In addition to the obvious intensity within the hospital, Segrest describes another, more subtle struggle that medical professionals and patients alike are facing. “Throughout my day, there is an overwhelming sense of isolation. Through my PPE I can’t communicate to my patients; I don’t know what my co-workers look like. I go home and sit alone in my rented apartment. It’s very lonely, but I am glad I came.”
That sense of isolation extends beyond the walls of the hospital, as Segrest emotionally recalls a day she had stumbled upon a statue of a homeless man in front of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, “I realized in that moment, that many people feel this isolated every day, as they live among us.” As NYC’s prevalent homeless population has been especially vulnerable to the virus without anywhere to safely shelter in place, Segrest has been making a point to hand out extra masks when she sees someone living on the streets.