PARAMEDICS
‘We were shocked at what this virus could do’
Marie O’keefe Kerry, 50, and Sally Davies, 61, are emergency services workers and crewmates for the ambulance service, from Leicestershire. MARIE SAYS: In March 2020, when the UK went into lockdown, I was terrified. Working for the ambulance service, me and my colleague, Sally – or Daffers as I call her – were prepared for a tough few months ahead, but neither of us knew just how bad things would get.
I remember one call out, we had to wear full PPE – including hazmat suits and respirators – and only one crew member could go in the house. The man inside was extremely poorly and struggling to breathe. It was the first critically ill COVID-19 patient I’d seen, and I was shocked at what this virus could do. That was just the start. There were many times where Sally and I sat in the ambulance in silence on our way to a call. We were exhausted, both mentally and physically – it seemed like there was no end in sight.
Sally and I both live alone, and for the first few months of the pandemic, we kept away from our families, not wanting to pass anything on. It was a lonely time.
We’d spend our shifts sharing funny anecdotes about past patients. ‘We could write a book with all these,’ Sally said. So in April 2020, that’s exactly what we did. It was something to focus on, a little bit of light relief. It was published in November 2020 and we just hope it helped others get through tough times, too. Laughter sometimes really is the best medicine. SALLY SAYS: When the Clap for Carers started last year, Marie – or Buntie – and I were on a shift and seeing to a patient. Coming out of their house to see people standing in the street, applauding or banging pots and pans was an emotional moment. Admittedly, we had a little cry afterwards. When someone looks you in the eye and thanks you for helping them, their family member or friend, there’s nothing quite like it. Sadly, not all the feedback we’ve received has been positive, and we’ve had people shouting at us in the street, accusing us of being part of a big conspiracy. It’s insulting, but we are strong and we will never let anyone stop us from doing our best for our patients.
✱ Two Mad Bags by Buntie & Daffers (£6.99) is available now at amazon.co.uk