CHASING THE SURGE

In this debut memoir, a Black travel nurse recounts his experiences on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his book—written with Guidry-Street, his wife, and de Abreu, his sister-in-law—Street recalls that he worked at various United States hospitals for short periods. In March 2020, he was in New Jersey and had contact with a then little-known virus. He tested negative and went into quarantine, but the world’s battle with Covid-19 was just beginning. He witnessed ICUs become progressively overcrowded in New York and Florida while taking much-needed time off with Guidry-Street, a physician, at their Colorado home. Covid-19–infected patients needed close monitoring, but hospitals were continually understaffed, and masks were in short supply. Street recounts that he and other health care professionals worked seemingly endless hours while struggling to keep themselves safe. Outside the hospitals, the author saw firsthand marching Black Lives Matter protesters in New York City while becoming fully aware of the growing political and racial divides in the country and the alarming progression of the virus. Covid-19 infections and deaths soared; some Americans were extra cautious, but many dismissed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines like social distancing. Sadly, the pandemic hit even closer to home for Street when both he and his wife tested positive. The author skillfully paints a harrowing picture of working closely with infected people. For example, the demanding Covid-19 treatments included “proning”—turning patients, often manually, onto their stomachs. The nurse vividly recalls his activities even when not in scrubs; he bought and delivered groceries for others on his days off and unquestionably missed his wife during his travels. Hospitals regularly put Street in charge of ICUs or emergency departments, sometimes sparking nonvirus-related but equally engrossing tales, such as the belligerent patient who couldn’t shake the unruffled nurse. The author clearly explains meds and procedures and offers insights into U.S. unrest without being preachy. He notes the Constitution’s Preamble, specifically the suggested “union” of all Americans. Street’s moving book ends with a few intriguing stories from other individuals that this vicious disease directly affected.

A sublime, personal account about the frightening Covid-19 surge.