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26
Dec 2020
This is when I realised, I may never see or speak with April ever again. April was admitted through the emergency department where she was stabilised before being sent to the Intensive Care Unit. We are a close family, but we were not allowed to meet other members of the family. I was left feeling bereft and alone: what do I do, who do I turn too?
Later that night, I had a conversation with the consultant who informed me that April was critically ill and only time would tell if she would pull through.
The turning point was when April came onto a normal ward, still very ill but at least we were able to speak and see each other through modern technology - what a relief and joy that was. In time, April was discharged home and her slow recovery began; in fact, some six months later she still experiences breathlessness and fatigue.
My thanks go to not only the skilled medical staff who did save her life and to whom I will be forever grateful, but also to the ancillary staff who played an enormous part in April’s recovery, many of you who I know offered your own prayers and words of kindness at this terrible time. We were so grateful to those people who dropped off meals at our door and for all the good wishes we received.
Thankfully, we were able to move on with our year, many meetings being held over zoom. We have managed to attend events albeit socially distanced and wearing masks around the district, these included planting of bulbs in the Valley Gardens, visiting an elderly lady for her birthday, attending Remembrance services in a very different way and very early in the morning, to name but a few. However, we now have hope for the future with the vaccine rolling out across the country.
My thoughts are with all of those families who were not as lucky as myself: over 60,000 and the death toll continues to rise. I hold deep in my heart the staff at Harrogate District Hospital. My thoughts also go to the many local and national businesses who have suffered greatly, so many people have lost jobs. Finally, in the festive season, I think about our communities and the efforts and sacrifices made by everyone.
I wish everybody a very Happy, healthy Christmas, stay safe, enjoy the festivities with those you can and look forward to rebuilding our lives in 2021.
Main photo: Andrew Dobbs Photograph
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