Corona Diaries - 13

I may be out of the hospital, but corona is still not over; it’s like a big dark cloud that refuses to move away. I can only hope that it doesn’t last too long. My friends have high hopes that it might end within the next few months; I’m a little less optimistic. I believe it might take until the end of the year. I hope it happens quicker but we’ll just have to wait and see.

My story isn’t over yet; it’s only just beginning. I’ve started home quarantine and it’s so hard not being able to hug my family but I’ve managed so far. Staying away is very difficult but it’s for their own good, all because viral shedding can last up to a month. Until my own struggle starts with corona on the battlefield again, I’ll share the experiences of my friends. I might also do a little bit of self-reflection. I’ve never had a long vacation away from work. The longest was 6 weeks last year and that was to study for my board exams, so basically, I haven’t had any time away from medicine since I started medical school back in 2004. That sounds like such a long time ago.

Today, I will talk about S.

She’s one of my closest friends. There aren’t enough words to explain how much I love this girl. I may not see her everyday but the love is there. S is the most loyal friend. She is the most caring person you will ever encounter. She is a giver. She makes time for all her friends and family. You never know the true meaning of “giving” until you have met S.

I met her for the first time around six years ago and ever since I met her, I fell in love with her personality. She is extremely hardworking and intelligent. Always keeping updated with the latest guidelines and studies. She stayed in medicine for around a year and she made so many changes during that year. She covered me as a senior registrar when I was still in my boards. She would just call to make sure I was doing okay. She once came in at 2 am to help me because of a sickie that was combined between the medical and surgical service needed to go to ICU. She came for moral support rather than anything else. I’ve always had great talks with her; she always pushes me to be better and grow.

She decided that she could so much more than internal medicine; she was always pushing herself to do more; she completed a fellowship in ICU. She took her family and went abroad and came back to cover our ICU. Not only does she push herself in her career, she’s also a wonderful mother. She has two beautiful children that she takes excellent care of. She always makes time to give them everything they need or want. She manages taking them to birthday parties and play-dates, as well as covering an ICU service that is a 24 hours a day, everyday for weeks at a time. She is also a caring wife, wonderful daughter and supportive of her siblings and other family members. Despite her busy life, she never fails at being a beautiful friend too; always asking and making sure her friends are well. She bakes out of love; I love her granola date balls and cookies.

Everyone needs to know how hard she works and how she never waits for validation. She has never posted a single photo of herself on Instagram or any forms of social media. She is now covering the critically ICU in Jaber Hospital. In the weeks that she’s in charge she comes to work at 7 am and doesn’t leave until after 5 pm. I used to watch her come to work from my window at Jaber and would see when she would leave. She’s been doing this for more than a month and its very exhausting, yet she continues doing her job with passion and commitment.

Oh and one more thing: S is pregnant. She is nearing her end of her pregnancy, yet she is continuing to do her job daily. We can all learn something from S. I pray for her in my prayers every single day. If we had more people like S, Kuwait would be a better place; the world would be a better place. I am grateful that I can call her one of my close friends. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with her and learn from her. I love her to bits and wish I could see her soon to give her a big hug to show her how much I care for her and love her. I love you S, you put us all to shame

I’ll leave with the ”Giving Tree”.

Once there was a tree...

and she loved a little boy.

And everyday the boy would come

and he would gather her leaves

and make them into crowns

and play king of the forest.

He would climb up her trunk

and swing from her branches

and eat apples.

And they would play hide-and-go-seek.

And when he was tired,

he would sleep in her shade.

And the boy loved the tree...

very much.

And the tree was happy.

But time went by.

And the boy grew older.

And the tree was often alone.

Then one day the boy came to the tree

and the tree said, 'Come, Boy, come and

climb up my trunk and swing from my

branches and eat apples and play in my

shade and be happy.'

'I am too big to climb and play' said

the boy.

'I want to buy things and have fun.

I want some money?'

'I'm sorry,' said the tree, 'but I

have no money.

I have only leaves and apples.

Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in

the city. Then you will have money and

you will be happy.'

And so the boy climbed up the

tree and gathered her apples

and carried them away.

And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time....

and the tree was sad.

And then one day the boy came back

and the tree shook with joy

and she said, 'Come, Boy, climb up my trunk

and swing from my branches and be happy.'

'I am too busy to climb trees,' said the boy.

'I want a house to keep me warm,' he said.

'I want a wife and I want children,

and so I need a house.

Can you give me a house ?'

' I have no house,' said the tree.

'The forest is my house,

but you may cut off

my branches and build a

house. Then you will be happy.'

And so the boy cut off her branches

and carried them away

to build his house.

And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time.

And when he came back,

the tree was so happy

she could hardly speak.

'Come, Boy,' she whispered,

'come and play.'

'I am too old and sad to play,'

said the boy.

'I want a boat that will

take me far away from here.

Can you give me a boat?'

'Cut down my trunk

and make a boat,' said the tree.

'Then you can sail away...

and be happy.'

And so the boy cut down her trunk

and made a boat and sailed away.

And the tree was happy

... but not really.

And after a long time

the boy came back again.

'I am sorry, Boy,'

said the tree,' but I have nothing

left to give you -

My apples are gone.'

'My teeth are too weak

for apples,' said the boy.

'My branches are gone,'

said the tree. ' You

cannot swing on them - '

'I am too old to swing

on branches,' said the boy.

'My trunk is gone, ' said the tree.

'You cannot climb - '

'I am too tired to climb' said the boy.

'I am sorry,' sighed the tree.

'I wish that I could give you something....

but I have nothing left.

I am just an old stump.

I am sorry....'

'I don't need very much now,' said the boy.

'just a quiet place to sit and rest.

I am very tired.'

'Well,' said the tree, straightening

herself up as much as she could,

'well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting

Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.'

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy.

- Shel Silverstein