The Tale of the frontline workers: Doctors narrate stories that made a long lasting impact on their minds

COVID wards have given stories to not only patients but also to the frontline workers, those that they can never forget. Here's what Dr. Aparajita, Dr. Kesha Salvi and Divya Seth said about their experiences.

There are a lot of things that frontline workers encounter in their day-to-day lives. However, COVID-19 has given varied experiences to them, along with common people. We talked to doctors from cities across the country and they narrated stories they can never forget in their lives.

When the patient puked on my PPE kit

"Being an ophthalmologist, I had not seen any patient dying in front of me. I was also new to the COVID ward. During my first duty, I saw a 29-year-old boy who was in respiratory distress. Since his condition was not good, my senior tried intubating him. Suddenly, he vomited on my PPE kit. This happened to me for the first time so, I was all shattered and felt helpless. Apart from that, we could not even save him. The incident did not leave me for quite some time and I could not overcome this for the next 3 to 4 days.

However, it was my duty so, I continued working and then got used to all this. I have seen patients recovering, smiling, helping each other, on the darker side, dying, crying, and fighting for their breaths. I have learnt a lot."
- Dr. Aprajita Khatri (26), Eye Surgeon, Hisar, Haryana

Frontline workers have lots of unforgettable stories

"It is about April. I thought to check on the patients admitted in H.D.U whether they were stable or not. I found a man gasping for oxygen. He was put on NRBM (Non-Rebreather Mask) where his wife and son were assuring him that he will be fine soon. I immediately informed the staff there to call the doctor. The doctor came up hurriedly and started CPR (Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation). The three students, including me, were told to check whether the heart was working or not. After around 20 minutes of CPR, we failed to palpate his pulse and he could not survive. It was the first death that I saw. I cannot forget the screams of his wife and son which followed that unfortunate incident. There are a lot of such stories that get imprinted in the mind."
- Divya Seth (20), 3rd-year M.B.B.S student, Nadiad, Gujarat

I could save one patient only after losing another

"That day, I entered the COVID-19 ward at 3 pm and saw that a 35-year-old patient, who was tested positive ten days earlier, was on 15 L oxygen support. His Spo2 was 90 which is considered a bit normal. So, I went to check other patients. However, an intern suddenly called me since he started complaining of breathlessness. His oxygen level started deteriorating from 90 to 80 and then to 77. I called the ICU but got to know that there were no beds available. I felt so helpless. I kept on calling the ICU several times. Gradually, his Spo2 came down to 55 and then 50!

I called the ICU again. This time, I got to know that one bed was vacant now, that too because a patient there had died. However, I could only think of saving the one who was alive. I hurriedly took him to the ICU and finally, attached the needful machines. Within no time, I was called by an intern again as another patient in COVID was deteriorating."
- Dr. Kesha Salvi (31), MD in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Senior Registrar at SSG Hospital, Vadodara, Gujarat

Also Read: The tale of frontline workers: Dr. Yuvraj Jadeja describes how his first surgery on a COVID-19 positive pregnant woman is unforgettable

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