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.