Felicity Bell from Cambridge is an NHS nurse and first-time 1000-mile challenger, who posted movingly in the #walk1000miles group of her hopes and fears and the role walking and the #walk1000miles community play at this most trying of times on the nursing front line. We asked her to tell us more…
I started this challenge the 1st January with a walk by the coast to see the seal pups. As I write, I’m at 300 miles. I’ve decided to only count boots-on miles to make it more of a challenge for me, as I normally get quite a few steps in just walking around at work. But I enjoy all sorts of walking from a pavement plod to hill walking. I’ve also recently discovered a love for geocaching which is helping me with the challenge and is encouraging the whole family to join in with me.
I’m a nurse in a big teaching hospital so my job is to teach other nurses all the essential skills they need do their job well and care for patients’ safety. The current situation is frightening for everyone, me included, but as a nurse I just want to be able to do my best to help those who need it. Over the past few weeks I’ve been busy doing lots of staff training so that nurses have the key skills they will need to look after the huge numbers of patients that will come to the hospital unwell with Covid 19.
I will be redeployed soon to work in the intensive care unit. I’ve previously worked in ICU and so have the specialist skills needed to care for critically ill patients on ventilators. We’re all feeling anxious about what lies ahead but the huge support and kindness shown by the public makes such a difference.
At home things are much like everyone else – trying to juggle children and all the usual things like cooking dinner and getting the washing done! I’m frightened about what the next few weeks could bring. I think everyone is. But the kindness and support that has been shown to me and my colleagues has been so amazing and this is what will keep us going when we are exhausted. And I’ve been overwhelmed by what a friendly and supportive community the badgers of #walk1000miles are!
For me walking is not just a good way to exercise but an escape. I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors. Fresh air seems to lift my mood and being outside I can find joy in the more simple things such as the birds singing – it’s the polar opposite to being inside working with the complexities of caring for very sick people.
Right now, going out for a walk and being in the fresh air is so important. It’s helping me to boost my resilience and take time to connect with ‘normality’. I’m counting boot on miles and so it’s a bit trickier to fit it in with working longer hours and following the government guidelines. But I keep up with a daily pavement plod and explore some of the local footpaths which I haven’t really looked at before on my days off.
Felicity finishes our sentences…
Right now I could kill for a…
Big tub of hand cream and a bag of pasta ! Oh and a gold badge 😉
The last thing that made me smile was…
Before the lock-down, long walks were Felicity’s best medicine.
Watching my children playing in the garden - no electronics needed , just a vivid imagination and a couple of sticks !
I wish more than anything that...
People would heed the government advice to stay at home!
It’s been a good day when…
This is all over, and the country is running normally again, but when the kindness seen now continues
I really believe that…
We can do this.
When all this is over, the biggest treat I can imagine is…
A trip to snowdonia with my family. It’s my favourite place to be. If I could add in some sunshine and some Prosecco then that would be perfect.
