Your stories…

I would like to give a BIG shout out to all staff and patients in Oncology who have weathered the lockdowns with stoicism and patience and dignity. They are all amazing and have not let the past couple of years stop them from smiling

I am a family of 4, myself, my husband and our two young ladies. We were very lucky that as we went into lockdown, we were together and I knew our girls were safe at home while myself and my Husband worked in jobs that required us to go to work daily. It was a scary time for me and I remember I became obsessive with cleaning anything that came into the house from the outside, and worrying if we had come into contact with anyone that may have passed COVID on to us. I also worried for my elderly…

My job involves extracting information from patient case notes and during the COVID-19 Pandemic it involved reading about some very sad and heartbreaking experiences and also some very brave and heartwarming experiences too, and you could not help but appreciate the time, patience, understanding and sheer hard work that was carried out by our wonderful NHS staff, every single one of them! And it also made me appreciate the massive risks that they all braved, undertaking their sometimes literally…

The Butterfly Hospice closed at the beginning of lockdown and I was redeployed to the Welland Ward where there was a COVID outbreak. I looked after COVID patients who were end of life.

I worked managing the waiting list team at the time of the pandemic and lockdown. I was based in Grantham at the start of the lockdown but spent most of it working from Lincoln to support the team there. We had lots of challenges, from staff being redeployed to support other areas to the heartache of having to contact the same cancer patients on several occasions to tell them we had to cancel their surgery again due to not having the HDU beds needed due to the high numbers of COVID + patients in…

Fortunately, neither I nor my wife has contracted the disease having had our vaccinations (x3) each. However, my son and his partner caught it after visiting Brazil and were a bit poorly for a week, even after having the vaccines though not very bad, unlike the local Brazilians who are really suffering. This goes to show that having the vaccine can reduce the severity of the disease. So please get vaccinated - you know it makes sense.

I remember being off work when the pandemic started in 2020 after having surgery. I was due to come back in the May and was so scared and frightened at coming back into a Hospital setting. However, my team were amazing and helped with settling me back into the Department and trying to keep me safe. Our small team, as most teams within ULHT, has been hit by COVID illnesses and trying to keep what service we could going throughout and to be available for our patients. Our patients have been on…

I have worked through the pandemic, whilst taking care of my parents (Dad, fortunately, had just started cancer treatment - something we were very grateful for, a fortnight before we went into lockdown) - and in-laws, as well as my sister, who were all isolating. Making sure along with my husband, that our children were ok and managing their homeschooling and that actually they were ok and coping with the madness that was unfolding around them and everyone else. I am not on "the front line"…

As a relatively newly qualified nurse, the pandemic frightened me. I was unsure of what to expect. However, with the support of a good team we got through. Working in the Neonatal sector was an experience and the visiting restrictions impacted massively on our families and their chance to bond with their new babies/siblings.

Although I am not "frontline" staff, I have continued to work throughout the lockdown, working from home one day a week to decrease footfall in the actual hospital, but then working 3 days a week in the Breast Unit. It has been a really difficult time, with reduced clinics (to enable social distancing in the waiting room), extended waits for Fast Track, 2-week wait clinics and reduced theatre capacity. I have had many distraught patients phoning, and trying to negotiate the system and it…

I worked on the gastro ward. Good team of staff, worked well, dealing with hard shifts, yep, so we thought. We were told that we were going to be one of the COVID wards. We had side rooms and lots of experience with having to isolate patients, so we thought. Quickly we were getting taught how to don and doff our PPE, CPAP training, what to wear - theatre hat, masks, when and what (everything) to clean, all whilst a bell was rung every 30 minutes to change our masks. Things were…

Our elderly female ward in Boston has become a COVID ward three times. I cannot thank enough every single person who is part of 6A or has worked on 6A during our difficult times. All of us are a big family. During COVID, we have seen our patients pass without their loved ones next to them… Many times holding back our tears while holding their hand tight praying they will stay. I hope this tree will be planted for my silent hero’s colleagues on 6A, I love you all.

The way the community came together to support each other. They queued for the vaccine with no complaints. People wore masks to keep me safe in the clinic and the support from friends at home with offers of help. The fact Morrisons gave me 10% off - all added to my ability to keep turning up at work day after day. I have no great story to tell, no personal sadness to share, but just a story that all of us, nurse, refuse collector, postman, shop worker and many more just kept going,…

Being based at a small hospital meant that I had to be redeployed to help out at a bigger hospital. This was both rewarding and very challenging. Working in areas I was not used to but it was nice meeting new people within the organisation. Thankfully, I am now back with my JCH team and slowly our clinics are returning.

When we first went into lockdown in March 2020, we were tasked as part of the Outpatient Appointment Service (Trust-wide) with taking down all of the outpatient clinics for the first month. Little did we know this would be an ongoing problem. Shortly after, we were then informed that we would be redeployed to Lincoln County Hospital. Luckily we were transferred to Choice and Access to carry on cancelling the clinics. We had to pack up our office and by April we were at Lincoln. Thirteen…

During the initial stages of the pandemic, I was at home caring for my terminally ill husband. This was obviously a very difficult time during a national pandemic. Once I ultimately returned to work during the summer, I felt a great deal of respect for my colleagues and the difficulties they faced whilst I hadn't been at work. Along with this, I felt guilty for not having been there at the time. In view of this self-inflicted guilt, I volunteered with my local GP practice as part of the…

Well, during the pandemic I had several memories, such as; Starting a new job within the trust, and learning how to work from home as my previous job was office-based. Then having to move house during the pandemic, which took longer than we wanted it to due to the situation. Having concerts and events cancelled or postponed and not being able to see my family, who lived in Derby. Sadly experiencing the death of my grandma and only so many people being allowed to attend the funeral. Lastly, to…

It was difficult for me to hear that my mother had COVID and was in intensive care fighting for her life, while I was working normally and looking after all my patients, some of them having COVID, which is brought to my memory my mother and how she was deteriorating day after day and my hope was fading day after day. I stayed strong and managed to do my daily busy work. The night before her death I was hoping she would come out of the hospital and I will talk to her again. On the morning of the…

My Mom passed away on 18th April during the pandemic. She died of kidney failure and was cared for by the wonderful Nurses from the NHS whilst in hospital. This was coupled with the 'end of life' care she was giving at home for her final 5 wks. She was laid to rest on the 4th May. I have a Cherry Blossom tattoo which has her ashes in the ink so I carry her with me always. Hence, I have chosen the Wild Cherry Tree to plant on the 4th May in her memory. Thank you for this opportunity.

I have seen colleagues step up in ways that no-one should ever be expected to. I have seen tears or sadness and of joy, I have witnessed colleagues coming together and supporting each other in the most difficult circumstances. Through great loss and dark times, when staffing has been poor and patients have been gravely ill...my colleagues have succeeded in continuing to deliver high standards of patient care. Difficult times are continuing for us all, but I am so proud of my colleagues.…