One year anniversary and it’s all about firsts.

This week saw the first year anniversary of SMD being in her first job, she managed two weeks of working before the first Covid case was admitted onto the ward. This is when the whole world was about to change, on the 23^rd of March the first lockdown happened the day after Mother’s Day. SMD was gutted that she couldn’t come home. 

We had already talked about Mother’s Day as there was Covid on the ward we would not risk anything by meeting up. SMD works closely with one of the Paediatric Site Practitioners who said “I will take the place of your mum for Mother’s Day but don’t forget to buy me flowers!” I was pleased to know that she was getting well looked after with plenty of hugs and cuddles.

This is when our weekly video calls started to take place and updates on how the children on the ward were doing, of course we were never told any names always referred to as the boy or the girl and the parents were referred to as mummy or daddy, in fairness we probably saw more of SMD because of the video calls than we would have in real life. The weeks turned into months and having a lockdown Birthday became the norm.

 

 Then things started to open up again but as they did SMD reported back that life on the ward was still experiencing Covid issues. 

Finally August hit and we were experiencing some really good weather the virus does not like UV light and whilst still attacking the adults in great numbers the paediatric general ward SMD works on was finally free of any children having this evil virus. Hubby and I at the end of August met SMD and her partner and went for a nice long walk that in itself was strange there were no hugs or kisses just socially distanced chatting whilst walking. 

Seeing SMD for the first time in six months I could really see the strain that this whole pandemic was taking on her as she said to me “there were nurses who had worked in the NHS for thirty years and never experienced anything like this”. It’s hard to stay strong when you hear what the nurses are having to deal with especially when you add MS and the menopause into the mix!

September proved to be a challenging one both physically and mentally for SMD, a doctor on the same ward as her said to her “what is wrong” she replied “nothing I’m fine” doctor said “no you’re not” it was at that point she broke down. The whole Covid thing was taking it’s toll. SMD was taken to the mental health A&E at St George’s Hospital.

Following a consultation with the specialist team it became apparent that SMD was both mentally and physically exhausted but had also not been regularly taking her medication. It was late at night when the discharge papers were signed and SMD was put into a taxi and sent home. The following two weeks SMD was signed off work with strict instructions to rest, eat and take her medication, of course SMD being the person she is wanted to get back to work after ten days as she worried about staffing levels and the pressure everyone was under.

October saw SMD predominantly on the general ward , I remember one of my district nurses in Buckinghamshire saying to me “I can’t imagine being a paediatric nurse, having children of my own it must be so tough” I can see why she said that now, some of the stories are absolutely heart breaking that SMD tells us.

 

Bang, what the hell is going on a mini lockdown in November, the infection rates are rising and sadly the death rate is increasing day by day. Into December and the messages from the government keep coming. We move from Bucks to Hampshire and then after Christmas lockdown three happens. More scary stories from SMD paediatric ICU has been turned into an adult ICU, paediatric nurses are doing the job of an adult nurse and so it continues. 

So here we are one year on into SMDs nursing career and it’s one that I certainly didn’t expect it to go the way it has and I am sure she didn’t either she has come so far from when she started to where she is now. It is so important to look out for ones mental and physical health. Please remember to check in on your loved ones and ones you don’t know so well, never judge as you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.