Preparation

It would be fair to say that a few weeks ago, I was not expecting to be sat in a room in the Holiday Inn by the ExCel in London. I imagine that the phrase “I wasn’t expecting to be doing this…” has been repeated countless times around the world over the last weeks, however.

I’m in a hotel room in London because tomorrow I start three days of training to learn to become a critical care scientist. Can’t be that different from analysing walking right? Three days should be plenty of time! The last week or so has involved a whirlwind of change and then changes to the change. A call went out to ask clinical scientists from all specialisms to volunteer to undergo rapid upskill training as there is a shortage of critical care scientists to work in ICUs. Until last night, the plan was for me to start training today, but then that changed again. The current plan is to do clinical training tomorrow, technical training on Friday and Saturday, and then induction on Sunday. The hope is to commence shifts in ICU at the new Nightingale NHS by early next week. I’ve spent the last few days trying to cram as much new information into my brain as I can get to fit and stay in there! Haven’t done that for a while! Lots to learn about ventilators, pulse oximetry, capnography, blood pressure, heart rate and temperature monitoring, arterial blood gas analysis, as well as anatomy and physiology and normal function of the cardio-respiratory system, not to mention electrical safety and management of medical equipment! It would be fair to say that my brain is spinning.

It all feels pretty daunting at the moment. There is a lot of uncertainty about the next few days and beyond. The responsibility of looking after equipment that is keeping critically ill patients alive feels pretty significant. But I’m also glad to have an opportunity to help. I’m confident that God knows what he is doing and is placing me exactly in this place at this time. The site name for this blog came from my church’s vision verse for the year “This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:9). I’m praying that God will use me to bring true hope and show his love through this. I read this in my bible reading this morning “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:16-18. That feels pertinent just now. Praying I will be able to love with both words and actions in the coming days and weeks.