Dr. Dennis Odie launches book on personal experience during COVID-19 pandemic

In a bid to foster understanding of the impacts of the deadly Coronavirus, Dr. Dennis Odie has launched a book, entitled “The COVID-19 Pandemic: Journey Through the Eyes of a Primary Care Physician”.
The launch was done on Friday at the College of Behavioural Sciences and Research (CoBRes) at the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus, and Dr. Odie embraced that opportunity to reflect on his journey and personal experiences during the pandemic.
The book delves into the intricacies of the disease; highlights the profound impact on doctor-patient relationships, safety protocols, and the challenges of treating patients during both the best and worst of times.
“The book is about that doctor-patient relationship. It is about safety. It’s about treating patients in the best of times and the worst of times,” Dr. Odie has said.
Expressing the deep sense of honour and privilege he had felt in writing the book, Dr Odie noted how special he had felt each night after returning home and documenting his day’s experiences. Before delving into the contents of the book, Dr. Odie took a moment to thank several important people in his life who had contributed to the foundational works of the book; and acknowledged his deceased parents for instilling in him the right values and supporting his education.
“I thank my deceased parents for teaching me the right values and allowing me to gain maximal education, to appreciate love and kindness, to avoid hate and deceitful people, and to respect everyone,” he said in dedicating the book to them.
He added, “Having wonderful patients and a supportive family makes a successful person.”

Dr. Odie recounted the early days of the pandemic, describing the initial skepticism and eventual realization of the severity of the virus.
“When the pandemic first started, my daughter called me and said that this thing looks like it’s really going to be bad. I said, ‘No, I don’t think so’. But then I started to dig into it also,” he explained.
He described the dramatic changes in his medical practice, from seeing 70-80 patients a day to just five; and the relentless commitment to continue providing care despite the challenges. “We knew that patients need to be taken care of. That’s what you do. We never missed a day during the pandemic,” he said.
Moreover, he shared insights on the innovative approaches taken by medical professionals, including the use of steroids to manage the impact of the virus on the immune system.
“When push comes to shove, you have to do what you have to do. We found that using steroids worked,” he noted.
He also discussed the global impact of the virus and the uncertainty surrounding its origins; as well as the significant changes in medical practices, such as the widespread adoption of masking and social distancing.
“Masking became the thing of the world. It was a game-changer,” he said.
The launch provided an opportunity for attendees to engage the doctor and gain deeper insights into the book’s content. His detailed account of the pandemic from a primary care physician’s perspective offers a unique and valuable contribution to understanding this unprecedented global health crisis.
Further, the book highlighted various treatment approaches employed by primary physicians, and the barriers faced in treating COVID patients and achieving the goals of primary and general health care during the pandemic.
Dr. Dennis Odie is a distinguished internal medicine specialist based in Maryland, USA. He has over 25 years of experience in the medical field, having dedicated a quarter of a century to his profession.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Morgan State University in 1989, then earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine at Wright State University in 1996.
In 2001, Dr. Odie completed his residency training in internal medicine at Franklin Square Hospital, University of Maryland. His dedication and expertise in internal medicine were recognized in 2014 when he became a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Additionally, Dr. Odie is a member of the Trendsetters Physicians IPA, a patient care network in Baltimore, Maryland. He is also affiliated with the Maryland State Medical Society, known as MedChi, and the American Medical Association, among other prestigious professional organizations.