ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mother's Day weekend is the perfect excuse to highlight the ladies in our lives who hold us all together.
Dr. Meghan Martin has certainly had her hands full, especially throughout the pandemic, working in the emergency room at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, with no days off at home as a mom of four.
She’s been on the front lines, non-stop. "I have a 4-year-old, 6-year-old, 10-year-old, 12-year-old: Finley, Riley, Avery and Mackenzie," she said.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin built quite the following of TikTok fans, following her for medical advice, and silly videos with her family as Beachgem10. She says she started creating videos as an outlet for stress both at home and in the hospital.
"It started just as, you know, I'm going to get on and be goofy with everyone. A way to kind of pass some time and it really turned into a platform where I started educating people, especially parents and families about COVID."
Dr. Martin knew the pandemic was creating anxiety in her own home, concerning the health of her husband and kids, as she was back and forth from the emergency room.
"I had a whole routine when I was leaving the hospital. I'd wipe down my stethoscope, my pen, wash my hands, change my mask and then when I got home, take my shoes off outside, change clothes, clothes went right into the washing machine,” she said.
Martin says she also saw the concern in the parents of her patients. "It was scary in the beginning to not know what to expect, and then the patients are also stressed and we're stressed."
She credits her own support system for getting her through the tough days.
She says she’s grateful for a nanny that helps with her kids a few times a week, and her supportive husband.
“Most of the mornings he's able to get up with the kids, so if I work until 2 or 3 in the morning, he can get up with them and I can sleep in a little bit." S
he encourages other moms to find their community and support systems and to lean on them while finding outlets for themselves.
"We're all in this together, we're doing this together and I think it's really important to try and find some people who can support you,” Martin said.