Fousiya Ismail
Nurse – Covid ward
I have lost count of the times that I, and my colleagues on the frontline, have almost broken down seeing such pain at close quarters. I have been a nurse for many years, yet, I confess that I have seen nothing like this: COVID-19 has not stripped us of our courage, but it has also torn through all our defenses. Physically and mentally, it has exhausted us within and without.
As a nurse, watching the agony of the patient suffering from the virus attack, his and her loneliness, and unbearable isolation and our own stress of leaving our family behind as we are sucked up in this debilitating battle is not just stressful, but it is almost killing. Yet, it is our duty, no, it is more than our duty, for many of us, we feel the pain of our COVID patients and their families, who stand at a distance, heartbroken and helpless. We shed our tears and we shed their tears for them.
It hits us hard that this could be us, or worse, and God forbid, this could be our own dear ones. Each day wrenches our hearts, and takes the core of our being. When will this all end?
When will we be free from this unspeakable pain and suffering? But we have to face it. We have to fight it. This is a war against evil and we must be brave, even if we shed tears, even if our hearts flutter. We have to, we must. God is with us. God will show the way, if not now, but soon.
Today is International Nurses Day, which is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
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