This personal account is shared by Anushree (Nurse at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai) – Despite having contracted COVID-19, Anushree still spends her waking hours helping patients fight for their lives. She has faced the terrors of the virus, come out on the other side, and is working hard everyday for the rest of us to see a better tomorrow.
COVID-19 changed the world much before it started affecting India. The reported infection rates seemed astounding and unprecedented, and the mortality rate was terrifying, especially from the eyes of health worker. I was truly afraid of the ramifications the virus would have when India reported its first COVID-19 case, and the outcome has surpassed my worst nightmare. And even though healthcare workers are being labeled COVID warriors, we are only human, and we are scared.
When COVID-19 came to India, Wockhardt Hospital’s management decided to provide beds to as many patients as possible, while trying hard not to compromise others in need of urgent care. I was part of Wockhardt’s nursing team, and unfortunately, contracted the disease while serving my community. Irrespective, once I recovered, I chose to continue fighting for the lives of others as a nurse.
I have seen many faces during my COVID journey, and deeply empathize with my patients’ fear and uncertainty. Looming questions such as the strength of your own immune system, the possibility of saying goodbye to your loved ones, the life decisions you question when you’re in a precarious position, just to name a few… and then, of course, there’s the unfathomable gratitude you feel at being given a second chance at life once you’ve recovered, if you recover.
Life is short, we’re told, but still we take it for granted. Recovery puts life into perspective for you. It gives you an almost palpable desperation to truly live, not just for yourself but for those around you. That is why I had to continue serving my community after I recovered.
It has been challenging to take care of COVID-19 patients, especially as my colleagues and peers continue to contract the disease. We are wearing PPE kits (personal protective equipment) and washing our hands constantly, but how does one account for simple human errors? Our jobs are emotionally and physically exhausting and these PPE kits are suffocating. It’s like we’re between a rock and a hard place. Nevertheless, I am grateful for how cooperative our patients are being, they truly do understand the magnitude of the situation. Alas, the world around us needs to understand it as well.
The lack of knowledge has increased the frequency of infection and severity of each incoming case. Initially, we received relatively stable patients. They needed some monitoring, after which they were quickly discharged. However, now patients are being turned away if they are not in critical conditions because the rate and severity of the infection has increased tenfold.
The death rate of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals is very high. We are trying to save as many lives as possible, but the situation has gotten out of control. There are many reasons things are getting worse. I am not covering all of them but here are a few:
- Patients are identifying the disease late.
- Limited capacity in hospitals and not enough ICU beds for the number of patients in need.
- Patients lose their lives in the process of waiting.
Also, once a patient does recover, don’t discriminate against them. That’s heartless, truly. You have no idea what they’ve been through and they need you in that moment, just as you may need them in the next.
Finally, please maintain some distance, wash your hands regularly, and be sensitive to the needs of others, including your healthcare and everyday workers. We are here for you and we truly hope you can be there for us, as well.