Oh yes, you’re a busy woman today. Bless you. You’re so blessed. 

This is my office, you know it could be a little bit bigger but it’s okay. It’s all right. I will deal with it. I will deal with it. 

This is where all the equipment go, you get this trolley you get everything working out and everything just get on the move, get on the go, all the mops are inside here. Handwash, soap, sanitizer. 

I start my duty in the morning. Wake up seven o’clock and finish at three o’clock. 

How are you this morning? Blessed morning to you. 

I greet all the patients. I laugh with them. I smile with them. I talk to them and tell them everything will be okay. Everything will be fine. Whatever they want me to do. I’m there to help, to do every little thing. 

When we heard about the Coronavirus coming, it was in China, then it went to Italy, then it went to the UK, everybody was panicking. We were wondering what’s going on? You know, so our manager, they call us and talk to us about everything what we expect, they encourage us, say just calm, don’t panicky, take it easy, then they put me to work in the ward. 

We’re going to my ward, HDU. High Dependent Unit. In there now. 

Hello, good morning. 

The people that come in, they are all sick with COVID-19. But some of them was really critical. They cannot speak, they just lie there. And the doctor go and attend to them. There are them that are on this oxygen who can’t speak and who can’t talk, I talk to those ones and encourage them. I tell them you know, everything will be alright. You will be getting better. And they do. They do, they do, they do. A colleague of mine that work here. He was there in one of the bay. And we all pray for him. And he’s back now. And much better and back at work now. 

You’re sleeping today? What’s happened? How are you today? Oh, bless you. 

All you have to do, I just grabbed this book and I read it. And I said Lord, give me this strength and heal this land. And when I read this book, Bible, it’s inspired me and it build me up and it strengthen me and it lift my spirit up to come out in the morning to do my duties. 

It’s quite a nice book. I’m not really sure but it looks like a label. You can see the cover of it, cross with Jesus, who died on the cross, to save our sin and strengthen us, so this is the book I read. My husband bought it for me. He said to me, you love to read your Bible. So I’ve gone and bought this book for you so you can read it, I said okay, thank you very much. And I’ve been reading it from since and when I read this, it really put my mind at ease and rest, to come out to work alongside with, for the patient and with the doctors and do my job. 

This is like where the water pipe is, where you cut the water and do like this. Then you use these tablet, dissolved tablets to cut infection and all that, so you put it in water.

When they realised it was getting worse and it was a serious thing. Then they start to give us the PPE. Oh my god, it feel a bit uncomfortable because you have to put on the scrub. A blue overall, four gloves, your goggles, mask and the shield over your face.  And I was even saying to a friend, laughing, I said, no one know anyone different. Everyone just look alike. Because when they come in, they come to me, doctor, nurse? I said no that’s not me, but I was happy about it. I was feeling good in myself anyway, that they come and ask me, that I can direct them to the right person. 

This is one of my supervisor, lovely supervisor. 

They supply all of us with PPE and I’m really grateful and glad for that. I don’t want to really get sick, that I cannot come to work, because I know hospital, they need us round the clock because this is where the patients are and they need our help. 

I sing for them. You know, encourage them. 

Can I sing a song to you?

You know, I was sitting down, to take off my PPE, I have my scrub on, I went and take fresh air outside. The Head Nurse come to me and said to me, Francella, would you like to sing at A&E? Is everyone at the A&E all the doctors, consultant, everyone gather, the paramedic, the ambulance, everyone was there to listen to me because we were clapping, then after that I sing this song for them. 

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.

And while I was singing I heard they were singing, but I never look who was singing, you know, until I finish. 

It was amazing. 

I’m so glad, I’m pleased, you know. I was off on holiday, they called me and said they want me to come to collect award. So, the medical team gentleman, come, speak to me about it and to hand it to me, it’s COVID-19 Award, Runner Up, Hero. 

They see the work that I put out. And I wasn’t afraid. I wasn’t panicked about anything. I just know that I have the faith to come in and help because the patient need me. We need each other. And we have to comfort each other, and work as a team work. So that’s what I did. And they see what the effort, I put out the effort to work and be with them until I ready to go home. So that was nice. 

You’re going to be excellent. You’re going to get up and rise up and walk and you’re coming out of here soon, don’t worry, yeah, God is with you. If God is with you who can be against you, right.

At least they recognise what I do. At least they recognise what I do.