As our country battles Coronavirus, we bring you the real-stories of warriors who are keeping us safe. Actress Shikha Malhotra is one such hero, who has put her acting career on hold and joined a hospital as a nurse to serve the community.
As the country is battling against Coronavirus, there are few who are leading the battle from the front. Sadly rather than celebrating these Coronawarriors, a segment of society is harassing these brave heroes and their families.
In order to bring their stories to the forefront, at IFORHER, we are consistently publishing inspiring stories of CoronaWarriors.
Here’s one such story that shows what emotional struggle our nurses are going through amid Coronavirus pandemic.
While sharing her story with HOB, Shikha Malhotra, an actress turned nurse, mentioned the heart-touching details of how healthcare workers are struggling with this pandemic:
“The day after lockdown was announced, I set out to find a hospital where I could volunteer. I have a nursing degree, but most know me as Shikha Malhotra, actress. Still, when COVID-19 broke out, I hadn’t ever felt stronger about volunteering as a nurse. I finally found a Covid-19 isolation ward in Balasaheb hospital.
The head there asked me why I’d want to do this being an actor, and spoke about salaries. I stopped her and told her that I didn’t want a salary. I just wanted to help. She was touched and hired me immediately.
I started working as a nursing officer the next day. That meant ensuring all patients took their medicines and ate on time, and being in the ward the entire day. My first patient was a 7 month-old baby.
The moment I saw him, playing in his crib, oblivious of what was going on, my heart melted. Since then, he’s been my biggest motivation to go to work. Luckily, he’s asymptomatic.
His mother and nani tested positive too and are also in the hospital. His mother’s really unwell and isn’t able to give him the care he needs. So I’m constantly around him making sure he’s well fed and taken care of.
And every morning, I first go to his room and play with him- he’s always smiling. The whole family is slowly getting better- his nani recently tested negative!”
But, the life of the healthcare workers isn’t just about happy goodbyes. Recalling how she didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye, Shikha shared a heart-breaking incident:
“But there’s also the flip side. Since I joined, I’ve gotten emotionally attached to every patient. I talk to them and they tell me that’s the highlight of their day.
Recently, an older patient kept telling me, ‘They’re waiting for me at home. I want to go home’. And I’d say, ‘Uncle if you don’t eat how will you go?’ We’d talk everyday.
He was in pain, but he often smiled through it. He reminded me of my dad. But one morning, when I got to work, his bed was empty. One of the patients told me he’d passed away just moments ago.
I looked out the window and saw the ambulance — if I could just have said goodbye to him. I called my dad and cried my heart out.
I never imagined that I’d witness life and death so closely. The most gut-wrenching part is that patients’ families don’t get to see them, and some don’t even get to say their goodbyes.”
In the end, Shikha ended her inspiring post with the most positive words:
“This is a hard time for all of us, and the only thing we can do is not take our lives for granted. Take a moment everyday to be grateful for everything you do have.
Breathe, have hope and remind your family and friends that you love them. This too shall pass.”
At IFORHER, we would like to salute every health worker who is showing the courage to take care of others in these testing times. It is heartbreaking to see how these workers are prioritizing the same society, who is harassing them for their kindness, over their own lives.