Every health worker knows that there are off days, but no one knows which would be theirs; all we can pray for is that on those days, may we be at our very best, and may God be on our side. This is my story.

On the 23^rd of March, I was nursing a patient who was transferred from a nearby hospital. He was in his 80s and had an advanced care plan due to terminal lung cancer. While on transfer to us, he developed cough and difficulty breathing, and the policy then in my hospital was no nose mask or apron, just gloves.

Around this same period, I remember I had called Dr Redman (a brother in the Lord) and we prayed together.

This particular day, for some reason wasn’t just going well from the start. I went to carry out my routine review of him- he was coughing vigorously and was breathless. He had a CTCAP which showed extensive emphysema and multiple shadows. His blood result came back with a picture of neutropenic sepsis.

When examining, I reeled in to listen to his chest, and there! He coughed IN my face! I was rooted for a short time, chills running down my spine, feeling the full weight of possible implications bearing down on me; I felt like I just had an ice bucket challenge. As I regained composure, I just could not help the feeling that something was not right. We transferred him on the request of the medical registrar as a case of neutropenic sepsis and sent samples for COVID-19, and alas! His results came back positive.

Now I had been meditating on the scriptures, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Psalms 91:1-3 KJV.

As I began self-isolating, I perceived that the evil spirits that drive this plague exploit Fear to gain access into people’s souls and overpower their bodies.

As the days passed, someone shared this passage with me and I want to share it with us as frontline Christian medics.

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Acts 28:3-6 KJV

It has been over two weeks now and I am completely healthy, I’ve had no fever, cough or any symptoms, this is because God’s word is alive and active.

People have worn the PPE and still got infected. So you, having taken on the PPE, also take on the word of faith. God still saves indeed.

–Dr Maxwell