Covid Hit

It was like a cyclone hitting our homes and everyone around us. Lockdowns started, this unknown, unseen, invisible virus had created a havoc globally. Everything came to a standstill. All we could read and see in the news, how the front-line workers were trying their best to manage the situation. Governments were announcing lockdowns to prevent further spread. Everyone was trying to cooperate as no one knew, what could happen. WhatsApp videos, messages keeping everyone alert, I might say to the extent of making everyone scared. All we saw is figures of infection increasing, deaths increasing and no hope in site. The whole world seems to be invaded and captured. There were no boundaries, no caste, religion, no money could save you.

Factories, shops, daily wage earners and a lot of others the income stopped. It was a matter of survival. Who can survive such a pandemic? The truth started being know in a few months. Unlock downs started and wearing the mask became the new normal. Namaste became the worlds greeting. Yoga, Pranayama and other breathing activities were prescribed as medicines.

We as a family stayed indoors most of the time. Anytime, I went out, I had to ensure, we kept everything in the quarantine area for 24 hours. Even after that, it was sanitized and only then put to use in the kitchen or other areas. The gratification of things was delayed by 24 hours. It tested the patience. For the kids, we had explained and instead of Covid, we called it ghosts. This invisible cover, which was hiding and could live on things and humans and possessed humans for 14 days. Based on the ghost and what you feed it, it decides to grow or die. Any visit outside, means a compulsory bath and putting the clothes for a wash, we should not touch anything in the house. Only after a bath and steam inhaling were, we allowed to do anything. This was a rule, which kept all of us safe till now.

It has been more than a year, that Covid entered our lives and started ruling us. Every decision, we took, we had Covid with us. It is like if we do this, or if we attend this, we might get the “ghost”

It was Feb 2021 and parents and me were not keeping well. We all had cough and were feeling tired all the time. Mom visited the doctor and she told her to do some blood tests. Hb was low and the doctor wanted to give Iron injections to recover. Feb 15 was planned for this. I had to visit a tenant and Sister went with Mom for the injection. After the injection, she sat for a few hours and all seemed ok. She reached our home and while climbing the stairs, she felt dizzy and slept on the 1^st floor staircase. Wife and our maid, helped her home and immediately called me. The doctor, could not be contacted. I rushed to the clinic and she advised my wife to give a lemon water using a spoon and only lie in the bed. Mom felt better. The doctor advised to admit her for an observation for the night. We were lost, whether to admit her to a nearby hospital or to Jehangir. We decided to go to Jehangir. Our neighbor came on the bike incase we needed any assistance. Once there, we took her straight to the emergency ward. The doctor took her in and told us, she feels, mom is Covid positive. She did the CT scan and her doubts were clarified. It was 7/25 infections in the lungs and we admitted her to a private room there. Sister and her husband, came rushing to meet her. She was taken to the private ward.

Our main worry… she was Covid positive. Were we also positive. Did we also have the infection? If yes, where all did I go? Whom did we all meet. A lot of thoughts started crossing our mind. We did the Covid tests and our doubts were laid to rest. Dad, wife and me were Covid positive, but kids and sister were negative. Now what!!! We were lost.

Wife spoke to a homeopathic doctor, who was treating covid patients. She arranged to send us the medicines.

Sister gave the number of a doctor, who had been treating Covid patients and guiding what to do. We decided to consult the doctor and went for the CT scans. Dad had 8/25 lung infections, I had 7 and wife had 4. We all had lung infections. Doctor advised to admit Dad in the hospital. I immediately took him to Jehangir and there was a waiting for the rooms for Covid patients. As mom had a private room, they admitted him into the same room.  Me being Covid positive as well, was very careful, not to infect anyone around me.

The doctor prescribed medicines for wife and me. I had a temperature and oxygen levels were at 93. I was unable to eat, had a lot of cough and was getting extremely tired, even if I sat on the chair for some time. If I open the laptop, I was getting a headache. Wife had minor symptoms. The doctor was advising to admit me in the hospital, but I wanted to wait for a few days, before we do that. Our biggest challenge was kids were negative and we had to manage the kids at home and also plan for food as well.

We are sharing daily oxygen and temperature with the doctor.

After 3 days, the symptoms reduced and I was able to eat, the temperature was gone, Oxygen levels still low, but improving.

After 7 days, oxygen came to 96, cough reduced and the medicines, steam inhaling, hot water drinking were working.

There are always good Sarmatians around. This Modh Gujarati community has been providing tiffin’s to Covid patients home for the last 1 year at no cost. This was really helpful and removed one of the pressures at home. The Medical shop, the grocery stores were all delivering home and supporting us. Our neighbors were helping with home sterilization, with food. My In-laws and Sister were supporting and sending us stuff regularly. Everyone was ready to help. Friends and Family were calling us to check if we needed any help. This was such a good thing. This is what community support is!!

Mom and Dad were discharged from Jehangir, still COVID positive, but out of danger. Their blood reports were normal. We shifted them to a service apartment for the remaining quarantine time due to the stairs to reach home. She is anemic. We will be doing a Covid test for them on the 2^nd of March 2021.

On introspection, how did we get Covid? How did the whole family get Covid?

To find the answers, I started thinking about the day my symptoms started. It was around the 9^th, when I started feeling tired and I was sleeping in the afternoon, my cough had started increasing. I had probably got Covid a few days before the symptoms were seen.

Mom had visited the doctor and was also feeling tired and had got cough and was feeling unwell.

Dad had cough as well. All this was during the same period, I had it.

But who got it first? How did it spread? These are mysteries, which will not have an answers too.

But I can say for sure, that we got COVID-21 instead of COVID-19

It has been 14 days and we are recovering and did our Covid tests on 28^th and got the negative report on the 1^st of March 2021.

So, back to the present moment, I have decided to start work on Monday 1^st of March 2021 and hopefully get started back with life. I can say, we got the antibodies and are protected atleast for a few months.