"Ward Nine: Coronavirus" (Alys Morgan)

TITLE: Ward Nine: Coronavirus: One Woman's Story
AUTHOR: Alys Morgan
PUBLISHER: Cardigan, Wales: Parthian Books, 2020, (150 pages).

We are now in the second year of the global pandemic. Since late 2019, many parts of the world have been locked down, travel curtailed, and in many countries, the mandatory wearing of masks. In the early part of 2020, it was also common to see members of the public coming out regularly to openly support workers in essential services. These are the front-line workers in healthcare, people who face customers regularly, and those in public services who had gone beyond their call of duty to serve others. Most of us see these healthcare professionals and frontline workers from the outside. What about scenes from the inside? What about stories and perspectives that come from the patients of hospitals, especially in those wards that are focused on caring for Covid patients? This book is about the story of a Covid-19 patient admitted to a special ward on March 21st, 2020, and her 48-day journey to recovery.

Part One of the book describes all the activities prior to her entering Ward 9, the NHS Wales and Mind. It all began with caution. With impending city lockdown, public facilities like libraries were all preparing to close. People were told to avoid gathering in public and to stay home. The news throughout the country was about the lockdown. Soon Alys Morgan was working from home. Some people were panic buying. People were starting to wear masks when they venture outside. Ten days later, her daughter Caitlin got sick. Soon, Alys got the sniffles, which coincided with the British Prime Minister who was moved into the Intensive Care due to Covid-19. By mid-April, it was Alys turn to get sick. As her illness struggles linger longer, her daily notes grew shorter. Soon she had to be hospitalized. She has been infected by the dreaded coronavirus. Even in her weakened condition, she manages to put down her observations in writing. She writes about how she was admitted to hospital. She remembers the different nurses and doctors checking her blood pressure, taking her temperature, monitoring her overall health, and the presence of so many different medical specialists. It was a surreal moment when she saw her ward description: "Ward Nine. Coronavirus: No Unauthorised Entry."

Part Two of the book describes her daily struggles during her fight to recover from the coronavirus. All the medical staff was wearing full PPE. Working like a united army that fights the coronavirus, they tended to her in every possible way. Losing her appetite, she found it hard to sleep. As her condition deteriorates, she had to be put on tubes. Despite feeling terribly thirsty, she could only take sips. She describes her situation as: "I live in the hospital now. I am a sick person. My world is nothing but my hospital bed." She manages to see many different people helping to maintain the hospital, like the cleaners, the janitors, and the technicians. Due to the intense workload, all the staff was overworked and understaffed. The situation became dire at times when nurses say they don't have enough body bags!

The hospital experience is not something any of us would wish to go through. Covid-19 is a serious disease. By giving us an insight into the actual ward full of coronavirus patients, we get a glimpse of all the care of staff and the struggles of patients in one book. Written like a daily journal, readers get to follow the author through her ups and downs, her pains and reliefs, her emotional highs and lows, and many more. In a battle of life and death, Alys donned new perspectives of appreciation for all who worked in healthcare. She treasured the value of life and recovery. Reading this book helps me appreciate all the work that these healthcare professionals do. Every death in the ward brings tears of sorrow. Every patient who recovers brings tears of joy. Covid-19 is not a disease to be trifled with. For anyone who still questions whether the coronavirus is a hoax, read this book! 

Ten percent of the cost of this book will be donated to Conwy Mind in helping them to support those, like Alys, who continue to be affected by the pandemic. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5. 

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Parthian Books and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.