By Bethany Cole
My struggle to put pen to paper to form my story has become an inner fight between good and evil, playing out like a game of chess — each side vying for the chance to scream CHECKMATE! The Knight puffs up his chest, intimidating his opponent, but makes one crucial mistake. The Knight underestimates the power of resilience, virtue and free speech.
From an early age my parents instilled in me to be humble enough to seek answers to things we did not know but, most importantly, to stay curious. I was taught to respect my elders — that they were pillars of knowledge — and to not hesitate in reaching out to gain their wisdom. I was brought up believing that medical professionals played an instrumental role in guiding us towards a higher standard of living. They, after all, have spent their lives training to become a vessel of truth for people like me, who seek out their expertise.
The last few months I found myself spinning in this never-ending web of tangled misinformation, searching for answers. True to my upbringing, I pursued the truth. Looking past the headlines, I found pieces of a puzzle that truly needed another set of eyes. I gathered my courage to reach out to San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) and Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC).
For example: Masks do not prevent COVID infections (website).
And: COVID-19 Management Protocol from Eastern Virginia Medical School (download).
I compiled my research, carefully formed my questions, and went straight to the top: Liane Jollon, Executive Director of SJBPH and Dr. Rhonda Webb, CEO of PSMC. I had to work up my courage to reach out to these individuals, but I firmly believed I would find the answers I was desperately seeking.
Seek and ye shall find… or so I thought.
I should have read the warning label, however, because my search for answers — based on my research — threatened to jeopardize the credibility of the two experts I had contacted.
When I sought answers from Ms. Jollon, her response was for me to seek out my own legal and/or medical expert advice. My own legal expert in order to receive answers? Why? This didn’t make sense to me. I had expected that a public health expert would have time to address my questions, as part of her job: protecting the health and safety of people like me. I was quite startled by the claim that they “did not have the time nor did they have the expertise to do the research”.
On that note, I decided I would press on and reach out to someone who, with her level of expertise, would be quite versed in this matter — hoping I would receive a warmer welcome from Dr. Rhonda Webb at the Pagosa Springs Medical Center. I asked for a meeting as I was truly seeking her guidance and knowledge. To my amazement, she agreed to a 30-minute meeting which turned into a phone conference, due to my inability to don a mask for the occasion. I was very excited to have a highly accredited medical CEO take the time out of her busy schedule to answer few of my questions. That feeling was quickly squelched.
I was bewildered when I received Dr. Webb’s response, which bluntly stated that she “would not have an email, or other debate, with me about masks”.
It became clear that I had hit some sort of nerve, by questioning the practices and procedures of those in the medical field. Instead of reviewing the information I had carefully put together for her review, Dr. Webb dismissed my questions, and offered no insight or help in this matter, which left me feeling dumbfounded and confused.
In anticipation of this learning opportunity, I had compiled my list of questions, and was ready to soak in all the knowledge she would share. I greeted her and thanked her for taking the time out of her busy schedule to have a discussion with me. Ignoring the pleasantry, she stated that she has masked since 1978 even if she felt the slightest bit unwell. I learned that the Medical Center had kept a box of surgical masks for the patients who did not feel well when entering the building. During this COVID-19 pandemic however, this practice has ceased. Why? I listened intently, patiently awaiting my chance to ask my first question. The segue was provided shortly after she shared that masking has been around for years and that she has the research that proves the efficacy of mask use. I did find it curious when she stated that some of that evidence for mask use was “not from actual studies”.
Once given the opportunity, I asked her if she wouldn’t mind sharing the links to the research so I could continue examining this issue. She cut me short, telling me that she does not have the time to research new material coming in unless it is pertinent to what she needs to see, including breakthrough medications.
When time does allow, she reads one or two journals, she told me; I also learned that there is a research application that the Medical Center uses called UPTODATE which she takes advantage of from time to time.
As she continued, I grew increasingly hesitant to ask anything else. She continued briskly, “I will not convince you of mask use, and I understand that the virus is too small for a mask to protect against it. It is just for reduction.” She stated that distance is the key to stay safe from this virus. “The further away you are, the less likely you are to get it.”
So, are we supposed to have no contact with another human being, ever again?
What I heard next, left me speechless.
“I did not look through any of the studies you provided in your email” she said, “It is not worth my time to go over and I do not have time to continue this conversation. Goodbye.”
The line went silent, 9 minutes into our scheduled 30-minute phone conference.
As I tried to recover from being so rudely hung up on, the Hippocratic Oath came to mind: “I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant; I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.”
Is this oath taken seriously anymore?
A Naturopathic doctor once told me that “Taking the time to respectfully answer questions a person may have regarding their health and matters effecting them, is the one of the greatest privileges we have as true healthcare professionals. It also necessitates that we ourselves are always learning, and humble enough to admit we may not have all the answers. If we do not know, then we find out. People seek us out for our knowledge.”
I found myself asking, is it possible that this has nothing to do with people’s health and safety? Should I just shut up and comply without questioning the why?
This could have been an encouraging opportunity to possibly change the course of my life for the better — to show me that there was still hope left in this world. But I was treated with disrespect, and anger. Why was I being told that I needed my own legal expert to obtain answers? Why was I told that I was not worth someone’s time or energy to have a discussion with?
In my search for truth and freedom, I learned that some of our medical professionals cannot find the time for educating those who seek answers. How can we truly thrive in a healthy and safe society if this is the case?
Are we supposed to trust the motives of professionals as they continue to dictate how we should live our lives, offering no explanations? How can we keep our medical professionals accountable in the truth, if we cannot turn to them for answers?
In this day in age, where everything seems so uncertain, we need now more than ever to be informed and reach out to those medical professionals who truly care about our health and safety. Even though I am left with even more questions after this ordeal, I will continue my quest for answers. We need to continue to seek answers from those who are willing to help guide us, and continue to question those who refuse.
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