To any normal human being on the planet, a wedding’s everything. After all, you’re committing the rest of your life to a single soulmate, someone you’ve known and loved for some time and deemed appropriate to walk down the aisle of life beside you. To mere bystanders, the wedding reception’s but a formality.
But to you and your partner, the wedding reception’s a statement: you are ready to brave through the perils of life as warriors that stand side by side, hand in hand, regardless of circumstances.
And so, I could only imagine the sheer sacrifice at hand when these Tan Tock Seng Hospital nurses made the ultimate decision:
To answer the call of duty, and cancel their own wedding reception to brave the frontlines against the Coronavirus outbreak.
TTSH Frontline Warriors Cancelled Wedding Reception to Fight nCoV
On Saturday (8 Feb), a nurse on the coronavirus frontline at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) entailed an eye-opening post on social media platform Instagram, sharing just how challenging the situation can be, and the sacrifices that’re required in the face of peril.
Apart from a crazy work rate that would’ve humbled the mightiest of men, nurses also had to contend with numerous forms of protection gear which cause ‘battle scars’ in the long run.
Annual leaves are frozen, and they can’t leave the country because of the risk of infection. And in Benjamin’s case, he even had to cancel his wedding reception because of work. The hospital allegedly needed them to ‘fight the war’, and he, alongside his front line staff partner, wholeheartedly obliged.
But perhaps the most grating thing about it all, is the wholly undeserved criticisms they receive from strangers. At the end of a long shift, nurses shower to disinfect themselves before wearing their uniform again and returning home. But it seems that the Coronavirus-induced paranoia has reached an all-time high, as fellow commuters on public transport reportedly admonish them for bringing germs or virus to the area.
“People raise their voice at u saying u bring germs/ virus with u, that u are infecting other people and that u are INCONSIDERATE,” he said. “But u just be quite and leave the train or bus because u are tired after work to tired to explain ur situation”.
To think that they readily give their lives for the country and people, only to get rebuffed for supposed ‘inconsideration’.
It really gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘first-world country, third-world citizens’.
You can read Benjamin’s account down below:
“My battle scars
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“Life as a front line during this period ain’t easy, to be honest it sucks. You kiss your love ones good bye before heading to the “war zone”. U wear every level of protection needed to ensure u are contacted with any of this virus and to not bring the virus back to the loved ones at home. You wear face shield/ goggles / N95 some even wear PAPR at work, trust me it ain’t easy to breath wearing any of those (N95 & PAPR) and with all that protection on, u work quick and fast, catching your breath with every step u make because LIVE MATTERS. .
.
“After finishing your shift sweaty with tiredness, aching back, sore calf, painful ankles. you found out that not only your Annual Leaves are frozen, you are not even allowed to leave the country as a front line staff and worst of all is when you have to cancel your wedding reception because both you and your significant other are front liners and you both are needed to fight the “war” because LIVE MATTERS. .
.
“Now after work U shower and wear back your uniform with pride, u take public transportation just to go home and rest because tomorrow is another day of “war” but when u board the train or bus. People raise their voice at u saying u bring germs/ virus with u, that u are infecting other people and that u are INCONSIDERATE but u just be quite and leave the train or bus because u are tired after work to tired to explain ur situation.
.
.
“Now u tell us how are we suppose to feel or react?
Are we not human like everyone else?
Don’t we have love ones too?
Don’t we wish to go on a holiday too?
.
.
“All got to say is,
I am a front line staff and this is my story.”
Netizens Express Their Sympathy
To date, Benjamin’s post has garnered well over 3K likes, and attracted a succession of thankful and sympathetic comments.
Which is a heartening sight to see, as it meant that love and appreciation for these front line warriors still outweigh the negativity.
Also, it seems that Benjamin’s not alone in his wedding struggles.
Truly, kudos to all the valiant doctors and nurses fighting on the front lines. Without you, and all the sacrifices involved, Singapore would’ve fallen to the dreaded Coronavirus ages ago.
Keep fighting, and always remember; people might pull you down, but the majority of Singapore will always cheer you on.
Jiayou!!
