
The Sky Was Falling
A Young Surgeon's Story of Bravery, Survival, and Hope
- 304 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER In this "essential work that provides lasting insights and lessons for the individual and society" (Jerome Groopman, MD, New York Times bestselling author), a young pediatric surgeon and mother reveals her dramatic, cathartic diary, written as she worked on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic at one of New York City's busiest hospitals. For many of us, the experience of the peak pandemic was eerily incongruous. We were sequestered in our quiet homes but reminded of the devastation by the never-ending ping of news alerts. Dr. Cornelia Griggs's experience was altogether different. A pediatric surgery fellow in New York City, she was entering the final victory lap at the end of nine grueling years of training. She was set for a big graduation celebration and looking forward to spending some real time with her husband and kids. Then came COVID-19.Initially, Griggs encouraged her friends and family not to panic. However, as mysterious cases began showing up in the hospital, and then hospital supplies started disappearing from shelves, she couldn't hold back the feeling that this was going to be worse than she had thought. She wrote a startling op-ed in The New York Times called "The Sky Is Falling" that went, for lack of a better word, viral. The piece was read by over a million people, and Griggs appeared on CNN.Having once aspired to be a journalist, Griggs found that the only way to make sense of what she was witnessing around her and maintain her sanity was to keep a diary. The Sky Was Falling is her day-to-day account of what most of us were grateful to only see in the news—the sharply increasing case numbers, the dwindling supply of respirators, the lack of clarity on how to treat this new disease. Harrowing, deeply personal, and page-turning in the way of the best medical memoirs, it tells the story of healthcare professionals who went beyond what they thought they were capable of to heal their patients, and themselves.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Author’s Note
- Preface
- Wednesday, February 19 – Thursday, February 20
- Sunday, February 23 – Monday, February 24
- Saturday, February 29
- Monday, March 2 – Tuesday, March 3
- Sunday, March 8
- Wednesday, March 11
- Sunday, March 15
- Monday, March 16
- Tuesday, March 17
- Wednesday, March 18
- Friday, March 20
- Saturday, March 21
- Monday, March 23
- Tuesday, March 24
- Wednesday, March 25
- Thursday, March 26
- Friday, March 27
- Saturday, March 28
- Sunday, March 29
- Monday, March 30
- Wednesday, April 1
- Thursday, April 2
- Friday, April 3
- Saturday, April 4
- Sunday, April 5
- Monday, April 6
- Saturday, April 11
- Sunday, April 12
- Thursday, April 16
- Friday, April 17
- Saturday, April 25
- Sunday, April 26
- Monday, April 27
- Wednesday, April 29
- Thursday, April 30
- Friday, May 1
- Saturday, May 2
- Sunday, May 3
- Tuesday, May 5
- Wednesday, May 6
- Thursday, May 7
- Sunday, May 10
- Tuesday, May 12
- Sunday, May 17 – Friday, May 22
- Tuesday, May 26
- Thursday, May 28
- Friday, May 29
- Monday, June 1
- Friday, June 5
- Monday, June 8 – Thursday, June 18
- Sunday, June 28 – Sunday, July 19
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Copyright