Maybe you’re like me and haven’t been to the hospital since mid-March when the COVID-19 pandemic struck with force. When a friend asked me to accompany her to a procedure at Dartmouth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, I was initially stunned and a little bit scared of the possibility of viral transmission, but I agreed and, with some trepidation, made the trip.
I had no idea what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised to see hallways without many people, signs letting people know where and where not to go, elevator signs limiting numbers to two people per ride, and plenty of stairways being used by people walking rather than riding to get to the next floor.
If there are two words I can use to describe my experience while wandering around in wait of my friend’s procedure to be over, they are “sparse” and “deferential.” Sparse because there wasn’t much around. No magazines littering waiting room tables and far fewer people walking the hallways and occupying the chairs. Deferential because each time I was about to pass a person in a hallway or on a staircase, we both hesitated and moved as far apart as could be to give one another space.
I also found eye contact to be heartwarming and emotive. Smiles were all hidden by masks. I only saw a few people without masks who were sitting well out of the fray in some far corner eating their lunch. Everyone was being careful not to encroach on someone else’s space. Wide berths were given by everyone. Still, I could feel smiles beneath the masks. It seemed to be tacitly understood that we were all in this together, and we needed to make the best of it by being kind and respecting one another.
Artwork beamed down from the walls to make my wanderings that much more special. It was like being in my own private art gallery in some hallways.
When the time came to collect my partner, I was summoned by a beeper I’d been given upon check-in at the desk in the waiting area. I was gently directed to leave the waiting area after check-in to ensure enough space was available to others. Distancing was clearly paramount, as were masks.
Overall, I was comfortable in my surroundings at DH. My initial worries about there being too many people in close quarters, or people not wearing masks, or a lack of respect for one another in the current pandemic situation were quickly dismissed. Hospital staff were professional and kind. Fellow patients and caregivers were friendly and kept their distance. And the experience I had was one to be celebrated rather than avoided. Kudos to the team at DHMC for making my time there a fond memory. I can’t imagine a more hospitable hospital to visit during this pandemic.
Here are some additional photos to help you see what it’s like at DH during COVID. It was a heartening experience for me, and I felt safe from the viral spread while there.
Dave Celone writes from Sharon, VT. He is director of development and community relations for West Central Behavioral Health, the community mental health and substance use disorder center serving the Upper Valley and Sullivan County regions of NH and VT. Dave implores everyone to wear masks outside their homes, wash their hands frequently, and keep their distance from those not in their quarantine pod. He can be reached at djcelone@gmail.com.