Production Line in the Red Zone

As a person who benefitted from the caring production line, why am I angry? As a matter of fact, I heard a senior politician say …

‘sorry if people feel there have been failings’ over PPE.

It made me angry. Talk about teflon responses and culpability deflection.

Failings? You bet

In the thick of recovery I witnessed criminal ineffectiveness. After all, I was in a Red Zone production line being cared for by, sometimes, ill-equipped NHS staff. For example:

With the usual gentle scraping noise, the curtains at my bed swished around. A doctor, all gowned and gloved up arrived to see me. I can’t remember what he was there for. Maybe another needle? Perhaps a quick listen to my chest. Seeing him from the neck up, he wore what looked like B&Q safety glasses. No visor and no real eye protection. We made warm eye contact. I learned later how risky, to him, his care-giving was. If I coughed in his face he was unprotected with a fair chance CoVid19 would have him. Even though the gamble was clear, he looked after me.

Production Line of Love

I lay in what used to be a Colorectal Ward. All the team top nurses, surgeons, doctors … humans … all embraced new skills and knowledge to care for people like me. Every last one of them cared about me and for me. Not all had visors but they never stopped coming, not ever. They had team meetings, learned, and never took a backward step in my time in the Red Zone. Me? I made it out. Others didn’t. I always felt love and support.

Anger? sure

No vengeful fantasies for me. I wish any politician who gets CoVid19 the very best of healing and survival. However, it’s time they stopped standing pompous, bereft of honesty and dissembling. I’ve been in the Red Zone. I’m not feeling you screwed up – I know it – I saw. Shame on you.

© Mac Logan