Covid 19 Through My Eyes- Setting Sail
Part 1 of a series of my experiences during the Covid pandemic
Covid 19 Through My Eyes Part 1 “Setting Sail”
I first heard mentioning of a novel Corona virus outbreak in late 2019 and early 2020. Like many, I did not pay much attention, and chose to ignore the sensational press articles covering the outbreak in Wuhan China.
In February of 2020 I travelled to Billings, Montana, for the United States Cattlemen’s Association (“USCA”) Winter Thaw event. As President of USCA, I attended and spoke at the convention and trade show at the Mate, a huge agricultural event complex. Chief on my mind at the time was working to achieve fair and profitable markets for US cattle producers where the natural laws of capitalism (supply and demand) would drive our markets[1].
(1)The live cattle industry is dominated by four multinational beef packing corporations (Cargill, Tyson Foods, Inc, JBS, and National Beef Packing) that control over eighty-five percent (85%) of the fed fat cattle (slaughter) in the United States. This monopoly exists due to many mergers and acquisitions that have occurred over decades and have been allowed by our government and its agencies, to the detriment of the U.S. cattle producers and consumer.
The weather was unseasonably mild for Montana in February, and my trip was enjoyable, and a relaxing break from the duties and obligations of my medical practice and Angus cattle ranch in Washington, Virginia. I took some extra time from the convention to visit Greg Golden of Cole Creek Angus Ranch in Joliet, Montana, as well as the Midland Bull test in Columbus, Montana.
I also visited my medical school classmate and friend, Dr. Greg McDowell, and his wife Martha, who graciously welcome me into their home every time I visit Montana. Greg is an orthopedic spine surgeon in Billings where he and Martha also own High Plains Stables, a truly magnificent equestrian arena and horse facility. Greg, Martha and I took half a day to ski at Red Lodge Mountain.
Little did I know that my life, and the world, was about to change dramatically.
It wasn’t until March 2020 that COVID-19 hit the United States hard and could no longer be dismissed. Like everyone else, I started hearing of hundreds of deaths from this deadly virus in major cities along the East coast. I had no idea how this virus was transmitted, how contagious it was, who was most vulnerable or how it could be prevented and treated. The mainstream media coverage was constant, and unavoidable, creating a fear among Americans that I’d never thought possible. At the time, I agreed with the U.S. Government’s decision to implement a “two-week lockdown,” and thought this was reasonable to “slow the spread” and prevent patients from flooding and overwhelming our healthcare system.
While I thought a lockdown might be a mitigating factor, I also realized that this would not stop COVID-19.
Being a primary care physician in rural Virginia, I had very few patients in the Spring of 2020 that were diagnosed with COVID-19. During those early days of the pandemic, much of my time was spent searching out information available through colleagues as well as on the web (yes, doctors also use Google and YouTube). I often say that during those first few months, we were all like Christopher Columbus when he set sail from Portugal in the 1400s to find a route to the Far East- with little actual knowledge or direction. We really did not know where we were headed and just learned and adjusted our course as we gathered more data and experience.
Through my conversations with colleagues and internet research, I was hearing that Vitamin D deficiency, chronic inflammatory conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes were major risk factors for serious complications from COVID-19. Each day I watched “Medcram” YouTube videos on COVID-19 risk factors, possible treatments, and ways to boost the innate immune system. Common sense practices including Vitamin D supplementation, healthy diet free of processed foods, along with a healthy exercise and sleep regimen have long been known to improve a patient’s immune system, reduce inflammation and hopefully would improve a patient’s outcome upon contracting COVID-19. I was also seeing positive reports on the use and supplementation of Vitamin C, Quercetin, Zinc and the natural brain hormone, melatonin.
Hydroxychloroquine[2] was also being touted for effectiveness in both preventing and treating COVID-19. Successes of using this age-old medication were being reported by clinicians and researchers from all over the world.
Shortly thereafter, President Trump mentioned the success of Hydroxychloroquine during a press conference and the media backlash was astounding. At first, I thought the attacks on Hydroxychloroquine were purely political-motivated (“orange man bad”) hit pieces put forth by the mainstream media; however, when public health officials and medical authorities were issuing warnings about the dangers of Hydroxychloroquine and stating that it should not be used or prescribed outside clinical trials, a light went off in my brain.
I’d been in clinical practice for thirty-four years, having used Hydroxychloroquine during the entirety of my career. While all medications may have side-effects, to this point, I had never been told that the medication was dangerous or seen any evidence indicating that it was not a safe drug. It was at that moment that I realized something was not right with this pandemic.
[2] Hydroxychloroquine has received widespread use all over the world for over 60 years. Originally marketed under the brand name Plaquenil this medication is useful in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Porphyria, Sjogren’s Syndrome as well as being an antiparasitic agent used in preventing and treating Malaria. There are some precautions to be aware of including QT prolongation in certain individuals and a possibility of retinal toxicity with long term use.
It was also at that time that I decided to not co-opt my medical knowledge, medical experience, and common sense to “THE EXPERTS.” I was determined to gather as much medical knowledge on this topic through independent sources and studies from scientists and physicians worldwide who were reporting success in prevention and treatment of COVID-19 patients. I observed that our very own public health agencies were inexplicably dismissing and downplaying available, inexpensive treatments.
Why was our very own government and media sending out messages that increased fear over hope? Why were they locking down small businesses, churches, gymnasiums and schools, but not big box stores, and liquor stores? Why were they ignoring the benefits of health and wellness, and simple measures that EVERYONE could take to improve their immune system to fight this disease? Just about every measure that they took, every policy and emergency order that they implemented, isolated people, and resulted in direct harm to people’s natural immune system.
These policies and media coverage caused a fear so strong that depression, alcohol, and drug abuse skyrocketed. Patients started avoiding hospitals and doctor’s offices. Out of hospital cardiac arrests increased dramatically and delays in diagnosis and treatment of cancers cost many, many lives. Just imagine if instead of shoving “WEAR A MASK” and “STAY HOME” down our throats, half of that effort was put into promoting a healthy diet, weight loss and exercise. How many lives could have been saved not only from COVID-19 but also from chronic disease for decades to come?
This is one of the gravest failures (and there were many) of our public officials during this pandemic. Why did the NIH fail, or refuse, to develop early treatment and prevention protocols? Why were healthcare providers that were on the frontlines telling patients to go home, isolate and not come back to the hospital unless they became hypoxic? Why were these patients not given basic medical instructions? Why did public health, and many medical providers, not try cheap inexpensive safe repurposed medications when hundreds of thousands of people that were dying? And why were pharmacists declining to fill valid prescriptions for FDA approved medications that had a long safety track record? Why were dying patients denied treatment with repurposed safe medications under the auspices that these drugs were not FDA approved for the treatment of COVID-19 and could cause more harm than good?
In the beginning I naively thought that these public officials and medical personnel just hadn’t looked at all the reports and studies. I, and many courageous medical leaders across the country, futilely tried to convince our colleagues and government health officials of the importance of early treatment with available supplements and medications. It was so very futile. Looking back it’s all so clear now that this was orchestrated from the beginning. It was about creating fear in order to control!
Napoleon Bonaparte famously declared “Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.” Well, it is now apparent to me that Napoleon Bonaparte never encountered the greed of Big Pharma. Big pharma, and its billions of dollars in profits, corrupted the medical field and cast away the hypocritic oath, resulting in the death of millions. This is the single greatest disappointment in my medical career that I have ever personally experienced
I perhaps look at this all with a bias. Unvaxed, unsickened with multiple co-morbidities and pretty angry about the hazing. No intentions of getting vaxxed. When my MD pushed with just the words you note here - I told her there should be medical treatment (medicine)! That initiated my dedicated look into the truth of the matters asserted.
No small part of the truth has shown an untold part of the populace saying they will never trust or go to Doctors again. The awful reality of the NIH/Fauci Protocol. The evils of the medicine they champion. Then the squelching of medical discussions and practices! The latest Medical Board direction to punish physicians for (any discussions not reflecting official protocol), unapproved C19 treatments - take away licenses, etc. The manipulations of government data when analyses proved unfavorable. The assertions I've received re Medical School teaching perversions.
So glad to hear that you, like many other responsible physicians didn't lock onto the Government line and the fear campaign. Also glad to gather you haven't suffered any repercussions.
Will look forward to further insights on how its been as things have evolved. Also maybe how the projected fall and winter famine are effecting the cattle industry. Our government seems to be doing many of the same fatal intrusions on farming and the meat industry.
During those early days of lockdown, I too turned to YouTube to educate myself a bit more on the behavior of viruses. To learn and honestly avoid boredom and the "fear porn".
I found a series from a Columbia University professor that had all his lectures on his Virology 101 course from around 2015, also reread a book called "Darwin's Ghost" that has a lengthy dissertation on viral mutation rates.
The message from our government health agencies seemed at odds with what I had just learned.
Then it was difficult to find those older videos on YouTube.
I am no genius, yet I think in a logical manner.
The logic points me not so much to truth, but away from illogical fallacies, and trust.