Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 5

On May 15, Dr. Chow was discharged from the hospital. The last few days of his stay were on the oncology ward. He signed his discharge papers. Then the nurses asked him if he wanted to ring the bell, a small ceremony on the ward for patients—usually oncology patients but now COVID-19 patients as well—who had an extended hospital stay and survived a critical illness. As Dr. Chowwalked toward the bell, he saw that all the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals who had worked with him lined the hallway. They applauded his recovery. “I made a speech thanking them,” he says. “I’m so grateful. They really sacrifice a lot and do so much for their patients. My success was their success, really.” His family picked him up outside the hospital and drove him home. During the ride, he noticed line-ups of people along the sidewalk outside a bank and a coffee shop. “The world changed while I was sick in the hospital,” says Dr. Chow. Both his children had written final exams while he was in hospital. He’d missed his daughter’s 19th birthday. As the family neared their home, Dr. Chow saw a group of people in the street holding signs and paper hearts. He began to recognize family, friends, members of his staff and colleagues among the celebrants. “It was a big surprise,” says Dr. Chow. “It was a pretty phenomenal day coming home to see everyone. It was an emotional ride. I was so happy to leave. So happy to see my family. I hadn’t seen my kids for two months.” On Father’s Day, Dr. Chow and his family went on a hike. “I did a lot of huffing and puffing,” he says. He has a lung function test scheduled for August and he expects there to be scar tissue that will limit his cardiovascular fitness from now on. “But I want to at least try to keep up with my kids.” Dr. Chow’s practice, Meadows Family Dental, in Pitt Meadows, B.C., has reopened with his associate working and two hygienist chairs, with plans to add a third hygienist chair in mid-July. “It’s actually flowing well,” he says. He recognizes his colleagues in dentistry are stressed by the economic challenges caused by the pandemic, but he doesn’t worry too much about it these days. “Some things are more important than the bottom line,” he says. He plans to return to work once he is fully recovered. Dr. Chow is grateful for the support he and his family have received from his friends, colleagues and patients. “Patients have dropped off meals, scotch, cinnamon buns, you name it,” he says. “They texted me and sent cards.” He says there were prayer circles for him during his entire hospital stay. Like others who have been ventilated, Dr. Chow says that during the weeks that he lost, he had extremely vivid dreams. “I had a dream that a doctor led me though a prayer while I was in the hospital,” he says. “My religious friends say that was an angel.” He says that his experience has made him newly cautious and more spiritual. “I realize how fragile and precious life is.” I feel a responsibility to talk about my illness because I want other people to know how ravaging it is. This virus deserves our respect. I don’t want people to go through what I did if they can avoid it. A hygienist who works at Dr. Chow’s practice made a video of the homecoming and posted it online. It was shared locally and then went viral. Later, Dr. Chow got requests for interviews from television stations and newspapers. “Part of me doesn’t want to think about my illness anymore,” says Dr. Chow. “But I feel a responsibility to talk about it because I want other people to know how ravaging it is. This virus deserves our respect. I don’t want people to go through what I did if they can avoid it.” Returning Home The New Normal I ssues and P eople 24 | 2020 | Issue 5