to Stay home and quietly wait for the end of the pandemic — an impossible task for those who used to be in the thick of things. Active and caring Muscovites have found a way to apply their forces went to the aid of patients with coronavirus and doctors who save them. The volunteers of the Moscow hospitals told “MK” about his work and how he decided to go to the most dangerous place, the “red zone”, where patients with COVID-19.
“Volunteering at the hospital is a path of spiritual growth”
Love Zhukovskaya, entrepreneur
“I Have a business two to the fitness club, we specializiruetsya in therapy, movement, therapeutic exercise, there are more than 100 specialists. In connection with the quarantine all under huge threat, one of the clubs will have to close altogether. When I, like the whole world was in isolation, it’s crazy. I’ve learned that life around me is boiling that we do a good job. The first 20 days I sat at home and thought, “What good can I do in current situation? Where my hands will be needed?” I began to look for how to become a volunteer called all the hotlines and they all say that volunteers are not needed.
But I knew from the familiar doctors that are very much needed manpower in the hospitals to serve the sick flip them, to make pots, to do the dirty work. When I told my mother that I was going to volunteer, it’s her very impressed, but then she said, “You’re partisan! But so am I, and would have done the same.”
I’m not a doctor, just an ordinary man, but has always been close to medicine, because in my gym I constantly interact with doctors! In the end, my best friend is a pathologist with the Institute I listen to her stories. That I can be surprised? But what I saw in the hospital, is not related to these stories or to what we see in the movies. What in reality happens to people in the ICU for me was a shock.
Sometimes, back with the man still conscious, but it is clear that he is not quite right, and you pray that he did not go to a sharp deterioration. They say the doctors my job security, they cannot emotionally empathize with what is happening with the patient, because you can quickly burn out. But I saw the doctors and nurses just look at the people, worried for all.
I worked in intensive care in a hazmat suit, acted as an orderly and janitor. They need to make bed, care for the sick, changing diapers, drain the biological fluid from the containers and sanitizers. Empty the trash, MOP the floor in the wards and corridors. When people die, the bodies need to Marshal the orderlies to take them to the morgue bed after the bodies disinfected and replaced.
Every day see 2 million shades of yellow, make any conclusions based on these shades, I feel a sharp smell. Psychologically, it was difficult to deal with fluids for fear that it is possible to get infected despite protective suit, mask, glasses and three pairs of gloves.
I saw people die. To your birthday – I turned 40 – I was on night duty in the intensive care unit, and that night people were still dead. My life once so was that of death it almost didn’t have to work in the hospital I saw death so close. Always everything went quite well, in the business, pleasant surroundings. But I once cooled down to everything, I began to wonder: “what’s the point in all of this?”. Maybe even a midlife crisis added. Now I realized that the imaginary – existential – crisis treated real. When I was in intensive care Wednesday, saw doctors working every day in harsh conditions, danger of sickness and death, many things in my head turned.
In some moments it seemed that I would go mad from happening, but one night I went out after the change to the street, was the end of April, warm spring. I took a deep breath, and I was feeling the feeling of unconditional happiness — that I can just breathe this fragrant air! Life definitely won’t be the same.
volunteers come from different people — I work with artist who drew pictures, made orders for the state. Some time ago she lost her husband, left alone, saw my post with a call to work in the hospital and came. I don’t have a husband, children,, elderly mum in the country, no not up to me, we don’t risk infecting loved ones. Many people just can’t sit at home, it is important for them to be useful “on the battlefield.
volunteering Is similar to the path of spiritual growth. As the pilgrimage to mount Athos. But there is a personal test and benefit to others from this no, and there is an opportunity to help people.”
“After the change of the costume is poured water is sweat”
Alexei Leonov, the coach, the massage therapist.
“I worked as a trainer for rehabilitation, engaged in massage, assisted chiropractors. The company temporarily suspended operations and I was left without a job. Saw a post in social networks about the fact that the hospital needs volunteers. I’m not at home, and I decided that if people need help, you need to go and help. At first, I was a volunteer, now working at the rate of orderly at the same hospital and continue volunteering in another.
As one of the most physically developed, I initially worked in the brigade movement “passengers” — to bring the CT scan, diagnosis in another Department. It takes a lot of time with nurses who will find��tsya around doctors and save people.
Also I go to the office, as a Junior nurse on care for patients — to change clothes, feed, give pills and medicines. I worked a lot with elderly people, I know how to touch them, but there were people who went to the office once and said: don’t go. No one is condemned, there are other jobs besides nursing.
I Have no fear. In front of me, the person scared, I feel compassion for him — there is no guarantee that someone tomorrow will not appear in the next bed. He said that “Kommunarka”, 52nd hospital for the elite, but it is not — medics are equal to everyone, there are a lot of people from retirement homes, there are those who have even a toothbrush was not and had to buy clothes. To all human relations.
Now constantly working in the “red zone”. Shifts — 4 hours, but before, when they brought many sick, had to stay. Yellow suit, like the one which went the President is the highest degree of protection, he’s not breathing at all. When it is removed, then poured into 50 grams of water is sweat. At first it was hard but I gradually increased the time of continuous wearing of overalls, now I am used to, 4-5 hours I feel fine. It is easier for us than doctors, we have no such load, and they have to get shots when glasses keep fogging up and hands a few pairs of gloves. Don’t know how they cope…
it was Hard at first to see how people survive psychologically, they are scared when they see us. The first time could see only his eyes, but then we started to print a photo and hang it in a plastic badge — people feel more comfortable to communicate with us.
a Surprise was the reaction of people in social networks — when I wrote what became a volunteer, a page ran haters, I wrote that I pay money for posts, that virus, and the doctors are paid almost 100 thousand for the diagnosis of coronavirus…Very high level of anxiety, from here and aggression, and these crazy ideas.
With me, working girl — the producer of “House-2”, Director of the PR Agency, the CEO of several coffee shops… Everyone wants to do something else to it soon ended.
I Have the experience of being in a combat zone, but this war looks different — there is no clear front line, where it is clear who your and who is wrong. The virus could be anywhere, people without symptoms can sneeze next to someone and that person will be with us in the hospital.”
“it’s Not like that all patients survive — otherwise mankind would have been immortal”
Tasha Sokolova, a journalist.
“I organize public lectures, but now for obvious reasons, the work stopped. Occasionally organize webinars, but the rest of the time free. I live with youngth man, in the summer we should have a wedding. After a month of isolation in a Studio apartment with two cats and a rabbit slowly began to move down the roof from being together. So I am very glad that I’m out of the house.
At the hospital, there is a large center that coordinates volunteers. A lot of them work in different areas — someone in the “clean” zone receives and delivers parcels to the body, takes tests between the buildings and the laboratory, someone at the request of patients admitted to hospital without the things that they sends who in the call center.
I work in the “dirty zone”. Engaged in the questioning of patients about their contacts, to drive some parameters from paper records into a computer or, conversely, help nurses to measure temperature, create a summary of prepared data — how many people, for example, need oxygen support. In intensive care, fill the observation sheets according to the monitors, making the computer indicators: heart rate, temperature, saturation, pressure. Watch, that on the sanitary inspection in the intensive care unit were gloves all sizes, sanitizer, make, and carry out the tests. Patients practically do not interact.
the Day is as follows: put on personal protective equipment (PPE), climb out of the sanitary inspection in the office, approach the resident and ask what today order. According to the rules of PPE disposable if removed — he can no longer use. Some opening — sticky tape — so it is so sticky that opening, you tear the suit, so wear the second time and will not work. Phones can be removed in a special case which is easy to handle, but they quickly sold out, so I use an airtight package for Breakfast zip.
In the intensive care unit almost never is new, the person should be ready to that there will see. Someone after the change mentally difficult… I understand that neither mers nor with other diseases does not happen such that all patients survive — otherwise mankind would have been immortal.
mostly come psychologically prepared people who are not afraid to see death. Often another — in the first, the second time after the change of person seems to have a fever: “I be sick”. The next day laugh — everything is fine. And then it passes.
at First it was hard to wear PPE, but then had their own life hacks to glue the patch on the nose, put cotton pads, special diving antifog inside points, not to fog up. It’s hard to see deterioration in patients, but recently we checked out the woman, who is 101 years old… She never even came to the emergency room, and she met her 82-year-old son.”
