Leelanau Essentials—the workers who keep us safe during the pandemic. Meet doctor Cyrus Ghaemi
From staff reports
They are doctors, nurses and healthcare workers. They stock the shelves, slice the deli meat, and run the registers at grocery stores, they deliver your meals curbside, delicately pinching the paper bag between gloved fingers. They are the EMS first responders, the firemen and the cops. They are the distilleries that turn spirit byproduct into hand sanitizer. They drive semi trucks and delivery trucks and bring packages and food. They are postal workers. They run the food banks and the church pantries. They keep the school cafeterias open to make sure the needy families get breakfasts and lunch. They pick up our recycling and our garbage. They watch our children, and they care for our elderly. They are the farmworkers—both with and without documents—who harvest our crops.
Even as our community and our society shut down and we stay home to socially distance ourselves, these essential workers of Leelanau County show up every day and walk to the front lines to fight for us in this world war against a murderous pandemic. Let us honor our Leelanau Essentials.
Dr. Cyrus Ghaemi, Empire Family Care and Munson Medical Center
What does my job mean to me?
I really appreciate the opportunity to learn about something new that affects all of us in our community, and to be able to share that knowledge and understanding with others in a way that is meaningful. Being able to continue to care for members of our community in such a tumultuous and challenging time is a real privilege.
What does it mean to the community?
I think for people to have the ability to talk something out with another human being makes a big difference in building understanding and peace of mind. People have shared their appreciation knowing that we are here in the community and are helping to answer their questions, provide support, guidance, and reassurance, especially when things are so uncertain and often frightening.
How has my life changed during the pandemic?
Over just a couple weeks, how we’ve been caring for our patients has changed a lot, from seeing fewer people in the office in person, to building up capacity to care for patients by phone or video. There’s more communication, with tons of information being updated multiple times a day, and changes in how we use protective equipment. I’ve definitely felt the pressure to get comfortable with speaking with others with the knowledge that what I know to be true now may be very different from what I know to be true tomorrow, if not just later today.
Dear readers—who would you like to nominate for our Leelanau Essentials profile series? Do they have a compelling story they’re willing to share? Have they proven themselves essential to the community in recent weeks? Can they send us a photo of themselves and answer the following questions: What does my job mean to me? What does it mean to the community? How has my life changed during the coronavirus? Send submissions to editorial@GlenArborSun.com.
