Dear Patients,

Yesterday, or a week ago, or 2 months ago, everything you, your family, your coworkers, and friends have been through has brought you to today.

How are you doing? You have made it to today. Maybe it seemed that over the past 8 weeks you were doomed, but no, you are here. And now, in this very moment, you are engaged, focusing on this thought, you made it and you are here. Being in the moment, not obsessing on the past, not projecting into the future, not worrying about what is to come. In this moment, actually here, is not ordinary, it is perfect.

Being in the moment does not mean you forget about the past, which you cannot change, the past is what we learn from. And the future? It is what we plan for in the moment; not worrying about it or dreading it. This moment can be used to plan. Some people have trouble committing to the moment. It can be hard to get there and stay there. Some people just think that their life is just too complicated, too difficult to be in the moment. To them I say, think about this:

There are so many situations in life that can get us down: a relationship gone sour, an incapacitating illness, the loss of a loved one or friend. Or the daily turmoil we see playing out in the world. And now, how about a pandemic with 300,000+ worldwide deaths and counting?

You may enjoy this passage from Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled. I read it periodically when I am trying to understand why bad things happen.

Also, from The Road Less Traveled:

Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties as if life should be easy. They voice their belief, noisily or subtly, that their difficulties represent a unique kind of affliction that should not be and that has somehow been especially visited upon them, or else upon their families, their tribe, their class, their nation, their race or even their species, and not upon others. I know about this moaning because I have done my share.

The numbers:

Maryland:   44,424 cases -/- 2,092 deaths -/- 4.7% fatality rate

Greater than 50% of the deaths in Maryland continue to be nursing facility residents or staff.

The Maryland Rt was updated today and is 0.96 (down slightly); the lower the better.

Diagnostics and Therapeutics:

• Oxford University coronavirus vaccine study is entering the next phase with 10,000 participants.

• ·Anticoagulation in patients with severe COVID-19 respiratory failure seems to improve outcomes.

• An innovative Cytokine filter has been used with success in patients with multi-system failure due to COVID-19.

My book update:

Thanks to all of you who have purchased BOOM, 100% of the profits are going to support COVID-19 research at the University of Maryland.

Reach out. Stay connected. Stay home. Save lives. The power of one. Be well.

Harry A. Oken, M.D.