Surmesur presents: A Custom Tailored Life
The
Essential
Man
Surmesur Celebrates Dr. Patrick Yang
Like many of us, Dr. Patrick Yang found himself with much of his work cancelled when the COVID-19 shutdowns started. As an Oculoplastic Surgeon, Dr. Yang’s surgeries for cancer and reconstruction were still a go, but scheduled surgeries to restore eyesight were deemed elective and therefore cancelled. Coincidentally, as many facilities were closed during the mandatory shutdown, some eye-related concerns and emergencies were re-routed to the ophthalmologist on-call at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, which was also bracing for a surge of COVID-19 patients. Hospitals and health authorities scrambled to get the necessary Personal Protective Equipment they needed for a worst-case scenario. New information about this novel disease was circulating daily, adding fuel to the fire of fear and uncertainty. For some, it seemed the world we knew was unravelling.
84
ICONIC CONCIERGE
@surmesurvancouvervancov
Surmesur Vancouver 1012 Mainland St. | (604) 424-8555 vancouver@surmesur.com
It was said that this pandemic would be a make-it or break-it moment for British Columbians. Would we shelter behind our hoarded stacks of toilet paper and Lysol wipes, or would we step up to the plate in helping each other? Dr. Yang chose the latter. Some of his colleagues were in age groups which put them at higher risk of COVID-19 complications. With increased patient load, Dr. Yang felt this may put some of his colleagues at too high of a risk for infection. So he offered to see patients if his colleagues felt uncomfortable, donned his mask, shield, gown, and went to work.
“Like everyone else at the hospital, there were some sacrifices.”, says Yang as he sheepishly shrugs his shoulders. “I couldn’t visit my parents for months, in case I was unknowingly a coronavirus carrier. But some colleagues had it much worse. They had to stay away from their own spouses and children.” Despite the long uncomfortable work days with foggy face shields and ears chafed from face mask straps, Dr. Yang chooses to see the positive. “I was proud of my colleagues in the ER (Emergency Room), the ICU and the primary care clinics, those on the front line, sacrificing all that they did. Every day was something new to celebrate: a patient gets discharged, a surprise food delivery, even the 7 o’clock cheers…”, he remembers fondly. “It was tough, but it was what we all signed up for.” Despite the celebrations of our front line and essential workers, tales from the ugly underbelly of society began to emerge as well during the lockdown.
