This is a special "letter home" on the Lantern Festival, written by Li Gang, deputy captain of Sichuan Province People's Hospital’s Medical Aid Team to Hubei, to his teammates who were combating the epidemic on the frontline with him. I tried my best to look for a photo of them without wearing masks, but couldn't find any; instead, I found more of them being busy or in profile. Maybe when the epidemic is over and they take off their masks, we won't be able to recognize them, or remember that they once rushed to and fought on the frontline in face of such a dangerous epidemic. But please remember these cutest ordinary people, their eyes, and their backs!
A letter to my dear teammates
· We are a family·
Who "dislike" and "cherish" each other
Who love each other
And who are writers of this "letter home "
Li Gang, deputy captain of Sichuan Province People's Hospital’s Medical Aid Team to Hubei
February 8th, the 15th day of the first lunar month, Lantern Festival; cloudy, with sunny intervals; the 15th day upon arrival in Wuhan
This is bound to be an unusual Lantern Festival, without lanterns, or hustle and bustle, let alone family or friends. The popular blessing this year is: "I'm okay, and you're safe!", while the tough version goes like this: "Stay at home! Don't be ridiculed by the virus that you escape the first day, but not the 15th day."
The first task that Mr. Huang, the team leader, assigned me today was to write a letter to all the team members, as a way of celebrating the Lantern Festival. I agreed. Having been together with this great team for half a month, I was able to get to know a group of lovely ordinary people, with both new and old friends.
With the help of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital’s Medical Aid Team, the first group of patients were discharged!
Huang Xiaobo, director of ICU, team leader of the Medical Aid Team, secretary of the temporary party branch, and my big brother, got acquainted with me many years ago. One of my interventional patients had complications, and he did not hesitate to take over, which not only helped me solve the problem, but also made me see his sense of responsibility. Later, through close cooperation for countless times, we began to build a close relationship with each other. Many years later, we became neighbors living upstairs and downstairs, which made our friendship closer in a wider sense. Last year, we together travelled hundreds of miles to assist our fellow countrymen in Wuhan, and he had become what my wife said, my "best partner". In face of the turbulent epidemic, he stepped forward boldly and offered to serve as the leader of the medical aid team to Wuhan. He promised the hospital leaders that he would accomplish his mission successfully and bring all the 30 members back safely. On the afternoon of the 30th day of the lunar year, after wishing each other a happy Chinese New Year on the phone, he said, "Brother, we have a lot of responsibilities this time, with few male members, and even fewer with rich emergency experiences. Let’s go together!" Without hesitation, I agreed. Great truths are always simple, and the brave are invincible. I knew that he was a fighter who cared only about patients’ conditions, and would risk his life for their benefits. I was willing to use my experiences to provide him the best protection possible and let him rest assured. Unexpectedly, upon our arrival in Wuhan, this fat man was so painful that he could hardly straighten his waist, and had to use a waist protector, which made him a big-bellied man. He immediately became the person I “disliked” most, because he fought to manage the ward with the most critical patients, he took off his mask and shook hands with friendly staff when he saw them, and he ignored his ward and ran up and down in the hospital to transfer critical patients to his ward. However, it’s he who spent only a week transforming a secondary hospital - inexperienced, chaotic, and close to collapse - into a qualified infectious disease hospital, which was the first to carry out tracheotomy, invasive ventilation, and ECMO, and thus greatly improved the effectiveness of treatment of critical patients. Now he seemed to have become "popular" in Red Cross Hospital. It’s also he who told me how excellent each of his "loyal followers" had been. It’s he who still remembered his teammates’ birthdays even in the dangerous battlefield, where simple and grand birthday parties infused everyone with the love energy. You are still my most trusted big brother! All your teammates follow you with no regrets!
Deng Lei, leader of the medical aid team, publicity coordinator of the temporary party branch, and "internet celebrity of popular science", was "disliked" by me! In the past, every morning, on the electronic screen next to the elevator that I must pass to get to the catheterization room, I could see that he had started to talk about first aid. Then, when I left the hospital, feeling exhausted, I could see on the screen that he was still doing CPR. Upon our arrival in Wuhan, he took over the medical work of the ICU without hesitation. In face of the most dangerous and critical patients, he was not afraid of any danger, making incisions and applying intubation when necessary. Steadfast and responsible, he carefully considered reasonable treatment plans, and consciously conducted clinical researches, full of courage and strategies. He's not an "internet celebrity" at all, but I really hope he will eventually become an important figure!
Yang Qin, the head nurse of the medical team, and a “loyal follower” of Mr. Huang, director of the Youth Committee of the temporary party branch, asked me to push myself forward every time she had an opinion on the leader's arrangements, so I "disliked" her. In fact, I knew that during the ten some days after our arrival in Wuhan, she had more concerns than any other teammate, because the hospital was understaffed, and she had to face the patients directly all the time. Really, as a nursing teacher, she worked the hardest, seeing that everything went on smoothly, ensuring medical safety, and considering how to maintain sustained combat effectiveness by ensuring a moderate level of intensity, ensuring personnel safety, and balancing work and rest, which was not an easy task. Miss Yang, thank you for your hard work!
Xiang Qian, an expert in nosocomial infection, and a member of the disciplinary inspection committee of the temporary party branch, was a supervisor not only of our discipline, but also of our safety. Every day, he makes sure that I wear a mask, which makes me "dislike" him! However, it’s this person I "dislike" who gives careful guidance for the hospital to completely modify the workflow upon our arrival in Wuhan, established a clean area that everyone can rest assured, and helps everyone make strict self-protection plans. He took great pains to train members of each following team on knowledge of nosocomial infection protection. Also, being very versatile, he sang at our singing contest, and we recorded a short video of this sweet and loving original singer. I hope you would never "dislike" me! Let’s survive through this epidemic, and may our friendship last forever!
Chen Qing, the leader of the medical group of the medical aid team, and chief of the Respiratory Department, was my first teacher in Sichuan Provincial Hospital. Upon our arrival in Wuhan, she asked me for staff every day, which made me "dislike" her! But under her leadership, the medical work on the eighth floor was well organized. Today, I would like to “announce in happiness" of the three patients discharged from the hospital, who were the first ones discharged by meeting the strict recovery criteria! Mrs. Chen, you will always be my teacher!
Huang Rengang, chief physician of the Infectious Disease Department, and the real "boss" of our team, upon our arrival in Wuhan, had a dispute with Mr. Huang’s team over personal protection resources and disobeyed the leaders, which made me "dislike" him! In fact, I knew you were worried that your teammates would "go naked" in the aid and die before achieving anything. I knew that you were responsible for the family members of all the beautiful nurses of the Infectious Disease Department who followed you. Mr. Huang, you are still the calm, rigorous and knowledgeable teacher! I will still have my friends entrusted to your treatment in the future!
Also, Zhu Jiang, my young fellow townsman, whose birthday is on the same day as mine, got a suspected fever the very next day upon our arrival, which made everyone nervous and made me "dislike" him! But I knew that in face of unknown risks, it took great courage to offer to be on the first night shift! Zigong people are all great! Then, Zhu Ting, my teammate of the National Emergency Medical Rescue Team, could eat two boxes of food every meal but was still very thin, which made me "dislike" her. However, though small, you seem to be filled with inexhaustible energy, remain always optimistic, active, hardworking, and diligent. No matter how much work you are assigned, your only response was: "Ok, I'll take care of it!" If I was empowered, I would let you be the head nurse so to keep you busier.
Then, Deng Chengqiang, a handsome guy quick and neat in his work, and is also a good cook! Also, Wu Yaqiu, a seemingly weak girl, will surely become tough and firm after experiencing the hardships in Wuhan! Also, Wu Yanyu and Zeng Yueare like inseparable good sisters to each other! Also, He Hongli, volunteered to join the team less than one months after coming back home from the United States. Also, ...! Also, ...
In my eyes, every teammate is so cute and full of stories. As for myself, I am the "housekeeper" in the captain's eyes, “military officer” in the head nurse’s eyes, and "Older Brother Gang" as you all call me. The final debate topic of “U can U BiBi” this year was "Any Regret over Being Just an Ordinary Person all Your Life?" I have forgotten the result, but my attitude has never changed, and I will not regret over it. I would like to be an ordinary person, enjoying a peaceful and steady life with my family. In fact, history is made by thousands of ordinary people, like you and me, in everyday work! It’s been an honor for me to fight alongside you, and we will become a team of blood brothers again! Believe me, this friendship that has gone through tests of life and death will make us cherish each other forever.
The flag is still flying, and we will keep fighting together, but we also know that victory will ultimately belong to us and to the Chinese people who never give in, because we have each other!
This is a different Lantern Festival, but it’s still filled with warmth.
It's the night of Lantern Festival, with a full moon and bright lights! I wish you a long life without sickness!
We are a family, who "dislike", "cherish", and love each other!
