HOLALND (WHTC-AM/FM) — COVID-19 is taking a toll on healthcare workers, and their families.
Dr. Matt Wixson went to Ann Arbor to work as an anesthesiologist but the pandemic led to him being retrained to care for people with the virus.
The Hope College alum says while he has never been without PPE and feels the administrative processes have allowed for great patient care and physician support, there’s no way to avoid the virus-related stresses for the patient, medical workers and others.
“We want to take great care of our patients, and that’s always a focus,” Wixson said. “But we also then have this worry in the back of our head of ‘Am I going to get sick?’ Or ‘Am I going to spread this to someone? Am I going to spread this to other patients I am caring for?’”
At home, he says, his wife worries too.
“She worries about the health of our two little kids that we have at home,” he said. “She worries about her own health. She worries about my health going in. But she knows that I’m called to take care of these patients.”
Wixson says emergency room and other doctor visits are down. But if someone is sick, injured or has concerning symptoms, it’s necessary — and safe — to get treated.
~ Contributed by Scott Watson.
