COVID 19 – The BMC Radiology Experience

newsletter September 2020 Covid – 19

OUR ENEMY

Our Enemy
The shape of the corona virus causing COVID-19 bears similarity with the flower of the Buttonbush pictured above

OUR HEROES

Linda Parker X -Ray Technologist
Perspective from a 45 year Veteran in X-ray

I have been a diagnostic technologist for 45 years and I can honestly say I have never been more proud of my coworkers and my profession as I have been during the Covid surge.  I am sure each modality has their own stories of dedication as well. The Radiology Department always comes together and rises to the needs of our patients.

While I was off part of the time during the surge, my diagnostic coworkers were experiencing something that they have never dealt with before, as was most of the BMC staff.  Almost every X-ray they took was a difficult portable exam and just about every patient was a Covid patient that required donning and doffing all day long. It was physically and mentally exhausting. They spent more time in Covid patients’ rooms than most of the nurses. The volume was unlike anything they had seen before. Yet, each day they came to work taking care of our patients, knowing that they themselves could end up as the patient. They worried about bringing Covid home to their loved ones, some of them with family members who had weakened immune systems. There was so much fear and uncertainty especially in the beginning with new information every day. In spite of this, they turned the words “Patient First” into actions and put the needs of our patients before their own. This is what our profession is all about.

Each day while I was home, I watched the numbers sadly rise for positive patients and staff. Although I felt bad for others in our BMC family that were sick, I was relieved to hear each day that my Radiology family had made it safely through another day without becoming a statistic. I also thought that if I ever got sick, I hoped that there would be a tech at another hospital that would take care of me like our techs did for BMC patients.

I want to mention the incredible job our managers did in keeping everyone calm when the information was changing by the minute. I’m sure they were just as worried as everyone else but always had a positive attitude. Malissa, Nick, Carrie and Katie were amazing cheerleaders with  kind words of appreciation, treats, and the most important job which was making sure there was enough PPE to keep their staff protected. They helped everyone make it through the day when times were especially difficult. Also appreciated were the kind words from some of the radiologists and their concern for the technologists in all modalities who were on the front lines.  Their thoughtfulness meant so much.

Hopefully we will never have another Covid, but it is heartwarming to see that after 45 years, there are still new generations of technologists out there who truly understand the importance in what they do and the difference they make in our patients lives. I am so proud and grateful for all of you. You make BMC a better place! Many Thanks!

Linda Parker

HOME AND WORK
Sarah Mc Crossan – X -Ray Technologist
The last 4 months have been a total emotional whirlwind. 
I’d say the worst part for me was all of the unknown. When am I going to see my mom and dad and sister again? How can I make sure that I don’t bring this illness home to my husband and 1 year old daughter? 
When this all started, it’s almost like I had to switch my brain off, put my head down and just power through. Everything was changing so quickly that I just had to roll with it, while also being human. I did stat portables on the floors that made me quietly cry on the elevator ride back down to the department. I x rayed some patients several times and watched them decline, then get better, then decline again. I watched as families stood outside ICU room doors to basically wave goodbye to their loved one, because it wasn’t safe to go in the room. The solitude is heartbreaking. 
Being a frontline employee during this pandemic is hard and real and emotional. The entire X-ray team (and then some) came together and powered through this hard and draining time. I don’t think we would have made it through the craziness without each other, as we all went through it together. 

Charity Drive

Dr Harp Bedi raised $18,585 for supplies, staffing and resources for two facilities in the Boston area to care for and safely quarantine our homeless patients with Covid-19 who otherwise would not have an appropriate place to isolate.

DIVING INTO COVID
Drs Leah Shaffer, Priscilla Slanetz and Michael Fishman
Here is a photo submission for the BMC Radiology COVID experience project from myself, Priscilla, and Michael, entitled “Diving Into COVID”. We are wearing full-face snorkel masks that have been fitted with a viral filter in place of the snorkel (part of a BMC project with MasksOn.org). These masks are a testament to the amazing innovation during the time of COVID and were originally developed by two anesthesia residents at the Brigham in conjunction with Google labs and MIT, among others, to design and manufacture these masks and distribute them free of charge to any healthcare worker in need. To date they have distributed more than 20,000 masks around the country.
Stay safe!
Leah

OUR WOMEN RADIOLOGISTS – OUT OF SIGHT, BUT NOT OUT OF MIND

“Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind”.
Our women radiologists including attendings and residents check in on each other during the pandemic
Pictured from top left to bottom right: Dr. Priscilla Slanetz, Neha Khemani (PGY-3), Aayushi Rai (PGY-5), Maryam Vejdani Jahromi (PGY-3), Geraldine Tran (PGY-3), Dr. Sara Meibom, Victoria Wells (PGY-3), Dr. Ilse Castro-Aragon, Dr. Vanessa Carlota Andreu Arasa; Not pictured: Dr. Bindu Setty
Submitted by Dr Neha Khemani Caption by Dr Geraldine Tran

Dr Leah Schaffer and COVID  19 Action Coalition

In March of this year, as the COVID pandemic was making its way to the east coast, a local, grass-roots, multi-institutional physician led organization was formed in response here in Massachusetts: the COVID-19 Action Coalition (COVAC). One of our new radiology attendings, Leah Schafer, was an inaugural member of the organization and both serves on the steering committee for COVAC and has been co-leading the PPE team within this organization since its inception. This non-profit 501(c)(4) organization advocates for scientifically-based public health measures that will reduce the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. Through public education, advocacy for best policies, and on the ground PPE donation and distribution, Dr. Schafer’s PPE team has reached across eastern Massachusetts and further to help our healthcare workers navigate the pandemic safely. The core missions of COVAC are focused around COVID detection and protection, access to effective PPE, and safe re-opening in Massachusetts. https://covid19actioncoalition.org/ 

If you are interested in volunteering with this organization, please reach out to Leah or contact the volunteer team through this Linked In Website . 

GIFTS FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS DELIVERED BY DR GERALDINE TRAN

X-ray Technologists

From Left Geraldine Tran, Radiology Resident,  Monica Marciano, X-ray Tech Malissa Danforth, Radiology Manager Veronica Ziolek, X-ray Tech Jennifer Carias, X-ray Tech Keara Doolan, X-ray Tech Jermecia Overstreet, X-ray Tech
From Left Geraldine Tran, Radiology Resident,  Monica Marciano, X-ray Tech Malissa Danforth, Radiology Manager Veronica Ziolek, X-ray Tech Jennifer Carias, X-ray Tech Keara Doolan, X-ray Tech Jermecia Overstreet, X-ray Tech

Front Desk

Receiving Gifts from Local Merchants

Geovania Santos and Sohaib Daoud
L to R: Radiology Front Desk Staff, Geovania Santos and Sohaib Daoud

Nuclear Medicine Receiving Gifts from Local Merchants

Darren Wilcox, Erin Loftus,
Monalisa Santos, and Bob Connors
L to R: Nuclear Medicine Technologists, Darren Wilcox, Erin Loftus, Monalisa Santos, and Bob Connors

 

“Resilience 2020”

Diverse and Resilient  Breast Imaging Team.

From Left: Jill McCarthy(Mammo Tech), Kim Hartfield(Lead Tech),Samhita Joshi(Research Assistant),Dr. Fishman(Section Chief), Marsela Demo(Nurse Navigator), Melinda Tharps(Mammo tech), Zenobia Ransom(Mammo Scheduler),Rajaa Zorqi(Mammo Scheduler), Karima Thompson(Mammo scheduler), Anya Patrusheva(Project Manager)
“Resilience 2020”
From Left: Jill McCarthy(Mammo Tech), Kim Hartfield(Lead Tech),Samhita Joshi(Research Assistant),Dr. Fishman(Section Chief), Marsela Demo(Nurse Navigator), Melinda Tharps(Mammo tech), Zenobia Ransom(Mammo Scheduler),Rajaa Zorqi(Mammo Scheduler), Karima Thompson(Mammo scheduler), Anya Patrusheva(Project Manager)

IR Team

Top row: Abby (Cath/IR RN), Beata (cath/IR RN), Dawn (Cath,IR Charge RN), Marcella (cath/IR tech), Ashley (Cath/IR Tech)
Bottom row:
Ashleigh (Cath/IR RN), Beth (Cath/IR RN), Nicolette (Cath/IR Charge RN),  Linda (cath/IR Chief tech)

 

Masks Created by Sara Meibom
and Friends Kris Clark and Gabor Furesz and Donated to
East Newton Pavilion Patients on Discharge
Sara Meibom
When learning of BMC’s need for fabric masks I recruited my quilting friends to make these homemade fabric masks with reversible patterns and I delivered them to BMC to be used for COVID patients upon discharge from the East Newton Pavilion. The masks in this picture were made by my friends Kris Clark and Gabor Furesz
Kitt Shaffer – Interconnectedness
01 Kitt Shaffer
This image of branching coral was painted on an antique cabinet to brighten and enhance its structure, but also represents a depiction of our essential interconnectedness, as manifested by the current pandemic. We are all in this together.

The Disease in Pictures and the Radiology

Normal

The Devil in the Lungs

The Virus Reaches the Alveoli, Multiplies and Causes Inflammation

The X-Ray

CT Early in the Disease
Patchy Peripheral Mostly Lower Lobes

CT Late in the Disease