At times he gets lost in the green vegetation that you can see through the window. His thoughts ride hundreds of kilometers, where the hugs and the promise of the reunion become a certainty. An unmistakable smell of saltpeter pervades his senses and when he closes his eyes he can imagine the sea resting very close to him.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Gone are the shocks and the nights where he was "caught" in an "astronaut" suit, absorbing his own breath. Once again, the nurse Ruberlando Rodríguez Parra feels peace and breathes pure air, without chlorine or other disinfectants. He admires everything around him with the curiosity of the child inside him and rediscovers the immensity of the sky, the colors, the sun, and the people... life itself.
The small hotel room in Guanabo, in the Cuban capital, is now a refuge and a balm to relieve his physical and psychological distress. So much tranquility makes him forget - at times - that it is not by chance that he stays in that place. Now he waits in isolation for the result of a Polymerase Chain Reaction (RCP) so that he can return to his family in the municipality of Majibacoa.
The hours there pass very slowly in contrast to those days when the hands of the clock were running fast. From the wards of the Frank Pais Orthopedic Hospital, the perspective is different, especially if you have to fight with tooth and nail against COVID-19, the pandemic that frightens humanity.
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Ruberlando was born in Holguín but he lives in Las Tunas, anyways he doesn't pay attention to these geographical details; he knows himself to be a pure Cuban and serves his land. He was only six years old when he arrived to Las Parras, the town in Majibacoa, which saw him grow up, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and surrounded by natural riches. And although he is not one to be tied to one place, he always returns home like any good son.
He tells how his passion for nursing came to him in the arms of a woman. His girlfriend at the time wore a coat and dressed in white. He learned to admire her in those days of youthful love when any sacrifice was worthwhile, and stealing a kiss from her in the middle of work was a release of adrenaline.
That community health center became too familiar to him; and he was curious to learn how to check his blood pressure with the best of the teachers, who are now the mother of his daughter. "I started to look at all her effort and I was fascinated with that world, I decided to study the major and here I am. Years later I had the possibility to opt for medicine, but I prefer to be attached to the patient; I love my profession and I would not change it for any other."
For 12 years now, he has given himself entirely to nursing with an impeccable career. And beyond the accumulated merits, he lives in what cannot be seen behind the diplomas: the smiles of children, the elderly and the gratitude of the families. Ruber finds comfort in gratitude, but is not hurt by words absent at a certain moment: for him saving a life is the greatest of all prizes.
"In Majibacoa, I worked in the Río Ramírez medical office and also in the Seventh Brigade prison; I have always been where I am requested. During those years I was selected as a lay judge in the municipal court of Las Tunas, with a good evaluation".
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It's not the first time he's faced national missions. To be exact, he counts three and because of his disposition and freshness others will come; that is for sure. Before that, he was in a community of difficult access in Ciego de Avila; an experience that he remembers with joy to this day, because it made him a better professional and human being.
"My services were required in a place called Derramadero, in Majagua. They told me that there had been no Nursing staff there for two years; so I accepted the challenge. I stayed for a year and a half in that intricate place with my daughter; that mission was hers too. Her mother was doing her duty in Venezuela and I had to take her with me.
"It's really difficult to take on a task like that, but when you see that they need you so much, you grow up and stay on your feet. I had the satisfaction of being proposed as the delegate of the district. I sincerely enjoyed that experience and if I had to return to serve in another rural community I would not hesitate to do so."
When he returned to Las Tunas, he was placed in the health area of the Manuel (Piti) Fajardo Polyclinic. This time, at the head of the group that was facing dengue fever from an isolation center. "An event that allowed me to appreciate the importance of teamwork.
Rúber did not stop. Very soon he packed his bags to leave for the capital, in what would be his second national mission. One call was enough for him to join the 60th Anniversary Contingent, which supports medical assistance inside and outside the country.
"I arrived in Havana with a diploma in intensive pediatric and ended up being qualified in adult care. I am very grateful to the provincial director of the specialty, Alicia Rodriguez, for the invitation, and to all the professionals who contributed to my success at the Salvador Allende Hospital".
A year and three months away from home; among the city's customs and the embrace of other people. There he knew how to win the affection of the patients and also found a grateful family that today welcomes him as a member. He tells of his joy as he reveals his soul as a good man.
Ruber returned to the province with all the honors and as in the other opportunities, he did not give up his uniform. Without removing "the dust" from the road he was seen fighting in the first line against the Covid-19. From the Los Cocos isolation center, he assisted suspects of the disease and learned the basic rules of protection, which would later serve him in the face of a greater challenge.
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It's Tuesday, April 28, and the call comes, as always, at the most unexpected hour. Someone on the other end of the line asks him if he's willing to strengthen the services at the Frank País Hospital in Havana. The question is a mere formality because Alicia, the head of the Nursing section, already knew the answer before he picked up the phone.
"I was delighted that among so many professionals, the boss put her trust in me, and without hesitation, I took the step forward. I took it serenely, but the family was very afraid, my mother still cries when we communicate."
He confesses that it is not a matter of building up courage, but of reacting to a commitment that goes beyond an oath or a university degree; it is in itself the humanism of feeling the pain of others as one's own.
Otherwise, Ruber would not be one second out of his mother's lap as she battles cancer. "When I left there she had a migraine, but that's normal because of the radiation and chemotherapy. She's compensated, and we both knew I was needed here more."
Leading nurses from Las Tunas, Granma and Guantánamo, he showed his skills during several days at the "Frank País". Every time Rúber entered the red zone it was not easy for him to put on one of those suits: white coat overalls, gloves, mask?
"They are so hot that you sweat, even with air conditioning. Many couldn't resist the first time they put it on and had to try again. It's unbearable to spend so many hours under that suit. But we were very protected."
While he was dressing he thought about his family and what it meant to be there in front of the "monster". It is not easy to stop thinking, but the need to be serene and well-concentrated prevailed. "You have to know what you're doing, get rid of all your worries and nerves, and follow the protocol.
The minutes fly by, even under a diving suit with sweat clouding the eye protection. "Assisting infected patients, aspirating them and performing intensive care procedures requires a lot of effort. I am left with the confidence that we did everything in our control.
"Unfortunately, we treated a SARS-CoV-2 patient who also had a broken femur and other underlying illnesses that led to his death. It was very sad," he says, and his voice grows faint. "Acting with the body was different, and that's what we prepared for too."
In the midst of this complex scenario, his brother, who was also a law enforcement officer in Havana, underwent emergency surgery. He could not help him, being the only close relative, and out of the very desperation of the moment, not everyone at home understood. "I was on duty when I got the news. I told them to be patient and to trust the health staff as my patients' relatives did."
When he left, there were no longer any people with COVID-19 at the prestigious hospital, which continues to provide orthopedic services. "We worked hard, and we did it," he says, and pride jumps out at him.
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It's Thursday, May 21, and a little ray of light comes through the window. The previous night's downpour had bathed the plants and today they seem more cheerful and fresh. Once again, the smell of the sea fills him with calm. It's a little after 7:00 in the morning. Waking up like this, in the middle of that tranquility, away from the stress of Intensive Care, is already enough.
The first greeting comes from the cell phone with a "Hi daddy, I miss you..." He smiles as he walks along the lines with his eyes, and right there, a certain sadness comes over him; a mixture of mixed feelings. But he is strong, he has shown it.
He calculates that he will be there in isolation until June 1 or 2, that is if the PCR results are negative; it is his greatest wish right now. In the meantime, he takes the opportunity to talk to his friends through social networks, to exercise in his little corner, to watch movies...
He confesses that if there is something strange about "Frank País" it is the applause at 9:00 at night, which reminded him that outside there was a town grateful for so much work. "They played the song “Resistiré” (I will survive) and played pots and whistles; it was a tremendous racket, it was really exciting. They also sent books with dedications, beautiful gestures that we don't forget."
Rúber knows he is too dynamic, but he will resist the wait like the brave one he is; he has plenty of reasons. Soon his mother will not have to travel more than a kilometer to talk to him on the phone, nor will his little girl try to break her longing with a text message; the hugs will stop being longings and like every good son he will "kiss" his piece of land, and will rest, at last, in the warm home that always awaits his return.
