Gratitude for health care heroes. Still critical.

Last March, a physician friend said that for the first time in his 30 years of medicine he was afraid he might die.  A nurse friend reiterated the same fear.  These words had a tremendous impact on me.  As a physician’s daughter who has worked in health care for over two decades, I have deep appreciation for medical professionals. During the past year, however, my respect and gratitude has increased a thousand fold!

Overflowing emergency centers, PPE problems, 18-hour shifts, and understaffing continue. What’s more, I can’t imagine the mental fatigue of seeing critically ill patients day after day, helping people struggling on ventilators or knowing that you’re the only support for those now dying alone during this time.

Anxiety. Burnout. Depression. How can we help?

Clearly, this is a marathon, even with a vaccine. Many health care workers aren’t sure they can keep going.

Early in the pandemic, there was lots of outward appreciation- motor parades in front of hospitals, free meals for front line staff, live music, lawn signs, and more.  Sadly, these outward signs of gratitude seem to be flagging as Covid fatigue sets in.

Maybe those of us who didn’t have a chance to show support earlier can now step forward to create the next wave of gratitude – especially at a time that is proving to be even harder than last spring. Everyone is struggling. But what about leaving a gift card for coffee for a nurse after her shift? Maybe you can run an errand for a healthcare hero neighbor? Offer an online yoga subscription? Or hook someone up with a dinner kit.

See how Studies show Guided Imagery Can Help….

Free guided imagery for healthcare heroes

I wanted to do something, anything to help this brave clinical group.  Since what I do reduces stress, I created a “Hugs to our Health Care Heroes” guided imagery recording that was distributed to staff in some local hospitals. 

Now that my website is up, making it available to more people is my next right thing to do. The free download is here at healthguided.com. 

I hope it makes a difference for you or a loved one. Guided Imagery is a simple technique where you listen to a recording of someone’s soft calming voice that helps with physical and emotional fatigue and promotes restful and restorative sleep. Please use it or pass it on to any health care hero who could use some stress relief.

If you are a frontline health care worker please know that this was created with deepest gratitude for all that you are doing for me, my family and friends, my community…the world! You all deserve a special place in heaven.

And if reading this inspires anyone else, I’ll be happy. Each of us can offer our own gifts whether we’re a baker, meditation teacher, dog walker or someone who found an extra jar of bath salt under the tree and wants to give it to a hero in need of some aromatherapy.