8. NURSES AND THEIR PLIGHT

Ruhi was always monitored by a team of nurses. We doctors, also learnt our basics from them. They were our first point of contact.
Nurses have been as first line of defence like neutrophils. They have absolute knowledge and power to care to all illness across trajectories of the medical spectrum.
Reassurance. Support. Comfort. Hope. Confidence. Optimism.
Nurses were embodiment of these words. Talks of such would definitely ease frightened, worried patients.
They are the people who think out of the box and come up with innovative ideas for treatment line ups.
Two nurses randomly had a conversation about the pandemic. How difficult those days were?
They have been sources of fighting even at bare minimum resources. That’s what had happened during the Pandemic.
Working at the drop of the hat was at ease for them.
My mind had a flight yet again!
(Scene shifts to 2020)
Henry Ford era in 1950s.
Then came the IT revolution in the late 20th century and early 21st century. Y2K era. Internet 1.0.
Then came the Social Media revolution. Internet 2.0.
Now is this new world order. In fact, social order with COVID in place.
People still at home stuck with only two personalities. One for self and one for family.
The other personality before the world is confined and caged. Thus, causing an internal turmoil.
Misthi and I were each other’s balance. I missed her dearly.
After about a month of both of us being extremely busy and muddled between patients.
With PPEs, N95 masks, face shields, running around for medicines was the order of the day.
I was missing conversations with her. Was waiting for my quarantine period to come to ping her.
As I called her, she was in deep anguish and anger.
“We would go home to shower not just because we didn’t want to risk exposing loved ones, but in an attempt to wash off trauma, wash away the guilt of wondering if we could do more.
Golu, do you remember the stories we used to hear from mom about the Lady with the Lamp, Florence Nightingale?
Wasn’t she a trailblazing personality in the field of nursing?
The stories of her nursing during the Crimean war still gives me goosebumps when I think of it.
I can say with all honesty that two people who I adored and inspired me towards philanthropy was – Florence Nightingale and….
Any guesses for other name?
Definitely, no one better then you!”
(Flashback where mother narrates the story)
“I always wanted to become a nurse. In my school days once I stumbled upon a book with stories of Florence Nightingale.
Such an embodiment of service to humanity.
Florence Nightingale was born in 19th century, precisely around 1820s to a well-off family.
During her growing years, she lived in Embley Park in Hampshire and then in Derbyshire.
Madame Nightingale took a decision to pursue nursing against her family’s desires.
She always a soft corner for the needy and weakened people, terming it as calls from God.
Another decision which came as a shocker was her choosing not to get married.
She was also in close circle with Sidney Herbert, future secretary of war.
Once she wrote on a piece of paper, -
“God called me in the morning and asked me would I do good for him alone without reputation”.
The war minister later asked Florence Nightingale to oversee a team of nurses where injured soldiers admitted into a military hospital in Scutari, Turkey.
The hospital was crowded and messy.
Wounds were uncleaned. Little equipments and more empathy. Eating was on a toss and no dietary control.
Blocked drains. Uncleaned toilets. Ugly bandages. Running rats and insects everywhere.
In fact, many of them lost their lives. That was quite miserable.
Florence and her troop of nurses were at help at wee hours too.
Lady with the lamp – this title was propounded to her yeomen service. They improved the conditions around the hospital day and night.
She would visit soldiers at night with a lantern to cater to their injuries.
We should draw inspiration from her life to the point. Selflessness and Altruism par excellence she was.
You guys will also grow and spend your lifetime for service to mankind, right?
Understood Golu and Mishti?”
(Story shifts to 2020. Conversation between Golu and Mishti)
“Amma was right, as always!
The nurses these days definitely drawn inspiration from the Lady herself and been at the forefront in these testing times.
The World Health Organization designated the year 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
Organizations within the World Health Assembly, such as the International Confederation of Midwives, International Council of Nurses, Nursing Now, and the United Nations Population Fund, planned to celebrate nurses worldwide, to address challenges nurses face, and to highlight nurses’ vast contributions throughout 2020.
But, contrary to it was completely overshadowed by the international invasion of the novel coronavirus disease 2019.
The effects of COVID-19 have been felt in, and continue to ripple through, all areas of the world.
Anecdotes continue to emerge as nurses engage in the power of storytelling to share their individual reality of COVID-19.
Curating and archiving these pandemic experiences are important and necessary.
Well, nurses have been of more… err… help since the storm has set in. The storm has been much bearable with these helping hands.
Accessible round the clock, always available at our disposal.
We owe them a lot, in general, but this pandemic has thought us to be more considerate and mindful of them of their yeoman service to the society.
There has been around hundreds to thousands in numbers and helping us.
One such tale is of Ms. Maria Thomas. She is the energetic booster in our ward and has been championing the rights of health care.
She has been serving for 15 years and has such a supporting husband too.
(The scene shifts to the hospital scenario)
Sister Maria wearing the strenuous PPE gear, with fatigued voice trying to bring in the vigour and restore the zeal among us,-
“C’mon folks, Let’s get the battle going. Mr. Mark, can you please help us shifting the ventilator.
The unknown was frightening, but the urgency the pandemic placed on health care workers all over the world didn’t allow us to sit in that fear or uncertainty for too long.
The patient inside is sinking very much, she needs to be saved”,
meanwhile over the phone trying to comfort the attendants of the admitted covid sufferers, amidst that she mumbled-
“It’s every man for himself at this point. Protocols have been changing every now and then.
This phase of my career has become so uncertain and I am scared to work.
But we have to, as it is our prime duty in saving patients from this deadly disease.”
We were alarmed yet not surprised at the conviction with which she was working, even at that condition gave us more enthusiasm and zeal to give our best at these testing times.
Yes, she was a carrying mother, full of 8 months old.
It was after 10 years of marriage. She was so excited for this next phase of her life.
It was a happy circumstance amidst the gloomy situations around.
It was very perilous, yet was a risky condition but we all were helpless.
We needed manpower. Hence everyone, regardless of health condition, or age, stepped in.
She developed slight amount of cough and fever increasing inch by inch.
We convinced Sister Maria to go into quarantine after this one duty.
Because it was dodgier for both the mother and the baby. Both of them needed adequate rest and space away from point of infections.
And…. That quarantine period….
O Gosh!
The 14 days would feel like 14 years of agyaath vaas and entering into quarantine.
Well, well, definitely the worst part of the entire phase. Once I had that phase of quarantine earlier.
That spending time alone so restless, that urge to get back to work was the beat in vert corner of my body.
You might be thinking a othla faceted person inching towards work surge.
What a miracle, Aint it?
While we were patiently yet apprehensive at stretch in the offing of the upcoming test results which would mark us a yes to work back in action with furore and fervour fighting the little enemy to the last mile.
However, we were eagerly awaiting unaware of a big havoc and mayhem was about to head towards us.
What was it?
Uhmm….
Sister Maria had been positive for the RT-PCR test.
But she still maintained the same amount of distance between her lips. Not even an inch had reduced between the corners of the lip.
What a perseverance!
The 32 teeth showing smile was stagnant with tears trickling down her cheeks and she collapsed to the ground grieving
Why God why?
Will it affect my unborn child?
That sight was so heart wrenching to look at, a mother-to-be with dreams ahead for her little unborn child unknown of the future ahead.
However, this was too early to tell about the vertical transmission of infection into the infant.
We could not even hold her hand and comfort her.
It was so inhumane in its own terms where one human cannot reach out or comfort fellow human.
Corona has tied our hands where we cannot even help out our kith and kin in difficult times.
Cursing the time, we live in every other day.
Can’t wait for things to get back to square one where we used to hug and lower down our stress.
Ahhh!
That group hug was such a stress buster after a long day at work. Yearning and craving to those days back in time.
Wish time travel was as true as in stories we once heard and read in story books.
Sister Maria was shifted to isolation ward. It was a melancholic situation for all of us to see her moving into that space.
Sister Maria tried comforting us with her cheerful words ahead of the departure even though a glass wall separated us,-
“Viola guys. I’m all good. No worries. No issues.
Uhmmm….
Haven’t we all seen many patients come in positive and worried, but with a bright smile while leaving negative.
It’s all in the state of mind!
Don’t be apprehensive.
Things will definitely be positive….
Hahaaa!
I mean the tests will come negative.
Adiós fellas.
See you soon on the other side and let’s work together”.
Tears trickled down unaware, but salutes to her bravery. She kept the spirit all through her quarantine phase. Kudos to her!
We received the update that she had her parturition and it was a Baby Girl!
Devi had arrived with all her good luck and providence.
Rest assured was that things were definitely going to turn around and help us get through these tough times.
The quarantine time of 7 days went in video calling each other
(Obviously because we were not supposed to meet before our reports came out prior getting back to work).
As the period was at the verge of termination, news popped up that the baby was also infected with virus.
This startled all of us and put us all in dismay and consternation. The prayers continued to hoard and bring back the situation to normal.
The days of working hours alongside strenuous PPE yet had to give it our best try to save as countless patients as possible.
Solely, because it was as dire circumstance and we as the Hippocratic Oath stated would be true to our work.
The personal uncertainties and fears kept far away and fight bravely against this war of life and death.
Since nurses are the most point of contact along with us, doctors, they equally go through similar trauma.
Trauma of suffering. Trauma of life and death. Trauma of loss.
Many of the nurses have been a witness where patients call their family to say Goodbye when on a ventilator.
That is the most haunting and daunting thing for them, for us, for the entire medical world.
Seeing the constant struggle and decline in the patient is very stressful and heart-breaking.
Meanwhile, there was another nurse who had a different story in herself. It was about Sister Nanda.
She was from a poor family, hardworking and dedicated lad who had given her heart and soul to this cause was married 3 years ago.
Her husband was a mechanic who would take care of their two-year-old kid along with managing house chores.
She had no other option apart from coming to work. It was indeed a tough decision of hers to take this bold step.
Bravo Nanda!
She had convinced herself and had fervent desire to serve the country at this time of need.
Yes, even a single soldier counts in the battlefield.
Again, Kudos to her courage of leaving behind her tiny kid and getting into the warzone, yes no less than one it has become.
Sister Nanda was on the grabs with going back home and meeting her husband and kid.
Her eyes lit up with delight and glee with news of returning back home!
We all were standing at the entrance of critical care and all prepared to bid adieu to her.
The sight was so cinematic!
She stood few steps ahead of us with full of tears unable to make the head start towards her two-year-old.
Even the little one was very overwhelmed seeing her mother after such a long time,- “Ammaaaaa….. Baa illi.
(come here in kannada)”,
and started crying unremittingly with her hands open all ready to hug her mother.
The mother started walking towards the car where her husband and kid where present.
Each footstep of her reminded her of the amazing moments they spent together.
As and when the gap reduced, they inched towards each other and embraced each other and sobbed uninterrupted.
It was such a sad visual for anyone to see.
Seeing these nurses and other workers putting in the same number of hours like us, and yet not getting credit is agonizing.
Treatment protocols are still crucial and indefinite. No clear protocol was available, given the lack of data on this virus.
From Antibiotics like Doxycycline to Acceclofenac to Paracetamols.
Vitamin and Zinc supplements.
Even Antivirals like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab was given.
Still, at times, there were no signs of reduction in symptoms.
Doctors and other health care professionals seemed to take care of these patients individually.
There was no consistency as to when they started or stopped any medication or when they chose to intubate or if a patient was prone.
Hope we win this battle against the virus at the earliest so that we can get back to normalcy!”
(Story shifts to present)
As I was gearing up to attend little Riya, I saw two nurses attending to her and wondered how they catered to all her needs.
Right from her toiletries to dressing her up every day to playing with her to medicines.
They were rock solid support to the patients, to the hospital.
A thought just passed my mind.
I had read about an acronym for nurse in some article. It read as - Name, Understand, Respect, Support and Explore.
These epitomes of selflessness were embodiment of the words in true sense.