Love Our NHS
A small thank you to those who do so much
It is January 2020 and I have just got back from a month in Indonesia. A few days later, I start to feel unwell. At first, I think it is something I picked up while travelling, but it turns out to be from an insect bite I got here in the UK. Within days, my right leg is badly infected. The pain spreads fast and I end up in hospital.
I spend over a week there, on strong antibiotics through a drip. Nothing seems to work. The infection turns into cellulitis and there is a real risk it could lead to sepsis. Eventually, the doctors decide to operate and remove the infected tissue. After I leave hospital, I have to go back every other day for weeks to have the wound cleaned and packed. It is slow, painful, and not something I would wish on anyone.
Through all of this, the NHS keeps me going. I stay in the CDU, a part of A and E that deals with everything that comes through the door. I see the pressure the staff are under. People come in with serious injuries, in distress, drunk, confused, sometimes covered in their own mess. No matter what, the nurses treat everyone with care and respect. They are calm, kind, and quietly heroic.
I never feel like just another patient. They always make time to check on me, to smile, to reassure. And all of this is free. That still stays with me. The NHS is not just a service. It is a lifeline. It holds people up when they are at their lowest.
During the pandemic, when everything feels even more stretched, I want to give something back. So I start sending my artwork to NHS workers. Prints they can take home. Something small that might bring a moment of colour or calm after a long shift. It is not much, but it is something.
Here is what some of them say:
“It arrived today and it is great. The perfect escape. Thanks so much”
“Things that cheer us up make a big difference at the moment”
This is just a small gesture to say thank you. You looked after me when I needed it most. And now, through everything, you are still looking after everyone else. I see it. I respect it. And I am grateful.