An intern in emergency medicine and a part-time paramedic at the Center for Emergency Medical Aid and Disaster Medicine of the Kharkiv Region
When the war started, I (like many other people) started packing my suitcase in a panic. The brain refused to accept that such a thing was possible in the civilized world. And then I sat down and realized: I can't do that. This is not my specialty, it is not according to conscience, and not according to the doctor's code. My parents begged me to come to them in Volyn. They did not understand why I stayed, but later they reconciled. They have nerves of steel.
I have a one and a half salaries, I am a part-time paramedic. When we were getting into our car, we heard shouts: «Air, air, lie down everybody». We lay on the ground, covered our heads with hands, everyone was numb. Then it seemed that this was the last thing I would see in my life. The sky was torn by shells and explosions, glass and plaster were falling everywhere.
The team was desperate then, and the paramedic and the driver all acted in concert. This is a difficult process. But when you finally see the heart rate on the monitor - it is better than any awards. He was unconscious, but alive. Then he regained consciousness, doctors stabilized him in the hospital. He was taken abroad for rehabilitation.
I have never cried for war. Even under such conditions, when you are fighting for your life. It is not possible otherwise. It is necessary to keep the heart warm and the brain cold. Because you can lose your mind. But when my colleague contacted me from Mariupol after a month of silence, I burst into tears. War is scary.
Many patients were transported lying down. You carry a vest, a work bag, a cardiograph, all the necessary equipment and also a patient. We reach the sixth floor, but then it becomes very difficult. We coped at our best. And once we arrived at a call in the middle of the night, there were many victims. Because of the light masking, it was not possible to turn on the headlights or the lights in the car. We looked for people with flashlights, inserted catheters, tried to do everything as quickly as possible. You simply cannot be 100% ready for this.
You never know when it flies, where will flies. But I'm definitely in my place. People need me here, I'm doing my job. People need your help, everyone is on the front line. Our boys are our front line, and we are their rear.
