when he’s happy, he’s quiet when he feels ill, and, when he wants to be alone, he groans, Ms. Nunez says. He can stand up, and he crawls from place to place. He also can’t go to the bathroom on his own and is fed by a gastrostomy tube, or G-tube.

In December, when Lloyd was diagnosed with COVID-19, Ms. Nunez started worrying all over again.

“Seeing him in the ICU, all I could think of was ‘please don’t make my son suffer,’” she says. “If he goes, I want him to go in peace, and I don’t want to see him in a machine and suffering.”

But Lloyd once again defied the odds against him and came home again. He has since faced yet another health challenge: He recently had a pelvic fracture.

“When I saw the orthopedist, he told me that Lloyd has a bone deficiency and that his bones don’t have enough room to grow,” she says. “I’m afraid this will be the beginning of a new journey.”
 

How this mom finds strength

While Ms. Nunez doesn’t go to a support group or speak with a mental health professional about all that she’s juggling, she says she draws strength from Lloyd himself.

“I’m very private, and I come from a culture where you don’t want people feeling sorry for you,” she says. “But I want to give Lloyd everything – he goes to school, we go to church, he had a quinceañera when he was 15, we’ve been to Disney, and we’ve both gotten on a roller coaster. I haven’t limited his life.”

She also draws comfort from her daughters.

“Everyone calls him ‘Baby Lloyd,’” she says. “My girls come right home from school, wash their hands, and throw themselves on his bed and watch TV with him. They also worry about him a lot. When he goes to the hospital, they suffer more than I do.”

In the end, Ms. Nunez hopes her story inspires others to think beyond a prognosis.

“Don’t lose hope,” she says. “I want people to feel hopeful when they read about Lloyd. He’s going to be 20 years old, and no one ever believed he would be here today ... I feel blessed.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

When you speak to Santiaga Nunez, right away, you can sense her deep and unwavering devotion to her son, Lloyd Tyler Rochez, born in 2002 with trisomy 13, a genetic disorder that can involve severe learning problems and health woes that affect nearly every organ.

Lloyd’s diagnosis was confirmed shortly after he was born, when his doctors noticed that his facial features weren’t measuring right for a baby of his size, he had an extra finger on his left hand, and his fingers were joined on the right. His heart was also on the right side of his chest instead of the left. When he had breathing issues, he was quickly rushed to the neonatal ICU (NICU) in the New York City hospital where he was born.

Ms. Nunez wasn’t sure exactly what was wrong with her newborn, but the next morning, a genetics expert came to her room to discuss her medical history and whether anyone in the family had Down syndrome. That same health care provider told her that the next step was to run some tests and do more bloodwork.

Four days later, when Ms. Nunez was told that Lloyd had trisomy 13 and was likely to live for only 2 weeks, she was unable to come to terms with the news.

“There was so much information being told to me at once,” recalls Ms. Nunez, now 42, who is also the mom of two daughters, ages 8 and 10. “I had just turned 22, and this was my first experience giving birth. I can’t even remember everything the doctors told me.”

But she does remember her doctor telling her something about faith.

“After he tried to explain trisomy 13 to me, the downside and the prognosis, at the end he said, ‘I don’t know if you believe in some supernatural being, but if you want to ask that someone for a miracle, I would advise you to do that. Pray for your miracle, and you may get it.’”

Prepared for the worst, Ms. Nunez, who now works from her Martinsburg, WV, home as a case manager for unaccompanied minors coming to the U.S., decided that she would commit to providing the best possible care for her new baby no matter how long he lived.

Thus began an incredible story of Lloyd defying all the odds. While he stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks, his breathing soon began to stabilize, and he could eat by mouth. With that, he was discharged and allowed to go home.

“I was this inexperienced first-time mom who had been told to watch for all sorts of things, like making sure he didn’t turn blue at night,” she says. “I spent so many sleepless nights, but I was dedicated to Lloyd.”

Then, when Lloyd was 6 months old, Ms. Nunez made another important choice.

“I decided that I wasn’t going to live each day as if he was going to die,” she says. “I decided, instead, to enjoy him every day.”

But many health complications still came about, including a serious intestine issue at 8 months, at which point Lloyd’s doctors suggested waiting until he was a year old to have surgery.

Lloyd was able to get through the procedure, but while he was in the recovery room, he stopped breathing.

“I started screaming ‘my son is dying,’” Ms. Nunez recalls. “The nurses put me in a room, and I think I was in there for 10 minutes, but it felt like an eternity of me screaming.”She soon learned that Lloyd had had a seizure. He spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital.

“That was our life,” she says. “He would have respiratory pneumonia, for example, and we would go back to the hospital. We were in and out and in and out.”

But she kept the faith, and since then, Lloyd’s health has mostly stabilized. Ms. Nunez can care for him at home on her own and with family members who help out from time to time.

And, while Lloyd is unable to speak, he smiles and laughs when he’s happy, he’s quiet when he feels ill, and, when he wants to be alone, he groans, Ms. Nunez says. He can stand up, and he crawls from place to place. He also can’t go to the bathroom on his own and is fed by a gastrostomy tube, or G-tube.

In December, when Lloyd was diagnosed with COVID-19, Ms. Nunez started worrying all over again.

“Seeing him in the ICU, all I could think of was ‘please don’t make my son suffer,’” she says. “If he goes, I want him to go in peace, and I don’t want to see him in a machine and suffering.”

But Lloyd once again defied the odds against him and came home again. He has since faced yet another health challenge: He recently had a pelvic fracture.

“When I saw the orthopedist, he told me that Lloyd has a bone deficiency and that his bones don’t have enough room to grow,” she says. “I’m afraid this will be the beginning of a new journey.”
 

How this mom finds strength

While Ms. Nunez doesn’t go to a support group or speak with a mental health professional about all that she’s juggling, she says she draws strength from Lloyd himself.

“I’m very private, and I come from a culture where you don’t want people feeling sorry for you,” she says. “But I want to give Lloyd everything – he goes to school, we go to church, he had a quinceañera when he was 15, we’ve been to Disney, and we’ve both gotten on a roller coaster. I haven’t limited his life.”

She also draws comfort from her daughters.

“Everyone calls him ‘Baby Lloyd,’” she says. “My girls come right home from school, wash their hands, and throw themselves on his bed and watch TV with him. They also worry about him a lot. When he goes to the hospital, they suffer more than I do.”

In the end, Ms. Nunez hopes her story inspires others to think beyond a prognosis.

“Don’t lose hope,” she says. “I want people to feel hopeful when they read about Lloyd. He’s going to be 20 years old, and no one ever believed he would be here today ... I feel blessed.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

When you speak to Santiaga Nunez, right away, you can sense her deep and unwavering devotion to her son, Lloyd Tyler Rochez, born in 2002 with trisomy 13, a genetic disorder that can involve severe learning problems and health woes that affect nearly every organ.

Lloyd’s diagnosis was confirmed shortly after he was born, when his doctors noticed that his facial features weren’t measuring right for a baby of his size, he had an extra finger on his left hand, and his fingers were joined on the right. His heart was also on the right side of his chest instead of the left. When he had breathing issues, he was quickly rushed to the neonatal ICU (NICU) in the New York City hospital where he was born.

Ms. Nunez wasn’t sure exactly what was wrong with her newborn, but the next morning, a genetics expert came to her room to discuss her medical history and whether anyone in the family had Down syndrome. That same health care provider told her that the next step was to run some tests and do more bloodwork.

Four days later, when Ms. Nunez was told that Lloyd had trisomy 13 and was likely to live for only 2 weeks, she was unable to come to terms with the news.

“There was so much information being told to me at once,” recalls Ms. Nunez, now 42, who is also the mom of two daughters, ages 8 and 10. “I had just turned 22, and this was my first experience giving birth. I can’t even remember everything the doctors told me.”

But she does remember her doctor telling her something about faith.

“After he tried to explain trisomy 13 to me, the downside and the prognosis, at the end he said, ‘I don’t know if you believe in some supernatural being, but if you want to ask that someone for a miracle, I would advise you to do that. Pray for your miracle, and you may get it.’”

Prepared for the worst, Ms. Nunez, who now works from her Martinsburg, WV, home as a case manager for unaccompanied minors coming to the U.S., decided that she would commit to providing the best possible care for her new baby no matter how long he lived.

Thus began an incredible story of Lloyd defying all the odds. While he stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks, his breathing soon began to stabilize, and he could eat by mouth. With that, he was discharged and allowed to go home.

“I was this inexperienced first-time mom who had been told to watch for all sorts of things, like making sure he didn’t turn blue at night,” she says. “I spent so many sleepless nights, but I was dedicated to Lloyd.”

Then, when Lloyd was 6 months old, Ms. Nunez made another important choice.

“I decided that I wasn’t going to live each day as if he was going to die,” she says. “I decided, instead, to enjoy him every day.”

But many health complications still came about, including a serious intestine issue at 8 months, at which point Lloyd’s doctors suggested waiting until he was a year old to have surgery.

Lloyd was able to get through the procedure, but while he was in the recovery room, he stopped breathing.

“I started screaming ‘my son is dying,’” Ms. Nunez recalls. “The nurses put me in a room, and I think I was in there for 10 minutes, but it felt like an eternity of me screaming.”She soon learned that Lloyd had had a seizure. He spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital.

“That was our life,” she says. “He would have respiratory pneumonia, for example, and we would go back to the hospital. We were in and out and in and out.”

But she kept the faith, and since then, Lloyd’s health has mostly stabilized. Ms. Nunez can care for him at home on her own and with family members who help out from time to time.

And, while Lloyd is unable to speak, he smiles and laughs when he’s happy, he’s quiet when he feels ill, and, when he wants to be alone, he groans, Ms. Nunez says. He can stand up, and he crawls from place to place. He also can’t go to the bathroom on his own and is fed by a gastrostomy tube, or G-tube.

In December, when Lloyd was diagnosed with COVID-19, Ms. Nunez started worrying all over again.

“Seeing him in the ICU, all I could think of was ‘please don’t make my son suffer,’” she says. “If he goes, I want him to go in peace, and I don’t want to see him in a machine and suffering.”

But Lloyd once again defied the odds against him and came home again. He has since faced yet another health challenge: He recently had a pelvic fracture.

“When I saw the orthopedist, he told me that Lloyd has a bone deficiency and that his bones don’t have enough room to grow,” she says. “I’m afraid this will be the beginning of a new journey.”
 

How this mom finds strength

While Ms. Nunez doesn’t go to a support group or speak with a mental health professional about all that she’s juggling, she says she draws strength from Lloyd himself.

“I’m very private, and I come from a culture where you don’t want people feeling sorry for you,” she says. “But I want to give Lloyd everything – he goes to school, we go to church, he had a quinceañera when he was 15, we’ve been to Disney, and we’ve both gotten on a roller coaster. I haven’t limited his life.”

She also draws comfort from her daughters.

“Everyone calls him ‘Baby Lloyd,’” she says. “My girls come right home from school, wash their hands, and throw themselves on his bed and watch TV with him. They also worry about him a lot. When he goes to the hospital, they suffer more than I do.”

In the end, Ms. Nunez hopes her story inspires others to think beyond a prognosis.

“Don’t lose hope,” she says. “I want people to feel hopeful when they read about Lloyd. He’s going to be 20 years old, and no one ever believed he would be here today ... I feel blessed.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Jen Gunter, MD, refuses to stay silent when she sees misleading claims about women’s health products.

In fact, the world’s most famous – and outspoken – ob.gyn. (as described by The Guardian), is on a social media mission to speak up whenever she sees companies or governments “prey on women’s health and vaginal shame.”

With nearly 400,000 followers, Dr. Gunter never shies away from a controversy.

Recently, she railed against vitamin and supplement maker Olly’s vaginal probiotic, taking the company to task for its product premise and objectionable ad copy.

This news organization caught up with the San Francisco–based doctor and author of two books, “The Vagina Bible” and “The Menopause Manifesto.” The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: So these Olly capsules purport to be “Probiotics for Your Panty Hamster.” What was your reaction to this?

Answer: Seeing the word “panty hamsters” is so egregious. I’m so used to baseline vaginal opportunism, but this was just absolutely egregious and I had to call it out.

Question: What are vaginal probiotics anyway?

Answer: These are one of these big wellness scams where companies try to sell you on somehow hacking your microbiome by taking them. They’re not inexpensive, either, and can range in price from $30 to $150 per month, depending on how bespoke they are. And yet the data isn’t good. There is little to no evidence of the value of these probiotics except to shareholders.

Question: What’s one claim made in the Olly probiotic packaging that bothers you the most?

Answer: The product claims to balance the vaginal pH. To say that is a gross misunderstanding of the vaginal ecosystem. If that tagline is what you’re leading with, what else don’t you know?

Also, if these things worked, we’d recommend them. Vaginitis is complex and often misdiagnosed, and it’s easy for a company to be predatory and swoop in and say they have a product for you.

If I think your product for the vagina is awful and you have not studied it in at least one quality clinical trial (never mind company-funded or not), and your marketing displays a stunning ignorance about vaginal health, don’t approach me about your product. Really.

Question: When there’s a pop culture reference to, say, menstruation, you’re quick to weigh in.

Answer: I saw these viral messages from a boy mom (that’s what she called herself) where she wrote about being disgusted that there were mentions of periods in Turning Red, the animated movie.

Everything is here because of menstruation. If you didn’t menstruate, you wouldn’t have a kid, we wouldn’t have the person who had the intelligence to build the computer you’re spreading this message on. Menstruation is a vital part of human reproduction, and it’s far more complex than people think. For that reason alone, people should know about it.

Question: Do you ever get worried about being so “out there” on social media?

Answer: I have my stalkers I suppose, but the trolls don’t bother me. I don’t care if some whatever art dealer in New York thinks I have mental illness for promoting masks. That’s the best you’ve got? Honestly, this doesn’t even register with me. It’s like throwing a grain of sand at a car.

Question: You also got into an exchange with Dr. Leana Wen, CNN’s medical analyst, about mask wearing.

Answer: She obviously has a different opinion than I do. I think one of the biggest issues in the pandemic is the change in messaging and this idea that somehow people aren’t living their normal lives right now. I was sad to see her promote that concept.

This weekend I went out for lunch, I went furniture shopping, I went to the movies, I took a hike. My family and I wear masks everywhere. I fail to understand how wearing a mask means you’re not living a normal life when it’s clearly linked with the reduced spread of the virus.

Almost everything in medicine is about risk reduction. You can do things to lower your risk of heart disease. It’s not 100% guaranteed, but wouldn’t we want a lower risk of bad things? I’m going to keep wearing a mask forever!

Question: Do you wish more doctors were more vocal like you?

Answer: I wish more doctors would have conversations about health outside of the office in ways they’re comfortable with. Like, you’re at the hairdresser and you share information, or you share information with 15 of your Facebook friends. If you’re a doctor and post an article about COVID-19 and how it impacts the heart, your 15 friends are more likely to read that article than if your friend who’s a lawyer puts that up.

As doctors, I believe we can often influence people in big and small ways.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Jen Gunter, MD, refuses to stay silent when she sees misleading claims about women’s health products.

In fact, the world’s most famous – and outspoken – ob.gyn. (as described by The Guardian), is on a social media mission to speak up whenever she sees companies or governments “prey on women’s health and vaginal shame.”

With nearly 400,000 followers, Dr. Gunter never shies away from a controversy.

Recently, she railed against vitamin and supplement maker Olly’s vaginal probiotic, taking the company to task for its product premise and objectionable ad copy.

This news organization caught up with the San Francisco–based doctor and author of two books, “The Vagina Bible” and “The Menopause Manifesto.” The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: So these Olly capsules purport to be “Probiotics for Your Panty Hamster.” What was your reaction to this?

Answer: Seeing the word “panty hamsters” is so egregious. I’m so used to baseline vaginal opportunism, but this was just absolutely egregious and I had to call it out.

Question: What are vaginal probiotics anyway?

Answer: These are one of these big wellness scams where companies try to sell you on somehow hacking your microbiome by taking them. They’re not inexpensive, either, and can range in price from $30 to $150 per month, depending on how bespoke they are. And yet the data isn’t good. There is little to no evidence of the value of these probiotics except to shareholders.

Question: What’s one claim made in the Olly probiotic packaging that bothers you the most?

Answer: The product claims to balance the vaginal pH. To say that is a gross misunderstanding of the vaginal ecosystem. If that tagline is what you’re leading with, what else don’t you know?

Also, if these things worked, we’d recommend them. Vaginitis is complex and often misdiagnosed, and it’s easy for a company to be predatory and swoop in and say they have a product for you.

If I think your product for the vagina is awful and you have not studied it in at least one quality clinical trial (never mind company-funded or not), and your marketing displays a stunning ignorance about vaginal health, don’t approach me about your product. Really.

Question: When there’s a pop culture reference to, say, menstruation, you’re quick to weigh in.

Answer: I saw these viral messages from a boy mom (that’s what she called herself) where she wrote about being disgusted that there were mentions of periods in Turning Red, the animated movie.

Everything is here because of menstruation. If you didn’t menstruate, you wouldn’t have a kid, we wouldn’t have the person who had the intelligence to build the computer you’re spreading this message on. Menstruation is a vital part of human reproduction, and it’s far more complex than people think. For that reason alone, people should know about it.

Question: Do you ever get worried about being so “out there” on social media?

Answer: I have my stalkers I suppose, but the trolls don’t bother me. I don’t care if some whatever art dealer in New York thinks I have mental illness for promoting masks. That’s the best you’ve got? Honestly, this doesn’t even register with me. It’s like throwing a grain of sand at a car.

Question: You also got into an exchange with Dr. Leana Wen, CNN’s medical analyst, about mask wearing.

Answer: She obviously has a different opinion than I do. I think one of the biggest issues in the pandemic is the change in messaging and this idea that somehow people aren’t living their normal lives right now. I was sad to see her promote that concept.

This weekend I went out for lunch, I went furniture shopping, I went to the movies, I took a hike. My family and I wear masks everywhere. I fail to understand how wearing a mask means you’re not living a normal life when it’s clearly linked with the reduced spread of the virus.

Almost everything in medicine is about risk reduction. You can do things to lower your risk of heart disease. It’s not 100% guaranteed, but wouldn’t we want a lower risk of bad things? I’m going to keep wearing a mask forever!

Question: Do you wish more doctors were more vocal like you?

Answer: I wish more doctors would have conversations about health outside of the office in ways they’re comfortable with. Like, you’re at the hairdresser and you share information, or you share information with 15 of your Facebook friends. If you’re a doctor and post an article about COVID-19 and how it impacts the heart, your 15 friends are more likely to read that article than if your friend who’s a lawyer puts that up.

As doctors, I believe we can often influence people in big and small ways.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Jen Gunter, MD, refuses to stay silent when she sees misleading claims about women’s health products.

In fact, the world’s most famous – and outspoken – ob.gyn. (as described by The Guardian), is on a social media mission to speak up whenever she sees companies or governments “prey on women’s health and vaginal shame.”

With nearly 400,000 followers, Dr. Gunter never shies away from a controversy.

Recently, she railed against vitamin and supplement maker Olly’s vaginal probiotic, taking the company to task for its product premise and objectionable ad copy.

This news organization caught up with the San Francisco–based doctor and author of two books, “The Vagina Bible” and “The Menopause Manifesto.” The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: So these Olly capsules purport to be “Probiotics for Your Panty Hamster.” What was your reaction to this?

Answer: Seeing the word “panty hamsters” is so egregious. I’m so used to baseline vaginal opportunism, but this was just absolutely egregious and I had to call it out.

Question: What are vaginal probiotics anyway?

Answer: These are one of these big wellness scams where companies try to sell you on somehow hacking your microbiome by taking them. They’re not inexpensive, either, and can range in price from $30 to $150 per month, depending on how bespoke they are. And yet the data isn’t good. There is little to no evidence of the value of these probiotics except to shareholders.

Question: What’s one claim made in the Olly probiotic packaging that bothers you the most?

Answer: The product claims to balance the vaginal pH. To say that is a gross misunderstanding of the vaginal ecosystem. If that tagline is what you’re leading with, what else don’t you know?

Also, if these things worked, we’d recommend them. Vaginitis is complex and often misdiagnosed, and it’s easy for a company to be predatory and swoop in and say they have a product for you.

If I think your product for the vagina is awful and you have not studied it in at least one quality clinical trial (never mind company-funded or not), and your marketing displays a stunning ignorance about vaginal health, don’t approach me about your product. Really.

Question: When there’s a pop culture reference to, say, menstruation, you’re quick to weigh in.

Answer: I saw these viral messages from a boy mom (that’s what she called herself) where she wrote about being disgusted that there were mentions of periods in Turning Red, the animated movie.

Everything is here because of menstruation. If you didn’t menstruate, you wouldn’t have a kid, we wouldn’t have the person who had the intelligence to build the computer you’re spreading this message on. Menstruation is a vital part of human reproduction, and it’s far more complex than people think. For that reason alone, people should know about it.

Question: Do you ever get worried about being so “out there” on social media?

Answer: I have my stalkers I suppose, but the trolls don’t bother me. I don’t care if some whatever art dealer in New York thinks I have mental illness for promoting masks. That’s the best you’ve got? Honestly, this doesn’t even register with me. It’s like throwing a grain of sand at a car.

Question: You also got into an exchange with Dr. Leana Wen, CNN’s medical analyst, about mask wearing.

Answer: She obviously has a different opinion than I do. I think one of the biggest issues in the pandemic is the change in messaging and this idea that somehow people aren’t living their normal lives right now. I was sad to see her promote that concept.

This weekend I went out for lunch, I went furniture shopping, I went to the movies, I took a hike. My family and I wear masks everywhere. I fail to understand how wearing a mask means you’re not living a normal life when it’s clearly linked with the reduced spread of the virus.

Almost everything in medicine is about risk reduction. You can do things to lower your risk of heart disease. It’s not 100% guaranteed, but wouldn’t we want a lower risk of bad things? I’m going to keep wearing a mask forever!

Question: Do you wish more doctors were more vocal like you?

Answer: I wish more doctors would have conversations about health outside of the office in ways they’re comfortable with. Like, you’re at the hairdresser and you share information, or you share information with 15 of your Facebook friends. If you’re a doctor and post an article about COVID-19 and how it impacts the heart, your 15 friends are more likely to read that article than if your friend who’s a lawyer puts that up.

As doctors, I believe we can often influence people in big and small ways.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Why are teenage boys obsessed with bulking up?

While the effects of Instagram on girls’ body image has long been documented – an article in The Wall Street Journal that was published this fall reported that Facebook knew Instagram was toxic for teen girls – teenage boys are under just as much pressure.

For adolescent boys, the goal is often to get superhero-size buff – and this is leading to anxiety, stress, excessive selfies, and, often, obsessive staring in the mirror to assess their “pec” progress.

So-called “bigorexia” – or extreme gym time, excessive focus on protein diets, and intense muscle-building goals – has hit new and concerning levels, according to a recent New York Times report.

Whether it’s the pandemic or TikTok that’s to blame, teen boys are pushing hard to achieve six-pack abs, with one-third of them in the U.S. trying to bulk up, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. What’s more, 22% reported they’re engaging in muscle-enhancing behavior, including excess exercise, taking supplements or steroids, or eating more to bulk up, according to a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

“The pandemic and social media have been a perfect storm for eating disorders and body image issues for all teens, but this has been under-recognized in boys,” says Jason Nagata, MD, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “Both are directly connected to an increase in muscle dysmorphia.”

While “bigorexia” is a newer term coined by mental health professionals, the concept of muscular dysmorphia isn’t, says Jennifer Bahrman, PhD, a licensed psychologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. This may be why about a third of boys ages 11-18 reported that they aren’t enamored with their bodies, according to a small survey published in 2019 in the Californian Journal of Health Promotion.

“When we think of dysmorphia, we think of girls having it, since we see it more in females,” says Dr. Bahrman, who works extensively with adolescents and athletes. “The interesting thing about muscular dysmorphia is that it’s the only body dysmorphic disorder that’s almost exclusively present in males.”
 

Social media’s role

Unlike other things in boys’ lives, like movies, TV, or even the uber-buff GI Joe doll, social media has created opportunities for young men to put their bodies on display – and become an influencer or get followers because of it.

“An everyday teen can become a celebrity,” Dr. Nagata says. “Then, thanks to social media algorithms, if a teenage boy likes or interacts with a post that features a muscular guy or is all about fitness, they’ll start getting all sorts of related content. They’ll get bombarded with tons of ads for protein shakes, for example, as well as bodybuilding equipment, and that will further distort reality.”

Before-and-after photos are also known to be quite misleading.

“Some of the most popular Instagram posts among teens feature people who have experienced a massive body transformation,” Dr. Nagata says. “It’s usually someone who lost a lot of weight or someone who was scrawny and then got muscular. The most drastic changes tend to get the most likes and are perpetuated the most and shared the most often with friends.”

But as many are aware, photos posted to social media are selected to tell the best story – with the best filters, lighting, and angles possible, however exaggerated.

“A guy will post his worst picture out of a thousand for his before shot and then post the best photo out of a thousand,” Dr. Nagata says. “This, in itself, can really confuse a teenager, because the story of this person’s changed body looks so realistic.”

Worse, these images tend to be damaging to your teenager’s self-esteem.

“When you see images of people you’re aspiring to look like, it can be very upsetting,” Dr. Bahrman says. “After all, it’s easy to think, ‘I’m doing all of these pushups, and I don’t look like this.’ From there, it’s easy to begin internalizing that something is wrong with you.”
 

Red flags to watch out for

If you’ve noticed that your son is obsessed with his appearance, weight, food, or exercise, take note. Also, notice if he’s asking you to buy protein powder or is spending more time at the gym than with his friends.

“Pay attention if he is withdrawing from friends and family because of his concerns about his appearance,” Dr. Nagata says. “For example, we often hear that a teenager will no longer eat family meals or at a restaurant because the protein content isn’t high enough or the food is too fatty.”

If you’re concerned, always make sure to discuss this with your son’s pediatrician.

“Ultimately, you want to make sure you share your concerns before your teen son becomes even more body-image obsessed,” Dr. Nagata says.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Why are teenage boys obsessed with bulking up?

While the effects of Instagram on girls’ body image has long been documented – an article in The Wall Street Journal that was published this fall reported that Facebook knew Instagram was toxic for teen girls – teenage boys are under just as much pressure.

For adolescent boys, the goal is often to get superhero-size buff – and this is leading to anxiety, stress, excessive selfies, and, often, obsessive staring in the mirror to assess their “pec” progress.

So-called “bigorexia” – or extreme gym time, excessive focus on protein diets, and intense muscle-building goals – has hit new and concerning levels, according to a recent New York Times report.

Whether it’s the pandemic or TikTok that’s to blame, teen boys are pushing hard to achieve six-pack abs, with one-third of them in the U.S. trying to bulk up, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. What’s more, 22% reported they’re engaging in muscle-enhancing behavior, including excess exercise, taking supplements or steroids, or eating more to bulk up, according to a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

“The pandemic and social media have been a perfect storm for eating disorders and body image issues for all teens, but this has been under-recognized in boys,” says Jason Nagata, MD, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “Both are directly connected to an increase in muscle dysmorphia.”

While “bigorexia” is a newer term coined by mental health professionals, the concept of muscular dysmorphia isn’t, says Jennifer Bahrman, PhD, a licensed psychologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. This may be why about a third of boys ages 11-18 reported that they aren’t enamored with their bodies, according to a small survey published in 2019 in the Californian Journal of Health Promotion.

“When we think of dysmorphia, we think of girls having it, since we see it more in females,” says Dr. Bahrman, who works extensively with adolescents and athletes. “The interesting thing about muscular dysmorphia is that it’s the only body dysmorphic disorder that’s almost exclusively present in males.”
 

Social media’s role

Unlike other things in boys’ lives, like movies, TV, or even the uber-buff GI Joe doll, social media has created opportunities for young men to put their bodies on display – and become an influencer or get followers because of it.

“An everyday teen can become a celebrity,” Dr. Nagata says. “Then, thanks to social media algorithms, if a teenage boy likes or interacts with a post that features a muscular guy or is all about fitness, they’ll start getting all sorts of related content. They’ll get bombarded with tons of ads for protein shakes, for example, as well as bodybuilding equipment, and that will further distort reality.”

Before-and-after photos are also known to be quite misleading.

“Some of the most popular Instagram posts among teens feature people who have experienced a massive body transformation,” Dr. Nagata says. “It’s usually someone who lost a lot of weight or someone who was scrawny and then got muscular. The most drastic changes tend to get the most likes and are perpetuated the most and shared the most often with friends.”

But as many are aware, photos posted to social media are selected to tell the best story – with the best filters, lighting, and angles possible, however exaggerated.

“A guy will post his worst picture out of a thousand for his before shot and then post the best photo out of a thousand,” Dr. Nagata says. “This, in itself, can really confuse a teenager, because the story of this person’s changed body looks so realistic.”

Worse, these images tend to be damaging to your teenager’s self-esteem.

“When you see images of people you’re aspiring to look like, it can be very upsetting,” Dr. Bahrman says. “After all, it’s easy to think, ‘I’m doing all of these pushups, and I don’t look like this.’ From there, it’s easy to begin internalizing that something is wrong with you.”
 

Red flags to watch out for

If you’ve noticed that your son is obsessed with his appearance, weight, food, or exercise, take note. Also, notice if he’s asking you to buy protein powder or is spending more time at the gym than with his friends.

“Pay attention if he is withdrawing from friends and family because of his concerns about his appearance,” Dr. Nagata says. “For example, we often hear that a teenager will no longer eat family meals or at a restaurant because the protein content isn’t high enough or the food is too fatty.”

If you’re concerned, always make sure to discuss this with your son’s pediatrician.

“Ultimately, you want to make sure you share your concerns before your teen son becomes even more body-image obsessed,” Dr. Nagata says.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Why are teenage boys obsessed with bulking up?

While the effects of Instagram on girls’ body image has long been documented – an article in The Wall Street Journal that was published this fall reported that Facebook knew Instagram was toxic for teen girls – teenage boys are under just as much pressure.

For adolescent boys, the goal is often to get superhero-size buff – and this is leading to anxiety, stress, excessive selfies, and, often, obsessive staring in the mirror to assess their “pec” progress.

So-called “bigorexia” – or extreme gym time, excessive focus on protein diets, and intense muscle-building goals – has hit new and concerning levels, according to a recent New York Times report.

Whether it’s the pandemic or TikTok that’s to blame, teen boys are pushing hard to achieve six-pack abs, with one-third of them in the U.S. trying to bulk up, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. What’s more, 22% reported they’re engaging in muscle-enhancing behavior, including excess exercise, taking supplements or steroids, or eating more to bulk up, according to a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

“The pandemic and social media have been a perfect storm for eating disorders and body image issues for all teens, but this has been under-recognized in boys,” says Jason Nagata, MD, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “Both are directly connected to an increase in muscle dysmorphia.”

While “bigorexia” is a newer term coined by mental health professionals, the concept of muscular dysmorphia isn’t, says Jennifer Bahrman, PhD, a licensed psychologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. This may be why about a third of boys ages 11-18 reported that they aren’t enamored with their bodies, according to a small survey published in 2019 in the Californian Journal of Health Promotion.

“When we think of dysmorphia, we think of girls having it, since we see it more in females,” says Dr. Bahrman, who works extensively with adolescents and athletes. “The interesting thing about muscular dysmorphia is that it’s the only body dysmorphic disorder that’s almost exclusively present in males.”
 

Social media’s role

Unlike other things in boys’ lives, like movies, TV, or even the uber-buff GI Joe doll, social media has created opportunities for young men to put their bodies on display – and become an influencer or get followers because of it.

“An everyday teen can become a celebrity,” Dr. Nagata says. “Then, thanks to social media algorithms, if a teenage boy likes or interacts with a post that features a muscular guy or is all about fitness, they’ll start getting all sorts of related content. They’ll get bombarded with tons of ads for protein shakes, for example, as well as bodybuilding equipment, and that will further distort reality.”

Before-and-after photos are also known to be quite misleading.

“Some of the most popular Instagram posts among teens feature people who have experienced a massive body transformation,” Dr. Nagata says. “It’s usually someone who lost a lot of weight or someone who was scrawny and then got muscular. The most drastic changes tend to get the most likes and are perpetuated the most and shared the most often with friends.”

But as many are aware, photos posted to social media are selected to tell the best story – with the best filters, lighting, and angles possible, however exaggerated.

“A guy will post his worst picture out of a thousand for his before shot and then post the best photo out of a thousand,” Dr. Nagata says. “This, in itself, can really confuse a teenager, because the story of this person’s changed body looks so realistic.”

Worse, these images tend to be damaging to your teenager’s self-esteem.

“When you see images of people you’re aspiring to look like, it can be very upsetting,” Dr. Bahrman says. “After all, it’s easy to think, ‘I’m doing all of these pushups, and I don’t look like this.’ From there, it’s easy to begin internalizing that something is wrong with you.”
 

Red flags to watch out for

If you’ve noticed that your son is obsessed with his appearance, weight, food, or exercise, take note. Also, notice if he’s asking you to buy protein powder or is spending more time at the gym than with his friends.

“Pay attention if he is withdrawing from friends and family because of his concerns about his appearance,” Dr. Nagata says. “For example, we often hear that a teenager will no longer eat family meals or at a restaurant because the protein content isn’t high enough or the food is too fatty.”

If you’re concerned, always make sure to discuss this with your son’s pediatrician.

“Ultimately, you want to make sure you share your concerns before your teen son becomes even more body-image obsessed,” Dr. Nagata says.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

With the Delta variant surging across the country, already spread-thin health care workers are facing even sicker –and younger – Americans affected by COVID-19 than at the start of the pandemic.

While the exact toll the pandemic will take on essential workers will remain unknown, one thing is clear: The COVID-19 outbreak they’re experiencing right now on the front lines is a far cry from the original strain. They’re scared, exasperated, and crying out for us to pay attention and get vaccinated.

Five health care workers told this news organization about their experiences working the front lines amid the recent surge and what they think needs to happen – fast.
 

COVID-19 perspective from a paramedic in Connecticut

Michael Battistelli has been an emergency medical services worker for over 20 years and a licensed paramedic in Stratford, Conn., for a decade. He’s also the father of a 5-year-old daughter who isn’t eligible for a vaccination yet. For him, every day has been the same since the start of the pandemic: Surgical mask, N95 mask, face shield, change clothes before going home, and shower as soon as he walks in the door. He’s worried about Delta right now and wants you to be, too.

What keeps him up at night: “It seems like the last time, COVID-19 hit the Pacific Northwest and Northeast first. I hope it’s not the reverse and that it isn’t working its way back up to us here in Connecticut. I’ll add that if we start seeing young people dying, that might be it for me. That might be my final stand as an EMS.”

Why he’s frustrated: “For people to say COVID-19 isn’t real is mind-blowing. I’ve been at this for over a year, and all I think about is how to keep my daughter safe and protect my parents, especially my mom, who is a cancer survivor. When this first started, I brought people into the hospital who thought they would be fine after a day or week in the hospital. They ended up being on ventilators for months – and these were healthy people.”

What he wants to see: “I try not to judge people, but please understand how hard health care workers are working. We’re fatigued and burned out, and we are begging you: Please get vaccinated.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from an ICU director in Tennessee

Todd Rice, MD, FCCP, is an associate professor of medicine in the division of allergy, pulmonary and critical care at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. While this father of two – ages 15 and 17 – trained for a pandemic, specifically Ebola and H1N1, the sheer volume of young COVID-19 patients in the ICU right now is taking a huge toll on him and his staff.

Why he’s frustrated: “First, there are a group of people that are adamantly against getting vaccinated. It doesn’t matter what we do or say. Second, a lot of people are confused and tell me that they don’t have somebody they trust to answer their questions about the vaccine. Third, some of this is driven by our colleagues: In the last 2 weeks, eight pregnant women with COVID-19 were admitted to our ICU. At least six said that their [obstetrician] told them not to get the vaccine while pregnant. That myth is still out there.”

What’s going on in the ICU: “I want people to know that our unvaccinated infected COVID-19 patients are the sickest patients we take care of. Their condition can change on a dime. We think they’re getting better, and suddenly we turn around and they’re near death or they die in seconds. What’s hard for our staff is that many of these patients have been with us for several weeks, and we get to know them. So when this happens, it hurts us even more because we’ve gotten to know them.”

What we need to do: “While it may take time, we have to talk to vaccine-hesitant people one by one and ask them what questions they have and then provide them with the answers they need. I think the next 6 months is going to be all about getting people who are still movable on this and get them to be comfortable that the vaccine is safe, that we didn’t cut corners. Yes, it was developed faster than anything we’ve ever done before, but that’s because it had to be.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from a cardiopulmonary doctor in Florida

Yvonne Billings, MD, director of cardiopulmonary medicine at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health in Stuart, Fla., says the “explosion” of COVID-19 cases right after July 4 has left her and her staff emotionally and physically overwhelmed.

What worries her: “We have great PPE, but we’re all worries because Delta is so contagious, and our colleagues have gotten it. We’ll eat lunch next to each other – socially distanced, of course – and we won’t know if we’ve gotten it by just sitting down to eat.”

What she wants us to do – now: “Everyone needs to listen to the real medical science and understand how much this is impacting everyone’s care. For example, if you need to come to the hospital for something other than COVID-19, you will receive slower care because everyone is so tied up caring for COVID-19 patients.”

Health care workers need to get on board, too: “I look at some of my respiratory therapists who chose not to be vaccinated until this last surge. Many told me that when the younger patients started coming in, they could relate to that. One said: ‘I see this gentleman is 27. I’m 27. I could be in the exact same position.’ I don’t want to see anyone get sick, but I’m hoping that when people see that this affects anyone at any age, they can push politics and what they thought was true about the vaccine aside, and make different choices and move forward.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from a registered nurse in Louisiana

Gina McNemar, 37, an ICU nurse at Baton Rouge General Medical Center in Baton Rouge, La., is wiped out. Her ICU unit is currently full of COVID-19 patients. This mom of 5-year-old twins is so upset about the onslaught of patients in her unit that she sent an email to the CEO of the hospital, which he then shared on Facebook with hundreds of followers. From the email: “This Covid is different. Let me repeat myself: THIS COVID IS NOT THE SAME. ... For the first time since April 2020, I kneeled on top of a patient in the middle of CPR and saw myself. She was 41 years old, no comorbidities, a full life ahead of her. The first time we fought Covid, everyone was old and sickly. They weren’t ‘me.’ This sweet woman was ‘me.’ We ran a full code on her for 1 hour and 26 minutes in front of her fiancé. He cried out to God to save her. He cried out to us to save her. We did everything in our power to save her. We weren’t able to. Three nurses, a pharmacy tech, an x-ray tech, and our HMG doctor hugged, prayed, and cried together after. She was living her life, got Covid, and died.”

Why she wants people to pay attention: “Our COVID-19 patients are young, they’re healthy, they’re able to answer our questions and immediately crash. We don’t have time to catch our breath between one code to the next. This COVID-19 is a much more violent disease, and I can no longer keep quiet. Someone has to say it. Someone has to say, ‘You can believe what you want to believe,’ but I’m seeing it with my own eyes, I’m holding their hands while they die, I’m bagging their body for the morgue. See this crisis through my eyes – please!”

What’s happening with her coworkers: “We’ve had some pretty bad days. We’re all crying and we’re afraid for each other now. We feel like it could be any of us at any point. I’m feeling that I don’t want to let it get to me, but it is. At home, we pray every night. The other night, one of my twins said: ‘I pray that you don’t get coronavirus and die.’ I can’t help but think: 5-year-olds should pray for unicorns and rainbows, not that their mom could die at work.”

Please stop playing politics: “America has become so divided and the vaccine somehow became the evil thing instead of the fact that the vaccine is the savior. I waited in line to get my vaccine because the scientists came up with something to end all this, but not everyone sees it that way. I feel like people don’t want to see and it shouldn’t matter if you’re a Republican or Democrat – after all, Biden is vaccinated [and] Trump is vaccinated.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from an ED doctor in New York City

Amanda Smith, MD, an ED doctor at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, says she’s sensing a “slow wave coming” when it comes to the Delta variant. The mom of three kids (she has 10-year-old twins and a 12-year-old) thinks often of the first signs of COVID-19 in 2020 and hopes that there won’t be a repeat surge like the initial one in New York City.

It’s hard not to feel frustrated: “I’m annoyed about the Delta variant. Of course, I’ve experienced the ‘I’m not getting the vaccine’ argument, and I’ve been at this long enough that I’m able to compartmentalize my own feelings, but I’m worn down, and I’m aware that I have compassion fatigue. When people complain about their COVID-19 symptoms and say things like ‘If I knew I would feel this horrible, I would have gotten the vaccine,’ I can’t help but feel that this was avoidable. It’s hard to talk to those people. I want to say ‘600,000 dead people weren’t enough to get vaccinated?’ ”

The people avoiding the vaccine: “There are the absolute deniers who will never get vaccinated and aren’t going to change their minds. Then there are the people who feel invincible, and then there are the folks who think that COVID-19 isn’t that bad, it’s just like the flu, it’s only old people dying and they’re not getting information from an appropriate source. It’s not the flu, it does kill you. Delta kills younger people, and it’s very easy to spread. Every one person who was infected with the original strain could infect two to three others. The Delta variant can infect 8-9, and measles, at 13, is the most contagious, so we need to keep reminding people about this.”

It’s not just about you: “Vaccination campaigns were never about the individual. We live together in a civilized society, and the vaccine is something you do for each other. People don’t understand the importance of breaking the chain of transmission and doing this to help each other and eradicate the spread. I just don’t understand what happened to us that we forgot this.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

With the Delta variant surging across the country, already spread-thin health care workers are facing even sicker –and younger – Americans affected by COVID-19 than at the start of the pandemic.

While the exact toll the pandemic will take on essential workers will remain unknown, one thing is clear: The COVID-19 outbreak they’re experiencing right now on the front lines is a far cry from the original strain. They’re scared, exasperated, and crying out for us to pay attention and get vaccinated.

Five health care workers told this news organization about their experiences working the front lines amid the recent surge and what they think needs to happen – fast.
 

COVID-19 perspective from a paramedic in Connecticut

Michael Battistelli has been an emergency medical services worker for over 20 years and a licensed paramedic in Stratford, Conn., for a decade. He’s also the father of a 5-year-old daughter who isn’t eligible for a vaccination yet. For him, every day has been the same since the start of the pandemic: Surgical mask, N95 mask, face shield, change clothes before going home, and shower as soon as he walks in the door. He’s worried about Delta right now and wants you to be, too.

What keeps him up at night: “It seems like the last time, COVID-19 hit the Pacific Northwest and Northeast first. I hope it’s not the reverse and that it isn’t working its way back up to us here in Connecticut. I’ll add that if we start seeing young people dying, that might be it for me. That might be my final stand as an EMS.”

Why he’s frustrated: “For people to say COVID-19 isn’t real is mind-blowing. I’ve been at this for over a year, and all I think about is how to keep my daughter safe and protect my parents, especially my mom, who is a cancer survivor. When this first started, I brought people into the hospital who thought they would be fine after a day or week in the hospital. They ended up being on ventilators for months – and these were healthy people.”

What he wants to see: “I try not to judge people, but please understand how hard health care workers are working. We’re fatigued and burned out, and we are begging you: Please get vaccinated.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from an ICU director in Tennessee

Todd Rice, MD, FCCP, is an associate professor of medicine in the division of allergy, pulmonary and critical care at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. While this father of two – ages 15 and 17 – trained for a pandemic, specifically Ebola and H1N1, the sheer volume of young COVID-19 patients in the ICU right now is taking a huge toll on him and his staff.

Why he’s frustrated: “First, there are a group of people that are adamantly against getting vaccinated. It doesn’t matter what we do or say. Second, a lot of people are confused and tell me that they don’t have somebody they trust to answer their questions about the vaccine. Third, some of this is driven by our colleagues: In the last 2 weeks, eight pregnant women with COVID-19 were admitted to our ICU. At least six said that their [obstetrician] told them not to get the vaccine while pregnant. That myth is still out there.”

What’s going on in the ICU: “I want people to know that our unvaccinated infected COVID-19 patients are the sickest patients we take care of. Their condition can change on a dime. We think they’re getting better, and suddenly we turn around and they’re near death or they die in seconds. What’s hard for our staff is that many of these patients have been with us for several weeks, and we get to know them. So when this happens, it hurts us even more because we’ve gotten to know them.”

What we need to do: “While it may take time, we have to talk to vaccine-hesitant people one by one and ask them what questions they have and then provide them with the answers they need. I think the next 6 months is going to be all about getting people who are still movable on this and get them to be comfortable that the vaccine is safe, that we didn’t cut corners. Yes, it was developed faster than anything we’ve ever done before, but that’s because it had to be.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from a cardiopulmonary doctor in Florida

Yvonne Billings, MD, director of cardiopulmonary medicine at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health in Stuart, Fla., says the “explosion” of COVID-19 cases right after July 4 has left her and her staff emotionally and physically overwhelmed.

What worries her: “We have great PPE, but we’re all worries because Delta is so contagious, and our colleagues have gotten it. We’ll eat lunch next to each other – socially distanced, of course – and we won’t know if we’ve gotten it by just sitting down to eat.”

What she wants us to do – now: “Everyone needs to listen to the real medical science and understand how much this is impacting everyone’s care. For example, if you need to come to the hospital for something other than COVID-19, you will receive slower care because everyone is so tied up caring for COVID-19 patients.”

Health care workers need to get on board, too: “I look at some of my respiratory therapists who chose not to be vaccinated until this last surge. Many told me that when the younger patients started coming in, they could relate to that. One said: ‘I see this gentleman is 27. I’m 27. I could be in the exact same position.’ I don’t want to see anyone get sick, but I’m hoping that when people see that this affects anyone at any age, they can push politics and what they thought was true about the vaccine aside, and make different choices and move forward.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from a registered nurse in Louisiana

Gina McNemar, 37, an ICU nurse at Baton Rouge General Medical Center in Baton Rouge, La., is wiped out. Her ICU unit is currently full of COVID-19 patients. This mom of 5-year-old twins is so upset about the onslaught of patients in her unit that she sent an email to the CEO of the hospital, which he then shared on Facebook with hundreds of followers. From the email: “This Covid is different. Let me repeat myself: THIS COVID IS NOT THE SAME. ... For the first time since April 2020, I kneeled on top of a patient in the middle of CPR and saw myself. She was 41 years old, no comorbidities, a full life ahead of her. The first time we fought Covid, everyone was old and sickly. They weren’t ‘me.’ This sweet woman was ‘me.’ We ran a full code on her for 1 hour and 26 minutes in front of her fiancé. He cried out to God to save her. He cried out to us to save her. We did everything in our power to save her. We weren’t able to. Three nurses, a pharmacy tech, an x-ray tech, and our HMG doctor hugged, prayed, and cried together after. She was living her life, got Covid, and died.”

Why she wants people to pay attention: “Our COVID-19 patients are young, they’re healthy, they’re able to answer our questions and immediately crash. We don’t have time to catch our breath between one code to the next. This COVID-19 is a much more violent disease, and I can no longer keep quiet. Someone has to say it. Someone has to say, ‘You can believe what you want to believe,’ but I’m seeing it with my own eyes, I’m holding their hands while they die, I’m bagging their body for the morgue. See this crisis through my eyes – please!”

What’s happening with her coworkers: “We’ve had some pretty bad days. We’re all crying and we’re afraid for each other now. We feel like it could be any of us at any point. I’m feeling that I don’t want to let it get to me, but it is. At home, we pray every night. The other night, one of my twins said: ‘I pray that you don’t get coronavirus and die.’ I can’t help but think: 5-year-olds should pray for unicorns and rainbows, not that their mom could die at work.”

Please stop playing politics: “America has become so divided and the vaccine somehow became the evil thing instead of the fact that the vaccine is the savior. I waited in line to get my vaccine because the scientists came up with something to end all this, but not everyone sees it that way. I feel like people don’t want to see and it shouldn’t matter if you’re a Republican or Democrat – after all, Biden is vaccinated [and] Trump is vaccinated.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from an ED doctor in New York City

Amanda Smith, MD, an ED doctor at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, says she’s sensing a “slow wave coming” when it comes to the Delta variant. The mom of three kids (she has 10-year-old twins and a 12-year-old) thinks often of the first signs of COVID-19 in 2020 and hopes that there won’t be a repeat surge like the initial one in New York City.

It’s hard not to feel frustrated: “I’m annoyed about the Delta variant. Of course, I’ve experienced the ‘I’m not getting the vaccine’ argument, and I’ve been at this long enough that I’m able to compartmentalize my own feelings, but I’m worn down, and I’m aware that I have compassion fatigue. When people complain about their COVID-19 symptoms and say things like ‘If I knew I would feel this horrible, I would have gotten the vaccine,’ I can’t help but feel that this was avoidable. It’s hard to talk to those people. I want to say ‘600,000 dead people weren’t enough to get vaccinated?’ ”

The people avoiding the vaccine: “There are the absolute deniers who will never get vaccinated and aren’t going to change their minds. Then there are the people who feel invincible, and then there are the folks who think that COVID-19 isn’t that bad, it’s just like the flu, it’s only old people dying and they’re not getting information from an appropriate source. It’s not the flu, it does kill you. Delta kills younger people, and it’s very easy to spread. Every one person who was infected with the original strain could infect two to three others. The Delta variant can infect 8-9, and measles, at 13, is the most contagious, so we need to keep reminding people about this.”

It’s not just about you: “Vaccination campaigns were never about the individual. We live together in a civilized society, and the vaccine is something you do for each other. People don’t understand the importance of breaking the chain of transmission and doing this to help each other and eradicate the spread. I just don’t understand what happened to us that we forgot this.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

With the Delta variant surging across the country, already spread-thin health care workers are facing even sicker –and younger – Americans affected by COVID-19 than at the start of the pandemic.

While the exact toll the pandemic will take on essential workers will remain unknown, one thing is clear: The COVID-19 outbreak they’re experiencing right now on the front lines is a far cry from the original strain. They’re scared, exasperated, and crying out for us to pay attention and get vaccinated.

Five health care workers told this news organization about their experiences working the front lines amid the recent surge and what they think needs to happen – fast.
 

COVID-19 perspective from a paramedic in Connecticut

Michael Battistelli has been an emergency medical services worker for over 20 years and a licensed paramedic in Stratford, Conn., for a decade. He’s also the father of a 5-year-old daughter who isn’t eligible for a vaccination yet. For him, every day has been the same since the start of the pandemic: Surgical mask, N95 mask, face shield, change clothes before going home, and shower as soon as he walks in the door. He’s worried about Delta right now and wants you to be, too.

What keeps him up at night: “It seems like the last time, COVID-19 hit the Pacific Northwest and Northeast first. I hope it’s not the reverse and that it isn’t working its way back up to us here in Connecticut. I’ll add that if we start seeing young people dying, that might be it for me. That might be my final stand as an EMS.”

Why he’s frustrated: “For people to say COVID-19 isn’t real is mind-blowing. I’ve been at this for over a year, and all I think about is how to keep my daughter safe and protect my parents, especially my mom, who is a cancer survivor. When this first started, I brought people into the hospital who thought they would be fine after a day or week in the hospital. They ended up being on ventilators for months – and these were healthy people.”

What he wants to see: “I try not to judge people, but please understand how hard health care workers are working. We’re fatigued and burned out, and we are begging you: Please get vaccinated.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from an ICU director in Tennessee

Todd Rice, MD, FCCP, is an associate professor of medicine in the division of allergy, pulmonary and critical care at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. While this father of two – ages 15 and 17 – trained for a pandemic, specifically Ebola and H1N1, the sheer volume of young COVID-19 patients in the ICU right now is taking a huge toll on him and his staff.

Why he’s frustrated: “First, there are a group of people that are adamantly against getting vaccinated. It doesn’t matter what we do or say. Second, a lot of people are confused and tell me that they don’t have somebody they trust to answer their questions about the vaccine. Third, some of this is driven by our colleagues: In the last 2 weeks, eight pregnant women with COVID-19 were admitted to our ICU. At least six said that their [obstetrician] told them not to get the vaccine while pregnant. That myth is still out there.”

What’s going on in the ICU: “I want people to know that our unvaccinated infected COVID-19 patients are the sickest patients we take care of. Their condition can change on a dime. We think they’re getting better, and suddenly we turn around and they’re near death or they die in seconds. What’s hard for our staff is that many of these patients have been with us for several weeks, and we get to know them. So when this happens, it hurts us even more because we’ve gotten to know them.”

What we need to do: “While it may take time, we have to talk to vaccine-hesitant people one by one and ask them what questions they have and then provide them with the answers they need. I think the next 6 months is going to be all about getting people who are still movable on this and get them to be comfortable that the vaccine is safe, that we didn’t cut corners. Yes, it was developed faster than anything we’ve ever done before, but that’s because it had to be.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from a cardiopulmonary doctor in Florida

Yvonne Billings, MD, director of cardiopulmonary medicine at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health in Stuart, Fla., says the “explosion” of COVID-19 cases right after July 4 has left her and her staff emotionally and physically overwhelmed.

What worries her: “We have great PPE, but we’re all worries because Delta is so contagious, and our colleagues have gotten it. We’ll eat lunch next to each other – socially distanced, of course – and we won’t know if we’ve gotten it by just sitting down to eat.”

What she wants us to do – now: “Everyone needs to listen to the real medical science and understand how much this is impacting everyone’s care. For example, if you need to come to the hospital for something other than COVID-19, you will receive slower care because everyone is so tied up caring for COVID-19 patients.”

Health care workers need to get on board, too: “I look at some of my respiratory therapists who chose not to be vaccinated until this last surge. Many told me that when the younger patients started coming in, they could relate to that. One said: ‘I see this gentleman is 27. I’m 27. I could be in the exact same position.’ I don’t want to see anyone get sick, but I’m hoping that when people see that this affects anyone at any age, they can push politics and what they thought was true about the vaccine aside, and make different choices and move forward.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from a registered nurse in Louisiana

Gina McNemar, 37, an ICU nurse at Baton Rouge General Medical Center in Baton Rouge, La., is wiped out. Her ICU unit is currently full of COVID-19 patients. This mom of 5-year-old twins is so upset about the onslaught of patients in her unit that she sent an email to the CEO of the hospital, which he then shared on Facebook with hundreds of followers. From the email: “This Covid is different. Let me repeat myself: THIS COVID IS NOT THE SAME. ... For the first time since April 2020, I kneeled on top of a patient in the middle of CPR and saw myself. She was 41 years old, no comorbidities, a full life ahead of her. The first time we fought Covid, everyone was old and sickly. They weren’t ‘me.’ This sweet woman was ‘me.’ We ran a full code on her for 1 hour and 26 minutes in front of her fiancé. He cried out to God to save her. He cried out to us to save her. We did everything in our power to save her. We weren’t able to. Three nurses, a pharmacy tech, an x-ray tech, and our HMG doctor hugged, prayed, and cried together after. She was living her life, got Covid, and died.”

Why she wants people to pay attention: “Our COVID-19 patients are young, they’re healthy, they’re able to answer our questions and immediately crash. We don’t have time to catch our breath between one code to the next. This COVID-19 is a much more violent disease, and I can no longer keep quiet. Someone has to say it. Someone has to say, ‘You can believe what you want to believe,’ but I’m seeing it with my own eyes, I’m holding their hands while they die, I’m bagging their body for the morgue. See this crisis through my eyes – please!”

What’s happening with her coworkers: “We’ve had some pretty bad days. We’re all crying and we’re afraid for each other now. We feel like it could be any of us at any point. I’m feeling that I don’t want to let it get to me, but it is. At home, we pray every night. The other night, one of my twins said: ‘I pray that you don’t get coronavirus and die.’ I can’t help but think: 5-year-olds should pray for unicorns and rainbows, not that their mom could die at work.”

Please stop playing politics: “America has become so divided and the vaccine somehow became the evil thing instead of the fact that the vaccine is the savior. I waited in line to get my vaccine because the scientists came up with something to end all this, but not everyone sees it that way. I feel like people don’t want to see and it shouldn’t matter if you’re a Republican or Democrat – after all, Biden is vaccinated [and] Trump is vaccinated.”
 

COVID-19 perspective from an ED doctor in New York City

Amanda Smith, MD, an ED doctor at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, says she’s sensing a “slow wave coming” when it comes to the Delta variant. The mom of three kids (she has 10-year-old twins and a 12-year-old) thinks often of the first signs of COVID-19 in 2020 and hopes that there won’t be a repeat surge like the initial one in New York City.

It’s hard not to feel frustrated: “I’m annoyed about the Delta variant. Of course, I’ve experienced the ‘I’m not getting the vaccine’ argument, and I’ve been at this long enough that I’m able to compartmentalize my own feelings, but I’m worn down, and I’m aware that I have compassion fatigue. When people complain about their COVID-19 symptoms and say things like ‘If I knew I would feel this horrible, I would have gotten the vaccine,’ I can’t help but feel that this was avoidable. It’s hard to talk to those people. I want to say ‘600,000 dead people weren’t enough to get vaccinated?’ ”

The people avoiding the vaccine: “There are the absolute deniers who will never get vaccinated and aren’t going to change their minds. Then there are the people who feel invincible, and then there are the folks who think that COVID-19 isn’t that bad, it’s just like the flu, it’s only old people dying and they’re not getting information from an appropriate source. It’s not the flu, it does kill you. Delta kills younger people, and it’s very easy to spread. Every one person who was infected with the original strain could infect two to three others. The Delta variant can infect 8-9, and measles, at 13, is the most contagious, so we need to keep reminding people about this.”

It’s not just about you: “Vaccination campaigns were never about the individual. We live together in a civilized society, and the vaccine is something you do for each other. People don’t understand the importance of breaking the chain of transmission and doing this to help each other and eradicate the spread. I just don’t understand what happened to us that we forgot this.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.