Text message
Oct 21, 2019, 11:37 A.M.
Ramola Sherman
Go team second tertiary tomorrow morning? I think someone should have t-shirts made. A sporting shade of grey, or a lovely shade of blue perhaps.
Jacquie Joyce
Yeah right. Sorry to spread hysteria but this is legit. Just watched the “Personal Protective Equipment Super-Rabies” 15 minutes training vid. Clicked through power point (a fucking power point!!!) This is trained personnel? We need legit Hazmat suits, right Ramola? Plain gowns & boot covers will not protect us.
Ramola Sherman
I’m not comfortable with the level of training either and I’m not comfortable with the conflicting info. Rabies mutation, increased virulence yet still spread via saliva is official word. But saw news speculating a new neurotropic virus? I realise it’s an emergency but we should have proper PPE regardless as a safeguard.
Bobby Pickett
Boston’s 5 major trauma centers struggling to handle it all but we will at shitty little Norwood hospital??? Yeah, right. I’m going to quit. My life is not worth that place. Especially as they don’t even have a plan for us if we get infected.
Jacquie Joyce
I’m with u. feel horrible for two Beverly nurses attacked and infected and the fucking CDC press release saying it’s their fault for not following protocol. Those nurses probably had our shit training! They were cardiac care nurses for fuck sake. Not trained for this.
Bobby Pickett
Always blame the nurse. So typical!!!! They didn’t blame the doctors (no offense Ramola) in Boston who caught it. They were heroes! Are you all going into Norwood H tomorrow?
Jacquie Joyce
Yeah, I’m going. So fucking scared tho. Heard Good Samaritan in Brockton isn’t taking any more patients.
Bobby Pickett
Shit. Norwood will be a zoo. Probably one already.
Jacquie Joyce
We really have cause to not take care of infected pt, we need appropriate gear and training and protection. The sickest ones get violent too right? Jesus fuck. Inf pts should be sent to Emory or Nebraska.
Ramola Sherman
No offense taken, B. Jacquie, you’re right but rather sounds like it’s too late and there are too many pts to transport.
Bobby Pickett
Even your texts have a brit accent, doc!;) I wonder how scared the ICU nurses are. I hope they at least got better training and PPE than us.
Jacquie Joyce
Friend Lisa at Norwood got a call around 9:30 From MICU. “R u trained for super rabies?” Lisa “no why?” MICU “just taking a poll”
Bobby Pickett
Bullshit! I should’ve stayed in New York. Where is our raise, btw? You can get infected but we will die before we get a raise! Ha!
Jacquie Joyce
You should’ve stayed in NY. Maybe we need to refuse as a group until we get right PPE.
Bobby Pickett
I’m on board. What has hosp ntwrk or the state or feds done to show they care about any of us?
Jacquie Joyce
We need to leak our “training” to the media and mention lack of PPE.
Bobby Pickett
It’s ridiculous. We aren’t equipped like CDC in Atlanta etc.
Jacquie Joyce
Lisa told me one pt of hers is one hour post exposure, fever and aches already. She said CCU is staff tonight, assigned by do-nothing Erin. You remember when she “consulted” at our office?
Ramola Sherman
I do. I would hope Erin is doing more than simply assigning.
Jacquie Joyce
We need to tell everyone that we have no clue how to handle this. That friggin news conference in Boston was all lies! Homeland security guy said area hosps all have appropriate staff and equipment. Jackass president tweeting same.
Bobby Pickett
Yeah we had 30 min “training” and then they made us sign a waiver. Good job in protecting their ass!!!
Ramola Sherman
You signed waivers? Oh dear.
Bobby Pickett
Mary couldn’t explain to rest of us if even an observer should be gowned or not. Complete bs. Should let it be known we don’t know what to do. It takes about 20 min to gown up. The cuffs on the jackets are permeable. We need serious support and equipment.
Jacquie Joyce
Waiver/sign sheet that u got “trained.” She made sure we all signed them. Is Claire still in Cali? (I hope she is). Where’s Mags? We ALL need a plan. We should not accept this. I am serious. Fucking assholes . . . Do not let ur kids see these texts, Bobby!
Bobby Pickett
Even though I have a mortgage to pay, my life is worth more. But I’ll still go in tomorrow. Fuck. Us.
Jacquie Joyce
Yes it is. (And I know. You know I will too.) Mags doesn’t need this shit. She has $
Ramola Sherman
Haha! I elect Jacquie as our team/office rep.
Jacquie Joyce
I elect Bobby as team cap. I swear too much.
Ramola Sherman
Bobby: You mean instead of “hurry up and finish training so we can go to lunch on time”?
I thought I knew you.;)
Bobby Pickett
Normally I’d be okay with that.
Ramola Sherman
Not to worry, Erin will properly assign you.
Jacquie Joyce
Hazmat suit wouldn’t fit over her big dome anyway!
Ramola Sherman
That’s just wrong, but brilliant.
Bobby Pickett
Bahahahahaha!!!!
An incoming call kicks Ramola out from the group text screen. Her phone fills with an image of herself alongside her dear friend Natalie. The photo is from Natalie’s bachelorette party, which was six years ago. They are leaning on a wooden railing at a sun-splashed outdoor bar, their drinks raised and mouths wide with laughter. They are wearing white T-shirts with a cartoon caricature of Natalie’s face above the ridiculous slogan “Nats Is Plightin’ All the Troths.” Ramola was volunteered by the group to explain what the shirt meant to inquisitive passersby, not solely because she is British, but because she is a doctor, which was part of her increasingly elaborate, drunken explanations.
At the sight of Natalie’s face on her phone, there’s a brief spark of guilt. Aside from a few stray texts, Ramola hasn’t talked to Natalie since the baby shower two months ago. Ramola, ever practical, chose from a rather elaborate registry to gift a month’s supply of baby diapers and wipes. Post-party, on her way out the door, she also gave Natalie a stuffed Paddington Bear along with a stack of books, joking the extra present was necessary for her to remain on brand.