My COVID-19 Diary: Practical Tips and Scriptures for Improbable Times from an American Doctor

By Theresa Y. Wee

With forced shutdowns, Dr. Theresa Wee began to connect through social media with daily blogs. These blogs include practical advice on getting through tough times from her many years as a pediatrician, wife, and mother. She also shares ways in which God sustained

• Language: English
• Publisher: ReadersMagnet LLC
• Release date: Feb 9, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890914606

Theresa Y. Wee

Dr. Theresa Wee is a practicing pediatrician, wellness expert, and mother of four. She has a strong commitment to improving the health of Hawaii and began her non-profit organization "Walk with a Doc - Oahu" eight years ago, where she conducts free weekly walks to help her community get healthier. She authored two best-selling books and continues to educate families on regular television and radio spots.She has been an inspiration to many, especially after the sudden and unexpected death of her husband and business partner, Dr. Stephen L. Wee. She openly shares ways she has learned to keep moving forward, persevering, and even thriving, no matter what the circumstances are.

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My COVID-19 Diary: Practical Tips and Scriptures for Improbable Times from an American Doctor

Copyright © 2024 by Theresa Y. Wee M.D.

Published in the United States of America

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024902647

ISBN Paperback: 979-8-89091-459-0

ISBN eBook: 979-8-89091-460-6

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of ReadersMagnet, LLC.

ReadersMagnet, LLC

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Book design copyright © 2024 by ReadersMagnet, LLC. All rights reserved.

Editor: Natasa Smirnov

Author’s photo courtesy of Theresa Y. Wee

Cover design by Jennifer Stimson

Interior design by Don De Guzman

Contents

ADVANCE PRAISE

FOREWORD

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Chapter 1:MARCH

Chapter 2:APRIL

Chapter 3:MAY

Chapter 4:JUNE

Chapter 5:JULY

Chapter 6:AUGUST

Chapter 7:SEPTEMBER

Chapter 8:OCTOBER

Chapter 9:NOVEMBER

Chapter 10:DECEMBER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ADVANCE PRAISE

In these days of political correctness and, for some, keeping your opinions to yourself lest you get a tirade of angry comments, it is refreshing to hear the voice of Theresa Wee. She fearlessly voices her expertise, her stories, her opinions on things that matter to her. She is the voice of a working mother raising four children. She is the voice of one who has lost her spouse. She is the voice of one who is reconnecting to God. She is the voice in the wilderness suggesting that we can overcome, we can change the direction of our lives by making the right choices.

— PASTOR JERRY HIGASHI, MOMILANI CHRISTIAN CHURCH, PEARL CITY, HAWAII

Dr. Wee has been a great inspiration to me during this ‘unprecedented’ year, 2020. She freely shares her heart, personal life experiences, faith in God and her knowledgeable medical expertise to anyone. She has been a source of great hope for many, and I am extremely grateful for her friendship, and I always look forward to seeing her every Sunday, and I know you will also feel the same when you read this book.

— CYNTHIA MURATA, RETIREE

When Covid-19 hit us last year, we were all suddenly stuck at home. As one of the weekly attendees to her Walk with a Doc – Oahu event, I greatly missed her energy, enthusiasm, and infectious smile. Lucky for all of us, she decided to write a daily blog at the start of lockdown. For me, these blogs have not only been entertaining, but more importantly, they have been uplifting and inspiring. With her wisdom and knowledge, she educates and challenges us to be the best we can be. She probably has no idea how many people she has touched, but I know her love and dedication have improved countless lives. I am grateful to have such a caring friend. She is my personal hero!

— RENATA RIVERA, RETIREE

Who can forget the year 2020 and how this coronavirus affected each one of us? We all went through turmoil and uncertainty during this worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. However, through the stories and experiences that Dr. Wee shared, she not only gives great tips for dealing with difficult situations, but she also reveals how her faith in God continues to help her through even the darkest of times. In times like these, it is comforting to know that we can find hope and peace, through God our Heavenly Father. It’s an easy read and you won’t be able to put this book down!

— JENNIE LUE, RETIRED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

I’m so happy that Dr. Wee decided to put her blogs into book form so more people would have an opportunity to spend time with her. She has a natural writing style that makes you feel you are visiting with her over a cup of morning coffee. As you read this book, you can see her working through her own struggles during the pandemic. What I love most is that she closes each day’s blog with a scripture reading that expresses her faith and this has greatly inspired me to keep moving forward.

— MARY BRETSCHNEIDER, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER

This book is dedicated to the frontline health care workers worldwide who lost their lives to the Covid-19 virus. They worked tirelessly to help their patients and then gave the ultimate sacrifice, their lives in the line of duty….

We will never forget these heroic healthcare workers and their families, who continue to feel the ripple effects of their lost loved ones.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me.

— PSALM 23: 4 NIV

FOREWORD

Don’t slow me down!

— DR. THERESA WEE

As her husband, I selected these words because they succinctly capture the attitude of Dr. Theresa Wee. The COVID-19 pandemic suddenly slammed the brakes on the momentum of life for most of us in the world. The suddenly available time and pent-up energy caused by stay-at-home orders and cancellation of many social events due to new social distancing rules was redirected into the writing of Theresa’s blogs. I, along with many of our friends and family, have enjoyed receiving a peek into her heart and mind. Based on the many positive reactions on these daily blogs, she decided to turn them into a book and make them available to a wider audience so that you, too, can enjoy these snippets of our 2020 reality through Theresa’s eyes.

As her reader, I can say that her personal and transparent writing style offers valuable and practical insights which help mold a better attitude and a positive impact on our community. If you’re facing challenges in your life, you’ll find inspiration from this collection of daily journal entries because Theresa has an unparalleled talent for encouraging others with her personal experiences in the areas of medical advice, relationships, raising a family, health tips, overcoming grief, and nurturing faith. Her journal reveals a very personal response in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. This book is easy to read and is refreshingly real.

The pages of this book contain the essence of Theresa. She is highly competitive and no push-over. She refuses to fall into the victim mentality. She is passionate about addressing the epidemic of childhood obesity and advocates that prevention and family involvement is the answer. Theresa is on a mission to change the world for the better. A revolution starts with one person, then a second, and grows to a third. I’m in as a second. Will you join us and be the third?

—MARTIN ARINAGA, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ PROFESSIONAL, CO-FOUNDER, CHINEN & ARINAGA FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. PROUD HUSBAND OF DR. THERESA WEE

AUTHOR’S NOTE

January 2020 beckoned the start of a new decade and what an exciting time it was for me. I had just completed my first book in 2019, The Happy, Healthy Revolution: A Parent’s Guide to Achieve Wellness as a Family Unit and it was now released as an eBook. I looked forward to recording it as an audiobook during the summer of 2020.

As a pediatrician of thirty-five-plus years and now, bestselling author, I had so many exciting and ambitious plans to share my expertise and experience through workshops as well as my newly published book. However, this was not to be, as the new Covid-19 virus began to rear its ugly head.

By March 2020, the Covid-19 virus outbreak became a worldwide pandemic and now this faraway virus was affecting each one of us here at home. I saw panic, fear, and confusion everywhere and there was talk of local hospitals not being able to handle all the critically ill patients at the hospital. There was suddenly much discussion about fattening the curve which simply meant slowing down the rapid spread of this virus so our front-line workers and hospitals could accommodate and care for every critically ill person affected.

As a medical consultant for several area preschools, I began to get frantic calls and requests to take questions from teachers, administrators, parents, and even the local media. Even in my private practice, I could sense the same type of panic and fear building up daily.

We had never faced a problem like this before and there were no protocols. From our top officials in Washington D.C. to our local politicians, health officials, and infectious disease specialists, the advice was confusing and kept changing daily. Cleaning supplies, along with other essentials, were suddenly beginning to be in short supply due to the widespread panic.

Leading up to the lockdown, I had so many emotions going on within me. First there was fear, then anger, and finally confusion as well as frustration over this entire situation and the lack of consistent medical advice that made sense.

Schools began closing completely and going virtual. Finally, on March 23, 2020, it became official that Oahu was going into lockdown to contain the rapidly rising Covid-19 cases.

Feelings of worry and angst were taking root in all of us and were apparently here to stay. Well, I am not the one to sit back and watch chaos unfold. This was an unprecedented time for all of us and we needed to hold on tight and get through this together. On Day 1 of this lockdown, I decided to share my thoughts and feelings in a daily blog so that I could continue to communicate with family and friends.

Even though I had never done daily blogs on social media before, I made up my mind to do this for at least one month. I was eager to share my daily journal of events and thoughts for the day and by doing so, my hope was to add a little bit of hope and optimism into someone’s day.

After writing for one month, I received a lot of positive feedback and comments. My faithful blog readers urged me to keep writing. People told me they felt encouraged and some even looked forward to the daily blogs, like their daily newspaper. I decided to continue writing.

This book is a compendium of my original blogs from March 23, 2020, to December 31, 2020, developed and edited to convey the lessons and insights the pandemic bestowed upon me. My hope is that you will gain insight into – not only the turmoil of this time – but also the hope, encouragement, and lessons learned from this journey. I have included practical tips for persevering through this challenging time and scriptures from the Bible that have helped me lean into my faith even more. I hope this book will help you get through any bumps in the road you encounter along your own journey through life.

My Heavenly Father continues to sustain and bless me during these uncertain times. I will keep the faith as I move forward into an uncertain 2021. 2020 has been a year of unceasing praying for God’s wisdom and blessings amidst the fear and uncertainty. As one of His children, I will continue to pray and trust that He hears me and already knows what I need even before I ask.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

— DEUTERONOMY 31: 6 NIV

1

MARCH

ENTRY: 03/23/20

Today is the first day of lockdown for the city and county of Honolulu, Hawaii. As a pediatrician, I am still seeing patients in my office. My staff and doctors, as well as myself, all began wearing personal protective equipment (PPEs) as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). This has been an extremely stressful time for me, not only as a physician, but also as a business owner.

I want to continue serving my patients and their families in the best way possible, yet also keep everyone in my office safe and healthy. I must keep the doors open, for as long as possible, but the bills keep coming and the revenues are going down.

As I write my first blog, I want to remind everyone that we must each do our part in keeping the spread of this deadly virus to a minimum. We need to wash our hands and keep social distancing first and foremost. We have already seen what has happened in other countries, when individuals do not heed this warning. An excellent example of this was in Brazil, where officials never instituted a lockdown. People ignored warnings and as a result, it became the second most coronavirus-ravaged country in the world. Please think of others who are vulnerable to this deadly virus, such as the elderly, the immunocompromised, and those with underlying medical conditions. You may be able to weather this Covid-19 virus, but someone else may not and it could be a loved one.

My hope is that we all hunker down, as hard as this may be. This too shall all pass and if we see little spread and no deaths in Hawaii, then we would have accomplished this goal of keeping the numbers of Covid-19 infections to a minimum.

For myself, I plan on having a lot of quality time with my dear husband, Martin Arinaga. We will finally be able to tackle home projects that were on hold for months, and even years. I’m also looking forward to taking long, leisurely walks with him and pausing to enjoy the beauty of Hawaii.

We plan on FaceTiming our children, grandchildren, and friends frequently. Additionally, I hope to stay in touch with you, my dear blog readers, through these daily blogs and share my journey as we navigate the challenges of this pandemic together.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

— ISAIAH 40: 31 NIV

ENTRY: 03/24/20

Governor Ige announced that starting tomorrow, the state of Hawaii would be under a statewide stay-at-home/ work-from-home order. Life as we know it is changing, whether we like it or not. But, dear readers, please remember that you are not alone. We are all in this together and we will get through it.

I continue to see patients in my office, but with slightly shortened hours. We continue to screen each sick call and the doctor makes a final determination of whether it is vital to see this person in the office. We are trying to keep the risk of our other patients and staff getting infected as low as possible. Our well child visits and vaccine administration continue as usual, so that no one falls behind.

I would like to put a reminder out there for folks using 911. Remember, this hotline is only for life-threatening emergency calls. Additionally, I have been receiving an increased number of night calls requesting Covid-19 testing.

If an after-hour call is not an emergency and it can wait till the morning, please allow your health care provider to get their sleep and call the office in the morning.

Finally, I wanted to remind everyone that boosting your immune system is probably the most important way to prevent yourself from getting sick.

Here are some great ways for people of all ages to boost their immune system:

•Keep to a regular schedule.

•Continue daily activity, like walking, or any other movements.

•Do eat three healthy meals and keep snacks to a minimum.

•Drink lots of water throughout the day.

•Get adequate sleep.

•Connect often with others via FaceTime or give friends and relatives a call.

•Pause and consider your breathing. Be mindful of the present moment you are in.

So, dear readers, think of this last statement about living in the moment. This is the only time we must modify our actions and decisions. Let’s take each day and its burdens as they come because that’s all we can ever do. Worry turns to stress and stress then weakens our immune system.

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

— MATTHEW 6: 34 NIV

ENTRY: 03/25/20

Ijust got through listening to a live televised news conference by our Governor…. Noticeably absent, once again, was Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, who was put in charge of Hawaii’s Covid-19 pandemic response. Dr. Green is a dear friend and colleague, as well as an ER physician. He needs to be front and center once again. Let’s not play political games and risk people’s lives. I feel that he is the most knowledgeable person to coordinate our response and we need the most qualified person in our state to lead us.

In other news, I had to close my office completely today. It was a difficult decision to make, however, due to the lack of appointments and financial considerations, I was forced to do this. I hope this will not be a regular occurrence, but right now, it is balancing the needs of my patients with keeping my business afloat during this pandemic, for however long it lasts.

I spent the day doing home chores in the morning, followed by thirty minutes of intense exercise via live video from my CrossFit Waipio Studio. I was so proud of myself for making great use of my time today.

What I have realized early in this pandemic is that we now suddenly have an abundance of free time available to all of us. So, dear readers, instead of going through each day aimlessly or spending hours scrolling through our social media feeds, let’s try to make the most of each precious day. This pandemic has afforded us precious time. When you stop and think about it, time really is our most precious asset. For many people, the common belief is that money is our greatest asset, but in reality, no matter how much money you have, if you have no time to enjoy it, then it means nothing.

Let me share with you some tips I’ve come up with to make the most of our day. First, have a general plan or goals in mind at the start of the day and begin your day with intention. By this I mean, stay connected to what really matters to you and choose actions that align with your true purpose. Be aware of your time wasters, such as Facebook, playing video games, watching movies, online shopping, and other huge black holes for time. Instead, free up your time and go through your day being proactive instead of reactive. Finally, keep in mind how limited our time here on Earth is, so make the most of the set amount of time God has given