The night before Samkon Gado returned to Saint Louis University Hospital to complete the last few months of his five-year otolaryngology residency in mid-March, he laid in bed wide awake.
The coronavirus pandemic changed his responsibilities. Instead of focusing on general ear, nose and throat surgeries, Gado prepared to treat coronavirus patients. Otolaryngologists are at high risk of infection because of their specialty dealing with airways.
Restless after a weeklong vacation, he mulled over the risks of returning to the hospital.
“Honestly, I was scared,” the former Green Bay Packers running back said. “I was scared for my family. My wife had just become pregnant. We have a 6-, a 4- and a 2-year-old. I was nervous for their sake. I wasn't as much nervous for myself as I was for the risk of bringing something in the home for them. Irrespective of the precautions I took, that risk was never gonna be zero.”
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