Faith Healing When Medicine Fails
Image from: Vegio, Maffeo. 2019. “The Canon and the Basilica.” Part. In Eyewitness to Old St Peter's: Maffeo Vegio's ‘Remembering the Ancient History of St Peter's Basilica in Rome,' with Translation and a Digital Reconstruction of the Church, edited by Christine Smith and Joseph F. O'Connor, 1–118. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Experiencing a global pandemic as a front lines medical provider is perhaps one of the strongest tests of faith. Irrespective of the core religious doctrine that one follows, continual exposure to tragedy and suffering might cause one to question the role of spirituality and conviction in their religious followings. Personally, I have seen the COVID-19 global pandemic serve as both a call to strengthen spirituality or call into question an individual’s trust in fundamental tenets that once were seemingly unshakable before the pandemic.
Throughout most of the onset of the United States’ initial surge in COVID-19 cases commencing in March and April of 2020, I worked in the emergency department as a front lines provider with my prior experience as an EMT. A group of friends that also held EMT certifications traveled from throughout the northeast to help communities impacted by the virus. We soon came to see that the pandemic was not limited to certain areas. From DC to Boston, we spread out to provide assistance with the response. During that time, I was incredibly humbled by the healthcare professionals who often were working double shifts during spikes in community transmission and going well beyond the scope of their responsibilities to help those getting impacted by the virus. One particular instance sticks out that conveyed a deep self-awareness that was not shaken by global suffering and impending death.
In my third week of rotating at a hospital outside New York City, the accelerating fatality rates and increasing patient loads were overwhelming moral rural hospitals like the one I was at. In a typical twelve-hour shift, our team would assist with maybe one intubation of a patient (a procedure where a patient has a breathing tube inserted to help maintain their airway and breathing). This day, we had already assisted the resident physician prep for six before lunchtime. The grim outlook of the shift did not seem to change when we walked into a terminally ill patient’s room that was diagnosed with COVID. She was continuing to struggle to breathe, and ultimately the provider made the decision that she would need to be intubated likely by the next day to assist her with breathing. Most patients were aware that this procedure marks a diminishing outlook: it becomes increasingly unlikely to recover after the path of supportive care like this begins.
This patient, though, seemed unfazed. Her cancer was in a rather early stage and, before contracting COVID, put her more likely than not to recover with treatment. Now, her prognosis was unfortunately far more grim than optimistic. And yet, she seemed as calm as one would be in mass or at home with family. Her cross was visibly shown on her chest, and rosary beads were on her bedside table. After the nurse asked if the patient needed anything, she requested to see her family. Unfortunately, at that time, we knew that that was not possible. Due to COVID-19, families were not able to see one another while in the hospital. The patient was advised of the policy and calmly relayed that “if I am meant to see them- I will see them.” Seemingly nothing short of divine intervention, her calm, and confident demeanor was met with a visit no more than six hours thereafter.
Almost immediately after seeing her, the emergency department was notified that we would be one of the first sites (to our knowledge) in the state that would allow for families to begin to visit terminally ill COVID patients. The hospital quickly implemented a program that would allow families to get screened for the virus and get custom fit for an N-95 mask. Beyond the fact that her husband was able to talk with her no more than a day or two before she passed away, I was amazed by this patient’s unwavering faith. In the face of arguably some of the most challenging circumstances in which a divine creator would surely at least offer some sort of peace, her faith as a Christian was so strong that the seemingly irrational continued conviction in a higher power was not even touched.
As I continue my journey of pursuing a career in medicine, this experience is one that should stick out to many of us that are seeking to balance a strong spiritual grounding as medical professionals. I see this experience as one that many younger individuals can reflect upon as an optimistic view for continued spiritual discovery. It is inspiring that one day I- and my peers- can harness such an unshaken faith-based set of values like this patient did. Programming at the Collegium serves as one of many ways to continue for folks across any host of backgrounds to come together and stronger as a community embracing the Catholic intellectual tradition.