An RTE Investigates show has revealed the struggle of very ill patients and healthcare workers providing care amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The cameras followed frontline staff at St James's Hospital in Dublin in June and July of this year.
And the documentary lifted the lid of how the Intensive Care Units operated as patients fought for their lives.
One patient's battle was documented as she self-isolated while receiving cancer treatment.
Elaine Scully from Carlow was being treated in National Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and was interviewed via intercom.
She told RTE Investigates: "I actually finished eight days of chemo last night.
"On this ward, Denis Burkitt's, they are very careful because, you know, the patients all are transplant patients with low immune systems, so they are always very careful.
"But they've had to kind of change things drastically as well at the same time, just the fact of not being able to have visitors.
"Someone can't even hold your hand, and you have to pull yourself back together so that you can get through it."
Elaine had not seen her husband since entering A&E for treatment and was cut off from others due to her compromised immune system.
Staff only entered her room for essential procedures and Elaine told how she was longing for human interaction and contact.
She said: "Just missing human contact, you're given this awful diagnosis, and you can't get a hug.
"It's hugs. I love hugs. So that's what I miss the most.
"Like, it's funny, you know, you might laugh, one of my nurses has cold hands, but I love when she's my nurse because I can feel her on my skin when she's doing my drip, you might get a rub of her cold hand on my arm and just that simple little touch, you feel like you're not on your own."
