I used to look forward to seeing Sonali, a young nurse from Himachal Pradesh who always used to lighten up the ward with her bright smile every time she walked in. A bright and efficient staffer, her swiftness and presence was always like an extra watt in the bulb.
In fact, as I learnt to observe, I thought each one of them brought such joy and cheer to the ward. Their involvement with the patient and the eagerness to serve made me see light in the tunnel, and that’s when I got up and started picking one hero a day and interviewed them. In the process, I noticed my own pain and physical discomfort slowly disappearing.
It was like a comfort of being surrounded and protected by warriors who are risking their own safety to look after us. The ward boy, I noticed, wore his PPE suit like a badge of honour and took much delight in mopping the floor and cleaning our tables, and wasted no time in emptying our bins. Once they get into their suits, for a stretch of six hours, they cannot eat, drink or relieve themselves. And what's surprising is that they remain cheerful to us. At all times.While there is a doctor on duty, our cases are handled by more senior doctors who monitor files and reports precisely from a distance.