PORTLAND, Oregon — More than ever, we are grateful for healthcare workers. But this Thanksgiving, what are they thankful for?
"I'm thankful to have a job to continue working in the capacity I can," said Brian Mills, a Physician's Assistant at Childhood Health Associates of Salem. The opportunity to serve is on Mills' list of gratitude. So is time.
"I will remember the amount of time I've had with my family and my kids and how close we've gotten," said Mills.
Mills and other members of the Oregon Medical Association gathered to share what else they're thankful for over Zoom—it's how most of them will celebrate this Thanksgiving with extended family to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"Thanksgiving's my favorite holiday so I'm a little bummed out," said Victor Tran, a first year physician's assistant student at Oregon Health & Science University. Tran is grateful for his family's health, but will miss their in-person reunions, especially with his youngest relatives.
"It's when I say, 'When did you start walking?' Or 'When did you start talking?'" said Tran. "I have to do it through FaceTime. Hopefully next year I'll get to see them all, tell them how much I miss them, give them a hug. Hopefully we can get through this rough time."
Learning remotely is not how Tran or his classmate, Lili Bornio Carrillo envisioned their first year at OHSU, but they're increasingly thankful for it.
"Being able to see how it is that we can be part of the solution with everything," said Bornio Carrillo. She's also thankful for learning the importance of self-care so early in her career; something she recognized during these months of isolation.
"We're on the frontlines and we're going to be on the frontlines all the time," said Bornio Carrillo. "So if we're not able to have a solid foundation with our own mental health and just the wellness habits, how can we help the rest of the community?"
Lillian Navarro-Reynolds is a physician's assistant at OHSU.
"I'm thankful to all the people who keep going to work, to all the people who stock the grocery stores and keep gas stations going," said Navarro-Reynolds. "All of the things that we need in order to do all the things that we do."
Navarro-Reynolds also oversees first year physician's assistant students at OHSU, including Bornio Carrillo and Tran; and she's doing so from home, with two young kids who are home-schooling.
"I empathize with the fatigue of isolating," said Navarro-Reynolds. "I'm very thankful that people keep powering through, making sacrifices, not seeing their loved ones and staying home."
The group agreed that things will never be the same after this Thanksgiving, for better or worse.
"The hope is we take the 'better' and keep it," said Mills, "And that we discard the 'worse' as we move forward."