Ghada Y. Afifi MD FACS

Encountered this sign on drive back home on PCH. This is such an unreal difficult time for us all- that video of George Floyd was devastating and it’s difficult to see that racism is still so present in the US in 2020 - the fact that people treat and judge by color of skin, sex, religion, or even where you live -to see that callous treatment and murder of George Floyd and Ahmed Arbery among others - it’s painful for all of us. While the protest has been hijacked by those tha...t loot, vandalize, and burn - obviously with other darker agendas, nevertheless and hopefully, those that mistreat due to rascism would pause before rendering anything so painful as what I and all of you have seen on those videos showing the murders that occurred. We are all different and yet the same. #icantbreathe #blacklivesmatter #afifimd#georgefloyd #ahmedalbery

Was on call for Hoag Hospital on weekend and had late emergency case - there are COVID patients in the hospitals and intubated COVID patients in the ICU’s - the cases done for emergencies are unknown whether there are positive for COVID or not- so we as medical personnel have to assume so and I have to wait 20 minutes before and after intubation before I go into surgery and operate (for my and other staff’s safety, God bless my anesthesiologists you are SO AWESOME) per Hospi...tal protocol. Despite the political and social pressures to reopen and the recent Orange County decision to make masks strongly recommended rather than mandatory (after OC medical commissioner threatened at her own home), as a physician and seeing the work of nurses and staff at the hospitals: this is real. And hasn’t gone away. The numbers are rising. Please stay safe everyone. I so appreciate all my clinic patients being kind and understanding in wearing masks and adhering to my office policy as we truly are in this together #afifimd #staysafe #inthistogether #covid19 #coronavirus

Happy Birthday to my joy, my heart, my light Zane who has taught me how to be a better person and who always shares with me love and laughter. During this difficult time with COVID, Zane and I have moved in with my parents to be close to them and he has been the joy of our home. Happy 9th birthday, Zaney Mommy loves you Forever and Ever I occasionally see patients on the weekend and he gets so excited to come with me but he can’t anymore but we hope that we all o...vercome this difficult time so that Zane can join me again as he misses our weekend visits with you all. #mommyloveszane #foreverandever #zaneman #afifimd

Encountered this sign on drive back home on PCH. This is such an unreal difficult time for us all- that video of George Floyd was devastating and it’s difficult to see that racism is still so present in the US in 2020 - the fact that people treat and judge by color of skin, sex, religion, or even where you live -to see that callous treatment and murder of George Floyd and Ahmed Arbery among others - it’s painful for all of us. While the protest has been hijacked by those tha...t loot, vandalize, and burn - obviously with other darker agendas, nevertheless and hopefully, those that mistreat due to rascism would pause before rendering anything so painful as what I and all of you have seen on those videos showing the murders that occurred. We are all different and yet the same. #icantbreathe #blacklivesmatter #afifimd#georgefloyd #ahmedalbery

Thanks for my patient’s patience and kindness with adhering to the office’s COVID 19 protocol which we have on our website afifimd.com. We reopened to elective patients earlier this month and the feedback has been positive and supportive as I strive to maintain my patients’, staff’s and my safety in this bad movie- like time in our earth’s history. I see one patient at a time and disinfect the room myself- and as a surgeon, I know all about that. But what is disturbing to... me is that I see some in our community that think that as we open the state or country that COVID risks are somehow gone - I see posts on Instagram about doing fillers etc - BUT the injector and patient have BOTH removed their masks - (?) This will increase their risks. Please everyone, reverting to normal behavior in an abnormal time will increase risks. Your provider / physician / friend should ALWAYS wear a mask within 6 feet (some studies have shown that with a cough the droplets can travel up to 12 feet). You CAN remove your mask if you are more than 6 feet away. Much love and virtual hugs to all and again, thanks for the patience, loyalty and trust my patients family and friends have shown me. And thanks for the virtual hugs back #afifimd #coronavírus #staysafe #covidprotection #mask #masks

Hope everyone had peaceful Memorial Day- I spent the day with my parents staring at CNN’s coverage of the parties and celebrations of those who chose to put aside any semblance of social distancing, partying together on beaches and in pools without masks and enjoying the day with a few feet or less between them. But I don’t get it. This is not a day for parties or celebrations. It’s supposed to be for respect and patriotism, honoring those men and women who died defending t...his country’s freedom. And while I am all about the right for freedom for every person, as a physician who has seen the effects of COVID 19, I do not agree that people should defy medical experts recommendations and not wear a mask in the name of freedom as it directly impacts others. It can kill others. And those who demand their freedom - the freedom not to social distance and the freedom not to wear a mask- how come when they or their families or those innocent people who happen to cross their path show up to the emergency room with a fever and shortness of breath? Do you think that physicians / nurses / medical personnel will have the freedom to go against their moral and medical duty to not try to save their life- and hence risk their own in the process? We are not wearing masks for ourselves - we are wearing masks to protect others from us. And seeing patients all day and wearing a tight mask, with plastic shield and scrubs is not necessarily enjoyable but at the end of the day, all of us just try to do the right thing by others. I am grateful to all my patients who have been so great to follow the CDC guidelines in my office and the hospital. I am grateful to be a proud Egyptian American citizen. My brother served in the Air Force and I am proud to be his sister. And I am grateful to our incredible Vets and to those that sacrificed for our country. I hope everyone had a peaceful weekend and sending love and virtual hugs to all. Eid Mubarak