DEWD!

Journal entry by megan steele — Mar 20, 2020

I wondered if some of you might get a kick out of the way things have progressed at the hospital this week! Monday- I thought it was odd that I found a parking spot on the ground level. With all of the construction going on outside, I have to enter the automatic doors of Building A (where the Emergency Room is) and across the courtyard to enter the automatic doors of Building C (Where all the cancer is ). Normally I am winding my way around the mass amounts of people in Building A before I can exit the other side. This time, it was eerily quiet and it seemed the only people I was passing were wearing scrubs. Turns out visitors are no longer allowed and if you have someone with you, unless you’re having a baby, they need to wait in the car. Alrighty then.

Thursday- As I’m exiting the parking lot to walk through the makeshift corridor to Building A, I am stopped by a security guard. “Are you a hospital employee?” I’m wearing jeans with holes in them and have a sweatshirt tied around my waist. I think we both know the answer to that. “I’m a cancer patient…” “Ok, you may go through.” I proceed through the automatic doors of Building A and then through the automatic doors of Building C.

Friday- As I’m exiting the parking lot to walk through the makeshift corridor to Building A, I am faced with 6 checkpoints:nn

1. 1. Security Guard wearing a mask, “What is your reason for being here?” Cancer
   2. Next Security Guard wearing a mask, “Do you have any symptoms, have you been around someone with symptoms or that has been diagnosed, have you been out of the country, etc, etc?” No
   3. Nurse wearing a mask, “I’m going to take your temperature now… 98.5 You may see the man at the table over there.”
   4. Man at the table wearing a mask, “Here is a visitor badge. You must have this on to be entered into the building.” I put badge on and proceed to front door of Building A.
   5. Security Guard wearing a mask by front door of Building A checks to make sure I’m wearing special visitor badge, swipes his security badge so the doors (that had previously been automatic) will open and let me in.
   6. Security Guard wearing a mask by entrance to Building C checks to make sure I’m wearing special visitor badge, swipes his security badge so the previously automatic doors will open and let me in.

I then spend 5 minutes in radiation and see myself out.

Whew! ONE MORE LEFT!!