Combatting COVID as a food services assistant

“It’s going to be different this year, however we know it’s what we need to do to keep everyone safe,” Lisa Michalski, an Aurora BayCare Medical Center food services assistant said about this Thanksgiving.

Michalski fights the pandemic on the front lines, helping to maintain a safe environment for the patients she is delivering meals for.  While away from work, she believes the same rituals taking place in the hospital setting are important to maintain while at home.

She explained that due to visitor restrictions, patients aren’t seeing their loved ones like they would have normally. Many visits are being done virtually.  It’s not uncommon that we bring a sense of comfort both bringing them a hot nutritious meal, but also because we are cultivating conversations that are helping patients heal.

“At times, we feel like we are a replacement for their loved ones visiting,” Michalski said. “Patients want to spark conversations, and some are so happy to see me they tease that they will marry me because they are so happy to see me.”

“Wearing a mask isn’t fun,” she said. “However, I’ve seen first-hand the implications of this virus.”  Lisa sees patients every day who are separated from their families or fighting for their lives because of COVID-19.  It empowers her to do her part at home to keep her family and the community safe during this pandemic.

Normally her extended family gets together, some traveling from out-of-state to come and share a holiday meal.

“My husband will be cooking a meal while I am at work,” Michalski said. “And we will take a container of food over to my elderly relatives’ home and drop it off.”

“We, as a community, are all in this together,” she said. “If we all do our part, our family members who have underlying conditions can stay safe.  Please wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands frequently.”