Hello from COVID central

[The Chairman]

Welcome to SB and please keep your mask on... no, not the N95, but the Scuba variety!

 

[StevenRN]

it is definitely different times. ER's are still experiencing lower volumes of the normal abdominal pains, nausea/vomiting/chest pains/strokes. Pretty much everyone that we see is either + for COVID or has some sx's of COVID. Still not testing every single pt that wants to be tested. We refer them to the drive up testing sites throughout the city. Have seen a lot of people that are very ill and dying without their loved ones at their side. That is the hard part. I have also seen people that had simple problems and then waited to come in because they were afraid to get COVID and it turns into a life-threatening problem. Staff are stressed, getting sores from wearing masks and just want everything to go back to normal...

 

[StevenRN]

Welcome to SB and please keep your mask on... no, not the N95, but the Scuba variety!

LOL.... Speaking of masks, I would like to do a full face mask with a continuous supply of air at work and see what kind of reactions I get.... Would be worth a few chuckles and definitely break up the day.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Portrait of an ER Doctor
(I know him well, he is my son)

Began diving at 2- 1/2

HS athlete and scholar
Eagle Scout

Dive Instructor
NAUI Life Time instructor
PADI instructor
SS! Platinum Pro 5000 Diver

Awarded NAUI Chamber Operators Course
14 hour Chamber ride with a fatality

Established the second US BSA SCUBA Troop in USA
Local company furnished all equipment and air

Made Custom Spear guns in college
Recognized in SDM by ER Cross

Professional Micro Biologist
Published paper -Oil Consuming bacteria

Med School
Internship 1 year Dayton Ohio
Residency 4 years ER - Kingman Arizona
Fellowship 2 years Hyperbaric -Scripps San Diego

Director of ER & Hyperbarics at a Reginal Hospital
Published papers on hyperbaric treatment

He and his staff are on the front lines- they are over worked and over stressed often working 12 to 16 hour shifts occasionally steeping at the hospital….
With minimum recognition or appreciation

But they don't complain - it is their profession

Thank you
SDM111

 

[StevenRN]

Our staff has not had to sleep at work except the few people who tested positive and were isolated on campus.

 

[Compressor]

My name is Steven Rogers and I have been a Registered Nurse for almost 22 years. I have worked for the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services the entire time in addition to working registry at several local hospitals as well. I work in the Emergency Room which is COVID Central right now. Almost every pt I see in a 12 hour shift is being ruled out. Most go home but several do not.. It is an interesting time to be in healthcare right now. We are litterally on the front lines of a war against a hidden enemy. Almost every day someone donates food, supplies or just stops by to give words of encouragement. I must say that this makes the day go by so much easier.

I also volunteer at the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. I am an Intern and still working on my skills to make full crew. Understandably, it is almost impossible to take time away from the day job to volunteer out at the Chamber without worrying what I am exposing them to, so I am keeping my distance. I miss being out on the Island and enjoying the quietness of Island Life. I did get to be the tender on one treatment and for those that have been out there, know that there is no normal bathroom or privacy while in the chamber... That was the longest 5+ hours of my life...lol....

When I am not working, I enjoy reloading my own rifle and pistol ammo and cast my own bullets and attempt to keep a family together. My wife and daughter are not into water sports, so it's only me. I stopped diving when my daughter was born which was more than 17 years ago and I really want to get back into it. Doing the training and talking with the other volunteers at the Chamber only re-enforces that desire and I am slowly getting all my gear serviced.

I have a Halcyon BC, an old Suunto Dive Computer and US Divers regs... All of which have been in storage for almost 18 years. I think it can all be salvaged, but more likely it should go to Alec Pierce from Vintage Scuba...

I also am pursuing a degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security at Grand Canyon University. I have currently taken a break and am finding it hard to climb back on the saddle. I serve on the Hospital's Emegency Management Committee as a Planning Chief and did get to serve as the Incident Commander during the SaddleRidge Fire. Our campus is no stranger to wildfire and has almost been wiped out before and it will happen again so we are prepared for that.

Well, that's about it... if anybody has any questions regarding anything I talked about or wants to talk about diving, shooting, reloading or Hyperbarics, I will do my best to answer.

Welcome to ScubaBoard @StevenRN and god bless you for your hard work.

 

[StevenRN]

Thank you... It's not just the medical staff. We need an entire team to care for a COVID pt, Materials Mgmt to provide PPE for us, MD's, RN's, NA's, RT's and probably the hardest working and least paid; housekeeping. Its been an interesting 2 months, and I think the next coming months might be just as bad or even worse... Only time will tell.

I just hope to get back to volunteering at the Chamber, getting back in shape to get back into diving, and not having to wear a ton of PPE and sweating my butt off in rooms as I struggle to see how much medication I am drawing up in a syringe through the fog in my goggles.