A loud cough echoed through the hospital corridor. Then came another. And another. It felt like a scene out of a movie. Something was going on. Something was wrong. This felt like war. The enemy was invisible but it had arrived nonetheless. I wrapped my stethoscope around my neck and adjusted my ponytail. It was time to fight.
The slow and steady beep of the ventilator pulled me from my thoughts. I knew that sound. Even in my dreams. I knew all of the sounds. They haunted me. By now, I could program an IV pump with my eyes closed.
I glanced over at the isolation cart in the hallway. It was just a small cart filled with medical supplies but it represented so much more. It was almost as if it stood there looming, watching, waiting.
A keeper of the unknown.
The air smelled of antiseptic and freshly laundered linens. It was normally a welcomed smell. A comforting reminder of the cleanliness that surrounded me. Today, it represented so much more. My tennis shoes made the slightest squeak against the buffed floor as I made my way over, one foot in front of the other.
I began to clothe myself for battle.
One arm at a time, I pulled the gown over my shoulders. Little paper bags stood in a huddle in the corner. I read the names one by one in my head. All soldiers at the ready. My eyes landed on the one that had my name written across the front and I reached inside. My fingers traced the edge of the mask that lie before me. I had never quite realized its value before. Cradling it in my gloved hands, I took a moment to appreciate it.
Then came a cough. A wet one. A cry for help.
In what felt like one smooth motion, I had secured my mask at the nose and the ears. I moved so quickly that I felt wind beneath my gown.
I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
My patient lie still in bed, a look on his face that could only be described as a mixture of worry and distress. I adjusted his oxygen and reassured him with deep breaths.
He reached for my hand and I took his in mine. In that moment, I was the only support that he had. I didn’t want him to feel afraid. He drifted off to sleep with me standing there, still holding my hand.
I glanced at the television and saw the words GLOBAL PANDEMIC roll across the bottom of the screen.
It was only the beginning.
Life as we all knew it had officially changed.
SierraSweetheart 