'They treated us like family': What it was like helping fight the outbreak in La Loche

When I first volunteered to go to La Loche as a nurse, I wasn't expecting such an overwhelming response from people who heard about what we were doing in the community.

Throughout this pandemic, people cheered health-care workers and called them heroes, but it's important to recognize the community of La Loche did a lot of the hard work to help flatten the curve.

People distanced from one another, they wore masks, they waited in long line-ups to get their groceries because they couldn't get them any other way.

Working in La Loche taught me a lot.

This January, I had just returned to work after a leave and found I had lost my zest for my job. I felt mentally and physically drained, as if I was trapped between a rock and a hard place. I couldn't go back to shift work and public health didn't feel like where I was meant to be.

I had begun to look for jobs outside the nursing profession.

Then the pandemic began.I was asked if I wanted to work at the testing centre in Regina.

It was a turning point. I felt a strong connection to the work.It began to revitalize me, seeing the immediate effect my care and attention was bringing to people. I loved and felt proud of the work we were doing.

When I heard a call for nurses willing to go to La Loche to assist with the outbreak in that community, I knew I wanted to do it. I looked at my husband. I didn't have to say a word. He told me if it is what I want, he supports my decision. I immediately picked up the phone.

These beautiful women mothers, wives, grandmothers, sisters took us under their wings and treated us like family.- Chrissy Munro

My youngest daughter was a little nervous about her mom working with COVID-19 patients. It actually took her about three weeks before she realized that I might be putting myself at risk. One night before bed, she finally asked me if I was safe doing the job I was doing. I told her all the safety precautions we were taking. As I got to the part about how we were controlling the flow of people, she got bored and said, "OK!"That was the end of that conversation.

I've taken two days off since I arrived May 3. I have worn several hats: testing for COVID-19 in the emergency drive-thru, door-to-door intakeand also contact tracing.I have learned an immense amount having dipped my toes in so many facets of being in this job.

I have lived my entire life in Saskatchewan, yet never taken the opportunity to travel this far north.

La Loche is a close community of families. Many of the women here have lived their entire lives in La Loche. These beautiful women mothers, wives, grandmothers, sisters took us under their wings and treated us like family.

La Loche residents have faced several crises the worst natural disasters in the form of a forest fire, a tragic school shooting and most recently, a pandemiceach trying to come and try to rip the community apart.

The people of La Loche have weathered these events together. Although there is still grief surrounding everything that has happened here, they are still together.

We are now down to a skeleton crew. On my way home, I noticed the La Loche road block had been taken down. I actually missed the smiling faces of the men that greeted us on our way into and out of town on a daily basis. They had a tough job supporting the lockdown of the communities and still, they treated us like family. I miss that.

Support staff came here too,putting themselves at risk to keep the health centre running. Maintenance, housekeeping, admin,kitchen and catering staff came and took such good care of us.

There were so many pieces that had to come together to make this work. Ultimately, that's what we did.

We wanted to make a difference in La Loche.I didn't expect the difference it would make in me.

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