Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6jxvAUVGYc Starts at: 00:15:25 (jump to 00:15:25)
Steve Thomas: COVID-19 Recovery and Mental Health
[00:15:26] tee this up real quick [00:15:28] music [00:15:30] music [00:15:32] music [00:15:34] music [00:15:36] music [00:15:38] music [00:15:40] music [00:15:42] music [00:15:43] music [00:15:44] music [00:15:44] music [00:15:44] music [00:15:45] music [00:15:45] music [00:15:46] music [00:15:46] music [00:15:47] music [00:15:47] music [00:15:48] music [00:15:48] music [00:15:49] music [00:15:49] music [00:15:50] music [00:15:50] music [00:15:51] music [00:15:51] music [00:15:52] music [00:15:52] music [00:15:53] music [00:15:53] music [00:15:54] music [00:15:54] music [00:15:55] music [00:15:55] music [00:15:56] music [00:15:56] music [00:15:57] music [00:15:57] music [00:15:58] music [00:15:58] music [00:15:59] music [00:15:59] music [00:16:00] music [00:16:00] music [00:16:01] music [00:16:01] music [00:16:02] music [00:16:02] music [00:16:03] music [00:16:03] music [00:16:04] music [00:16:04] music [00:16:05] music [00:16:05] music [00:16:06] music [00:16:06] music [00:16:07] music [00:16:07] music [00:16:08] music [00:16:08] music [00:16:09] music [00:16:09] music [00:16:10] music [00:16:10] music [00:16:11] music [00:16:11] music [00:16:12] music [00:16:12] music [00:16:13] music [00:16:13] music [00:16:14] music [00:16:14] I had pneumonia in both lungs, the right actually being worse than the left, and I was tested positive for COVID-19. [00:16:21] I then spent seven days in the hospital, including two, in the ICU unit before I had my recovery. [00:16:29] And it was really the principles of SISM that helped me greatly in my recovery. [00:16:36] Because I wasn’t only physically sick, but I was emotionally sick. [00:16:42] I knew from my training that I was fighting depression while I was in the hospital. [00:16:50] And it was really the part that helped with that, led me into my recovery, was the support I received from my department, [00:16:57] my family, and the community. [00:17:01] The two posters behind me actually helped a lot. [00:17:04] My nurse in the ICU unit, Allie, was incredible for being a support. [00:17:09] She made the one poster. [00:17:11] She was a constant. [00:17:12] She had contact with my family, updating them and letting me know that they were okay. [00:17:16] With that, she made the one, letting me know that I was going to be recovering, giving me that positive expectation. [00:17:24] The second was the collage of pictures that my family made. [00:17:29] Once they made the poster, my wife drove it to the hospital. [00:17:31] And of course, you can’t have visitors in the hospital. [00:17:34] Allie actually ran out in the parking lot. [00:17:35] Then my wife brought it up and taped it onto the wall so I could see it and just remind me of the good times with my family. [00:17:41] And again, that I would recover. [00:17:45] My department was sensational. [00:17:47] Before I was hospitalized, they were extremely supportive. [00:17:51] My captain was in constant contact with my wife. [00:17:53] I actually had her take my departmental phone so I wouldn’t be trying to answer emails or texts so that I could get rest and recover. [00:18:01] Once I was in the hospital, the support was even tenfold. [00:18:07] The chief actually called my wife and made sure. [00:18:11] knew that anything that she needed my family needed or i needed he and the department would [00:18:17] be there to support my captain was overwhelmingly actually supportive and i can’t say enough [00:18:22] gratitude for what he did she made sure that because my family was quarantined due to me [00:18:28] testing positive that they had food anything they needed all they had to do was ask and some things [00:18:34] they didn’t ask it was just there the department had a meal train for my family every day until [00:18:40] i was actually off the quarantine once i got home we got meals from the department they um [00:18:47] i received numerous text messages and even though i wasn’t able to respond to everyone it was really [00:18:54] important to me to know that i had the full support of the department every commander in [00:18:59] the department was sending me messages my co-workers members of our peer support team that [00:19:04] i work with every day were sending me messages and that support was just overwhelming and i know [00:19:09] it was critical [00:19:10] in my recovery emotionally which actually helped me i know with my physical recovery i’m extremely [00:19:17] blessed that i’ve been able to return to work the last week i worked the entire week and again the [00:19:24] department was extremely supportive and not expecting me to come back at 100 but to come back [00:19:30] and sort of coming in coming into the office and then teleworking some from home and i can’t give [00:19:38] enough gratitude [00:19:40] to stress this how important it is to let officers know that they are supported by the department [00:19:46] and that their families are supported and anything that they need is taken care of [00:19:56] out