To the bone

I am worked to the bone 

Glance at my Apple watch every second counting down till I get home 

ADMISSION LET'S GO 

The charge nurse motions to me 

I look at my watch... I'm not going home 

Intake, I do my questions 

Investigate the patient’s body from top to bottom 

I'm not going home 

Swab the inside of their nostril 

“Covid test” I say 

The patient coughs and smiles 

Test returns, it's positive 

I’m not going home 

I have been here for more than 24 hours 

I’m not going home 

I return to the same patient 

Now alone 

In her isolation 

She looks to me and says 

“When do you think I can go home?” 

Days pass the patient is not doing well. She looks to me
“I'm not going home, am I?” 

I hold her hand 

I think how selfish was I 

Here I was, days before, counting down 

The hours 

Minutes 

Seconds 

Till I could go home 

And here she was 

With me 

Today 

I’m not going home 

I whisper to her 

“I'm going to stay here with you”