Dr. Kelly Parker, an OB-GYN who has worked to save lives for months now, has created a heartfelt video essay for her children to help them understand what life has been like during the coronavirus pandemic
"Dear Christine and Colin, I want you to know what this moment means directly from me," the video starts.
Parker says "exhaustion" and "fatigue" are the two words that best describe what she and fellow healthcare workers have been going through.
Parker leads the labor and delivery unit at a hospital in Ohio. She completed her residency in Washington, D.C.
Throughout the pandemic she’s treated 61 new moms who gave birth while battling COVID-19.
"When patients have such critical illness and there’s a strong chance they might not go home to see their family, that wrecks you," she said.
Through all the pain and suffering she’s seen, Parker says her kids, 4-year-old Christine and 2-year-old Colin, have kept her going.
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Her kids are the inspiration behind her video essay – with the hope that one day they can watch the video and better understand everything that happened in 2020.
"Your dad and I feel so lucky to have both of you in our lives," Parker says in the video essay. "You are our inspiration. You are why we get out of bed every day."
Parker’s husband, a genomic research scientist, has also been working in the fight against COVID-19.
For Parker, the day the vaccines arrived at her hospital was like an injection of hope. Her vaccination was one of many moments she captured for her video, but it was also one of the most memorable.
"The relief was palpable," Parker said. "People were allowing themselves to feel some hope for the first time in what feels like a lifetime."
