Diary of Yani (3): Waiting for Spring in Wuhan | What’s Up China

By Wang Yani (Volunteer/nurse in Wuhan), translated by Xia Hailin

From the window of my hotel room, I see a blue sky dotted with white clouds. Some cherry trees in the yard are in full bloom. After wind and rain last night, the pink flowers exude extra vitality and shoot light into my heart. Patients are recovering and being discharged from the quarantine hospital where I work every day. Active cases in Wuhan have been declining. Across the country, many provinces and regions have reported zero growth in confirmed cases. I think that the end of the mighty COVID-19 storm will coincide with spring greetings from cherry blossoms.

More than 20 days have passed since I left home with four colleagues. We are already used to the work here. I’ve read a lot of messages on social media, some of which moved me to tears. The sincere encouragement and blessings are the best protective gear of the highest quality in this battle against the epidemic.

Everything is improving. We are becoming more skilled under layers of protective gear. However, we remain vigilant at all times and act in strict accordance with procedures. In the quarantine hospital, our efficiency and precision has increased since our ears and noses became accustomed to the pressure of face masks and goggles.

The book corner and wish tree are my favorite locations in the hospital. The book corner offers professional books on psychology and disease prevention and control as well as literary works such as Zhaohua Xishi (Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk) by Lu Xun, The Moon and Sixpence, and some bestsellers. After meals, patients read books there or find a book to take for bedtime. Reading does “serve for delight” (Francis Bacon).

The wish tree is a tree painted on the wall and decorated with messages from patients who have been discharged from the hospital. The heart-shaped stickers with hand-written messages express patients’ heart-felt gratitude and cheers for other patients. The tree is flourishing with each branch loaded with sincere blessings for the spring that we are all waiting on.

With the increasing recoveries and decreasing new cases, more beds are becoming empty. The bugle call for retreat will come soon. Keep it up!

At the end of each working day, I call my parents, who wait for my call late into the night. They always pick up on the first ring. Parents all over the world are the same.

It is getting warmer. I’m sweating under the protective gear. When I get undressed after work, my clothing is soaked in sweat.

I’m beginning to miss the dry cool wind, the deep-fried dough cake, the tasty noodles and the narrow alleys in my hometown.

Longde, please wait for my victorious return in spring!

Copyedited by Wang Yufan

Layout by Tian Yuerong

Read Yani’s other diaries:

Diary 1: Volunteering for the Coronavirus Battle

Diary 2: Boy’s Haircut