An ICU nurse from Lincolnshire has spoken out about the nightmares she has faced during the coronavirus crisis, feeling so anxious to leave the house that she physically starts shaking.
Over the last few months, Kayleigh Peel from Stamford has been looking after patients with COVID-19. She has faced the heartbreaking task of phoning relatives in patients’ final hours, and seen people younger than her fighting for their lives.
When the 24-year-old saw groups out socialising last weekend, it struck a nerve and prompted a powerful and emotive Facebook post, which has been shared by over 1,200 people.
She also posted a photo of herself looking exhausted after her 13 hour shift, with rashes and bruises on her arms and face.
Even at home, she can’t fully relax. Kayleigh said she has been waking up to the sounds of the monitor alarms ringing in her bedroom.
She wrote: “I’ve spent the last two months having to do things that I never went into nursing to do. Tell patients’ relatives over the phone that their loved one is going to die, but no you can’t come in person to say your goodbyes.
“I hold patients’ hands whilst their relatives talks to them via an iPad, because an electronic device is the only form of contact they’ve had with them for months.
“I’ve seen people younger than myself fighting for their lives on ventilators, yet still braved going to work despite thinking in the back of my head.. this could potentially kill me.
“I’ve been in situations where quite frankly I’ve felt out of my depth. Seen things, that literally I never expected I would when I decided to become a nurse. Not once did I ever think at less than 25 years of age I would be working on the front line of a pandemic.
“I’ve had days where I’ve felt so anxious to leave the house I’ve physically started shaking, palpitations start and the overriding sense of dread.”
Kayleigh urged people to follow the lockdown rules by not visiting friends, having parties or making unnecessary car journeys.
She wrote her emotive message before the change in lockdown exercise restrictions, but her feeling remain the same.
She added: “If you really supported the NHS, you would not be visiting your friends, having parties, cruising in your car making unnecessary journeys, sunbathing in the park or wanting lockdown to end next week.
“I’ve taken the sacrifice too, not to see my loved ones for weeks on end and I worry about them daily.”
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We can now confirm that the 12-year-old who died in the collision at Branston on Sunday (16 January) was Ted Vines, from Alford.
In a tribute to Ted, his family said:
“Ted was loved by everyone – he was happy, fun and brilliant and had so many people who loved him.
“On Sunday, he was on his way to play football for Alford Under-12s at Branston, as he was a part of that team.
“Everywhere he went, Ted made friends. He was a special part of the community for everyone.”
The family are being supported by loved ones, friends and specialist officers at this time. They request privacy from media while they grieve their loss.
Plans for a series of business units and offices to the north of Beevor Street in Lincoln are set to be approved next week.
The City of Lincoln Council’s Planning Committee will be asked by officers to approve Lincoln Western’s plans for a total of 21 units on the site as well as outline plans to build two further office buildings nearby.
The main site, to be called Foundry Park, will also include new access roads, 43 initial car parking spaces, cycle parking, landscaping and two areas for sustainable drainage systems.
In a report before members next Wednesday, officers will say the site is allocated in the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan as for “strategic employment” and the principle of the build is acceptable.
“The developments would make effective and efficient use of land and would reflect the architectural style of the local surroundings,” said the documents.
Site layout plans for the business units which are up for full approval.
The build will break down into one large building containing a unit of its own and four others, each split into five units.
Although due to come back before planning at a future point for confirmation, the planned office buildings are designed to be four-storeys high.
Officers said that although there was initial concern over the height, the applicants were able to convince them it was “not unusual to see taller buildings at the edge of the urban area” and that there were a number of comparable buildings in the wider area.
The applicant’s plans for office buildings are only at outline stage at the moment.
The application has received an objection from a nearby business around potential noise issues, however, officers raised no objections, only asking that further noise assessments be carried out when the office plans returned to the council.
Lincolnshire County Council has also asked for £25,000 contribution from the applicant to be used towards upgrading pedestrian facilities on Beevor Street and Tritton Road as well as a Hirebike station within the site.
Fire crews have been tackling a house blaze in Skegness on Monday which caused the road to be closed.
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue were called to reports of a house fire on Wainfleet Road in Skegness at around 11.50am on Monday, where it was discovered that the property was “well alight”.
Everyone inside the property was accounted for but people in the local area were asked to keep their windows and doors closed.
Lincolnshire Police requested for traffic management on Wainfleet Road, which as of 3.50pm is still in place.
The Lincolnite has contacted Fire & Rescue for an update on what caused the fire and when the situation will be resolved.
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