From the front lines: Fueling the fight against COVID-19 with hope and happiness

This is a series of perspective pieces from physicians who are among the hundreds of thousands providing care during the coronavirus pandemic. The following is an excerpt from a previously published interview featuring Dennis Truong, MD, of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. Read the complete interview with Dr. Truong on the Tysons Reporter site.

By Dennis Truong, MD

Each day is a crazy mix of emotions. To keep a balanced mind, I take time every morning to acknowledge each one, from worrying about loved ones and colleagues, near and far, to the stress of getting the necessary work things done in this race against time. But with these emotions also brings appreciation, for what I have and for the opportunity to serve others and transform health care during this pandemic.

Many of us health care workers have trained and prepared most of our lives to serve in a moment like this. So overall, I feel emotionally strong because I’m inspired by those around me and know that doing my part, while they do theirs, will get us through this.

Each day also bring elements of pleasant emotional surprises, from family texting jokes and spontaneous words of encouragement and appreciation, to dentist friends donating masks from their practices, to colleagues willing to pitch in to help when telehealth surges all hours of the day.

With these emotions also brings appreciation, for what I have and for the opportunity to serve others and transform health care during this pandemic.

This leads to the most important emotion — a glimpse of happiness — as we’re seeing how so many people care about each other’s well-being and are willing to take personal responsibility to help “flatten the curve.”

For many of my health care colleagues around the world, hope and happiness fuels us to keep fighting the fight with a positive attitude against COVID-19.

Dennis Truong, MD, is board certified in emergency medicine and serves as regional medical director of Telemedicine at the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, and assistant physician-in-chief in Northern Virginia at Kaiser Permanente. Follow him on Twitter @dennis_v_truong.