We just wanted a merry Christmas, with everyone we love. Well glued. It won’t be that. We must reduce the number of guests. Keep a distance. Why ? To prevent the spread of the virus causing an overflow in hospitals. OKAY. We’ve been depriving each other of love for this for 21 months.
Question to revive the motivation, I call a man at the front, Doctor Patrick Bellemare, pulmonologist-intensivist, medical chief of intensive care at the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. At work, at the Sacré-Coeur hospital, he takes a few minutes, during his break, to talk to me.
“How are you doing, doctor?”
– It’s okay, it’s okay… We’re getting ready for the worst. The current surge in cases is going to have an impact here in a few weeks. And it’s already not funny. The troops are disgusted, but we have no choice.
– What will your Christmas be?
– 24 hour watch. As per usual. The Christmases before, each member of the staff brought a little food. Everyone shared. We fraternized. My four children gave us a little violin concert at the central station, broadcast over the upstairs loudspeakers. Treatment was given in the usual way, but there was a little sparkle in the air. Of course, with COVID, there will be none of that. We will each eat in his corner. As far away as possible.
– At this time of year, we like to believe in miracles. Have you experienced one recently?
– A 29-year-old, a gym champion, unvaccinated. He caught COVID. Heavy. His lungs were no longer working. We had to hook him up to a machine that pumped blood out of his body to oxygenate him, for almost two months. We were finally able to unplug him to wean him. He relapsed. Usually, we never reconnect someone, a second time, to the heart-lung machine, their condition does not support it, but we did. He got away with it. He is better today. It is not the pandemic of the little old people, it is the pandemic of the entire population.
– What is your wish for Christmas?
– That the people who manage the health networks do their job! In Sacré-Coeur, we have a brand new intensive care unit, which cost 160 million. We should have been there for six months. But we are still working in the old one, which is dilapidated, because we cannot resolve the problems of cell phone waves and water quality in the new complex. There is no reason for it to drag on! No one is responsible! It has repercussions on… ”
A voice interrupts the doctor:
“Doctor! Mr. Lapierre is in respiratory arrest …
– I apologize. I will call back … ”
We hang up. While I’m looking at my notes on my computer, he’s off to try and save a life. Each his trade. I reread his discouragement about the administrative slowness. The whole problem with our health care system is there. If the bosses in their offices understood as well as the employees in the field that everything is urgent in health, the network would not be constantly on the brink of apocalypse.
An hour and a half later, it rings, it’s the Dr Bellemare:
“Sorry for earlier …
– I’m sorry to bother you. I won’t take more of your precious time. To conclude, despite everything, do you believe in the magic of Christmas?
– Magic, I just experienced it, when we were interrupted. Despite the prevailing gloomy climate, as soon as someone is in distress, everyone instantly activates: nurses, respiratory therapists, residents … Everyone knows their place, in a perfect choreography, to try to avoid death to a human being. Every role is essential. If someone drops it somewhere, it’s the end. We did it. The gentleman is saved. I have been working in intensive care for 25 years and it still rocks me. This fellowship of care, at the same time. When, as a team, we manage to save life, it feels so good inside. That’s what we’re here for.
– Thank you for being here. Merry Christmas, Doctor!
– Merry Christmas ! ”
I was looking for additional motivation to comply with the government’s measures, I found it. We’re not in punishment tonight. We’re on call, too. We are part of the D teamr Bellemare. Our role is to reduce our contacts so as not to spread the disease. All roles are essential, he said.
A Lifesaving Christmas is the reality for every healthcare worker on duty tonight. This is what we do, too. Them in intensive care. We take care of it. With our very loved ones and a glass of wine.
Happy New Years Eve everyone!
Thank you for being there, for you and me.