I was admitted as a COVID patient in December and currently going through the acute rehab program. The nurses know that I am a veteran and told me that one of my nurses was also a veteran. It turns out this is a small world! Dana and I served in the Sinai, Egypt during the same time frame crossing paths but actually never really meeting each other as far as I can recall working at the same or different camps. We started recalling names, events of our time there. It turns out we were on the right sheet of music. Not only that but we are both from New York so to be able to hear our New York accents coming out gave me a sense of home and familiarity. I've been having a hard time catching my breath when speaking due to the reduced lung capacity from the virus. But holding a conversation with her and sharing our experiences while serving our country, I found myself able to hold a normal conversation.

She put me at ease, has a real understanding of not only what I am currently dealing with but what I am still dealing with from multiple deployments to Iraq. I have been diagnosed with Prolonged Exposure Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I still have nightmares, episodes of fear, survivor's guilt, and talking with her has eased my mind while I deal with my Girlfriend also being admitted a week before me with COVID and life-flighted for ECMO treatment. But when it rains it pours and in a 24 hour period also learned of the deaths of two of my brothers in arms one by an automobile accident and the other a 22 a day casualty (suicide). The one who died in an automobile accident was my gunner and I was the medic. He would ensure that I had cover fire should the need arise that I had to attend to a casualty. In one particular incident, he jumped out of the gunner's hatch and shielded me while I was providing care, taking a round in his leg but continuing to engage the enemy while I treated his wound. It bonded us forever because for us it's about the brother to your left and right not the political agenda. Dana understood where I was coming from since she has experienced the loss of her brothers and sisters in arms. She is compassionate, attentive to the needs of her patients even if it is to just listen.

You will be receiving many more of these because the entire medical team from the ER, ICU, COVID Quarantine Ward, To "Freedom Land" and Acute Rehab clinic, case managers, your RTs, dietician have been more than outstanding in my care. I have been a low-maintenance patient to ensure that they provide care to those that require more than myself. Watching all of them in action and seeing them putting themselves in harm's way every day has made me want to come back into the health care field even if it is to do menial tasks such as running for supplies, emptying commodes, bringing lunch/dinner, etc. so that they can continue to concentrate on providing the best possible care against this invisible aggressive enemy that we are battling as a nation.