Wednesday, May 13, 2020 | Vol. 1, No. 3
A 'new' normal awaits
It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for. After eight weeks of self-isolation and social distancing -- and missed hair appointments -- the easing of Louisiana’s COVID-19 restrictions begins Friday. And one way or the other, it stands to be a crucial moment in our coronavirus fight.

If all goes well and everyone practices social responsibility, we could be on the road to a new normal. If we let our guard down, however, a surge of new cases could set us back by weeks.

So, this week we bring you a little practical advice and some stories of strength – because as a community we need both now more than ever.
Community Checkup with Joan Coffman
STHS President and CEO Joan Coffman celebrates the tireless work of the St. Tammany Health System community throughout the COVID-19 crisis and every day.
‘The nurses are my angels’
On March 27, Ray Lubrano became one of the first COVID-positive patients admitted to St. Tammany Health System’s Covington hospital. Nineteen days later, he would become the second to go home again – and the first at STHS to be discharged after being put on a ventilator.

“The nurses are my angels,” Lubrano said. “Doctors are great. Doctors do what they do. They’re very smart people. But the nurses – you get that personal feeling.”

Read the emotional and inspiring story behind his journey, or watch him talk about it on video, at STPH.org.
Words of wisdom
St. Tammany Health System Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Torcson offers some simple but sage advice as we enter the next phase of our COVID-19 recovery.
Diet disasters, aisle 8 …

Even when there isn’t a pandemic to worry about, your local grocery can be a major health hazard, with nutritional landmines lurking on every aisle. But there are strategies you can follow to make sure your trip to the supermarket doesn’t weigh you down any more than it needs to.
Look! Up in the sky! …

There’s high praise and then there’s the kind of high praise the Louisiana Air National Guard recently paid St. Tammany Health System when the 159th Fighter Wing – aka the Bayou Militia -- arranged a flyover of the Covington hospital as a high-flying salute to local healthcare workers.
A manner of speaking

COVID-19 has all sorts of ugly side effects, but there’s one we’re growing fond of. It involves the way we talk to each other – and it’s lovely. “I think it also says we’re more good than anything else,” STHS social worker Colleen Hughes tells us. “It brings out the better angels of our nature.
Have a heart

As hospitals around the state continue to ramp up normal operations, and ramp up the demand for blood along with it, The Blood Center says its inventory is approaching dangerous levels and that donors of all blood types are needed. Here’s how you can roll up your sleeve and help – safely.