Lyle Conception – ICU Nurse, Swedish Edmond Medical Center – Washington, D.C.
FEU-IN Batch 2002
“The tug of war between life and death”, that’s my personal experience as an ICU nurse dealing with COVID-19. We have to deal with death every day. We have to sacrifice our own health and need to save lives. We are not allowed to feel hungry, get tired, or even go to the bathroom. Every minute counts.
I have a patient that came to us alert, oriented, and independent. His only complaint was fever, shortness of breath, and an aching body, but after 2 hours, he was intubated, sedated and paralyzed. As the days went by, he started to show signs of improvement. After 4 weeks of different treatments, he survived. Nobody can measure the happiness that brought us to see him reunited with his family. Being a frontliner is not just a title or a job; it is a sacrifice you are willing to make for those in need.
