Sinus & Allergy Center, ENT, Chipola Surgical Specialties

01/17/2022

Very difficult to make a connection with hearing loss or tinnitus with COVID-19 illness or vaccination... More studies are needed.

09/05/2021

Recently an ENT colleague did a tracheotomy on a patient in their 20s.

This patient tested positive for COVID a month ago; had worsening breathing over a week; was then admitted to the hospital because their breathing was becoming so difficult; subsequently, with decreasing oxygen levels in their blood stream and increasing difficulty breathing, required the placement of a breathing tube via their mouth/throat so that a ventilator could take over breathing for their diseased lungs, or they likely would have died.

They have now had the breathing tube/ventilator support for two weeks and it is unclear if/when their lungs will improve and allow the ventilator to no longer be needed. The medical team caring for this patient asked this colleague to perform a tracheotomy, which involves making an incision in the neck and placing a tube via the neck incision into the trachea that can then be used to ventilate the patient. This replaces the breathing tube in their mouth/throat. For the patient the tracheotomy tube is actually more comfortable and the sedation can be reduced. Using less sedation may allow them to have a better chance of having the strength to breathe with less support from the ventilator.

I don't know if this patient and their family chose not to have an anti-COVID vaccine or were uncertain how to get an anti-COVID vaccine or did not want to take the time to get an anti-COVID vaccine, but if this patient had gotten an anti-COVID vaccine the severity of the illness could have been less. Many people will argue that 'you don't know that' and they would be correct. But statistics still show that most people hospitalized are unvaccinated and have longer hospital stays.

No matter what political party, social media, or any media you follow the threat of COVID is real; it is in our community; and if this previously healthy person can experience illness of this severity, any person unvaccinated against COVID runs the risk of having this same experience. Fortunately, the risk of having a COVID illness this severe is small but in every hospital this tragedy has occurred.

The suffering associated with severe COVID illness is hidden away behind hospital walls and ICU doors.

I hope that people will continue to strongly consider getting the vaccine.

09/03/2021

12/16/2020

09/10/2020

Please get the flu shot this year as it's even more important than ever. COVID-19 and influenza have such similar symptoms that it may help differentiate.

07/15/2020

Please stop complaining about masks, or saying COVID isn't real, or posting about false positives. There are many, many people that wish theirs was false. Pray for your hospitals and nursing homes. Pray for the very sick people. I can assure you COVID is real and very dangerous. Health care personnel are working so hard to prevent the spread and help heal those that have it. COVID is very contagious and preys on the weak. It may have came here under suspicious circumstances, but that does not change the fact that it is wreaking havoc on our area. There may or may not be issues with false positives/reporting, but that doesn't change the fact that people are very sick and dying. Stop judging the facilities that have it. I can assure you that the hospital and nursing homes love their patients/residents and have been/will continue to do their very best. Now is the time to pull together and be supportive. I know several people who have worked constantly without time off and can't sleep at night for worrying about the patients.

05/15/2020

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