From the Office of Robin Ellen Leder, MD:
I’m sure by now that all of you are taking prescribed precautions as you see fit to protect yourself and those you know and love from coronavirus, This is going to be a new “phase” in all of our lives, at least for the next while.Very little will not be impacted in some way, often in a profound way as the virus continues its spread. So, I would like to share just a few more thoughts on this omnipresent subject.
Embrace the self-imposed "social distancing" or quarantines as best you can. There must be things that each of us has always wanted to get done, but there were too many distractions in daily life to do them. Now would be a great time to take on medium length projects that require significant time and energy. Create and learn to follow a new diet or exercise regimen. Change your sleep schedule to make it healthier. Take a course that is of interest to you. Clean your house from top to toe and throw out years' worth of stuff you will never need again. At the end of the pandemic, you will have accomplished something of substance and you will not be so bored and restless and you will hopefully avoid that sense of missing the “normal” distractions in life.
Do not neglect the rest of your life while prioritizing COVID-19!! For two reasons: First, the rest of your health and potential/future problems will not just go away just because your focus may not be on them. Optimum health should always remain at the forefront, And, of course, your state of excellent health is your best protection against a poor coronavirus outcome, if infection does in fact become a reality in your life or the life of a close family member or co-worker.
My office will remain open with no closing anticipated. We will be cleaning and disinfecting between visits and of course, no handshakes or hugs. Remember that it is often very possible for you to have our visits remotely via telephone. Yes, I do prefer in-office visits, always will. But rarely is your being stuck in your home a reason for us not to “meet”. I must see new patients initially in the office, and of course, I must see patients for physicals, venipuncture, IV’s and injections. But venipuncture by Quest or Labcorp can often be arranged at home. Test kits can be drop-shipped to your home and lab results can be pulled up on the patient web portals of the respective labs, or mailed. Is it perfect? If not perfect, it works, and it is far better than not keeping up with your health. That’s a definite!
There are, as I have alluded to in my prior letter, any number of things you can do or take to improve your chances with coronavirus, It even appears that some medications may be useful, though not necessarily curative. If you would like to hear more, we can talk for a short time on the phone, I can share some ideas and also answer any questions you may have.
You must know that my patients mean the world to me, and I am here to engage with you on this subject, and, of course, on any other related or unrelated topics. Although we may be “socially distant” for now, please let’s stay in touch.
Best regards.
Dr. Robin Ellen Leder