I am generally a pretty “chill” person who respects personal choice and freedom. As an intensive care physician during a global pandemic, I have witnessed suffering and death on a level that I could not have imagined. When the COVID vaccine was approved (albeit Emergency Use Authorization), in late 2020, we rushed in droves to get the “the jab.” I was flabbergasted and appalled by the politicization of vaccines.
I will recount an encounter with a patient and his spouse that hurt me more than I care to admit.
Me: “Did you get your COVID vaccine?”
Spouse: “Oh NO!”
Me: “Why not?”
Spouse: “We have a religious exemption.”
Me: “If I may, I would like to discuss this with you.”
Spouse: Eye roll. “Ummmm. Sure.”
I went on to counsel them about the misconception about fetal cells in mRNA vaccines. I even informed them that the pope had been vaccinated.
Spouse: Another eye roll. “Maybe.”
Me: “So, you don’t believe the Pope got vaxed?”
This led to many tangents. “We have done our research.” “So many deaths from the vaccine.” “So many side-effects.” “Experimental.” “Unproven.” And on and on.
It was easy for me to dispel their objections. I Googled death rates and side effects using credible sources right in the office. How can one argue with Dr. Google?
Spouse: “Why are they forcing this experimental inoculation on us?”
Me: “But they didn’t mandate anything for five months. They even entered everyone in a one-million-dollar lottery!”
Spouse: “They are killing people with the ventilators and making up COVID deaths on the death certificates.”
Me: “So, you are saying that I have been willfully killing people and then falsifying their death certificates for the last eighteen months?”
Spouse: “Oh, I am so sorry. I never meant you!”
Me: “Then who do you mean? Who is killing patients and fraudulently filling out death certificates?”
Spouse: “I didn’t mean to offend you!”
Me: “But do you see why I AM offended!? It is ME and MY COLLEAGUES who put patients on ventilators and fill out death certificates!”
Spouse: “I am sorry you feel that way.”
Me: “How else should I feel when you tell me I am a fraud, and I am committing murder?”
That was it for me. It was time to end this encounter. I thanked them both for listening and asked them to reconsider their decision based on our conversation.
Rizwana Khan
Bellevue, Washington
2 thoughts on “Please Hear Me”
Bravo for trying! Frustrating as it is, you kept meeting conspiracies with evidence based science. Thank you.
Thank you for having this conversation!
So many people have put up “the wall” before they walk into a health care setting. I wonder if any of what we say finds its way through?
I hope you persist! I will try to do the same.