Submitted by Christina
Wark Clerk
So many deaths. So many, many deaths. Media was full of Government updates, advice, lockdown rules, but it seemed to apply to a world outside of the hospital, outside of what was happening everyday, in front of our eyes.
No one to hold a hand or to say goodbye at the beginning. No loved ones allowed near. Young doctors having to call next of kin to tell them that their relative had just died. Rules changing all the time.
Outside, the supermarkets were running out of everything, people were social distancing, being really careful to respect their space. Here at work, it was impossible to keep your distance, just unfeasible to work in any other way.
Overwhelming tiredness, sadness, being frightened when colleagues became ill and feeling it was only a matter of time before you succumbed too.
Team spirit, amazing people who became instant strength and stays, may never work together again, but will never forget the incredible camaraderie that got everyone through each shift.
Tears, so many tears. For what and who we’ve lost. For things we wanted to do better, differently, but just couldn’t get round Covid safely.
It’s not over, possibly it will never be “over”. It changed everything in those first few weeks, life would never be the same again.
Can kindness, thoughtfulness, gentleness and consideration continue to help us rise above all this? I would like to think so, but my sense is that people are just bored with Covid now and will start to make their own rules up…. I hope not.
For all of us who were there, who worked it, lived it, survived it or didn’t, may we never forget that we are the National Health Service, we have served as best we can. We have given our all and then we’ve given some more.
