Sherrie Erickson-Birkedahl, MD, Hospitalist

The specific pandemic image that really stands out, because it happens a lot unfortunately, is the fear that you feel and see in a patient’s eyes. That deer-in-the-headlights look when they realize how sick they are and that this could go poorly. That’s a gut wrencher.

The image that stands out is the fear that you can feel and see in a patient’s eyes.

Dr. Sherrie Erickson-Birkedahl

When I think back on experiences of talking with patients about how they’re doing, my favorite moments are when people are improving, you can see them turning the corner, and you’re optimistic they’re going to get better. The relief that you see and the hope you feel as patients realize they’re getting better too – you can see the hope in their eyes. It’s such a great feeling when patients aren’t struggling to breathe so much.

When it all started, it was just like, ‘what are we in for?’ We don’t even know what we’re dealing with and we have nothing to base any of what we’re doing treatment-wise off of because it’s a new disease. Now, this has been going on for two years and this experience is the process of what medicine is. It’s about learning and going through that. My hope is that the more we learn, the better we do. And I’m trying to be mentally flexible with whatever is going to come our way next, because we can’t predict that, but I’m trying to be ready.