What If It Took Me

What if it was me struck down with this terrible virus?

If I had the relentless cough,

the loss of taste and sence smell...

What if it was me feeling very, very unwell?

What if it was for me the 999 call was made?

If I had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance,

blue lights flashing and sirens blaring...

What if it was me who was slowly loosing consciousness?

What if it was for me; drips and ventilators were being readied?

If I was rushed straight through A+E,

If it was me who was causing the doctors great concern...

What if it were for me a place in intensive care was being found?

What if it was for me all the technology was being prepared?

If I was in a hospital bed being tended to by 6 or 7 nurses,

busying themselves around me...

What if it was because of me everyone wore protective clothing?

What if it were me who could only lye there and hear it all going on around me?

If I were lying there unable to speak,

unable to move...

What if I were clinically dead?

What if I lost 4 weeks of my life because of being sedated?

What if they said I'd recover but never be the person I was again?

What if I got 'Long Covid' and all those terrible symptoms never really went away?

And what if I never recovered?

What if all the efforts of all those nurses and doctors were in vain?

What if it took me?