Our Journey To, Through & Return From Corona Infection! - Part 1

 

Prelude:

Covid-19 infections have played havoc in the lives of the citizens, with its vengeance unleashed in the ‘Second Wave’. A normal life that had been thrown out of gear since March 23^rd last year, continued to batter the public in general and poor/middle-class in particular. Many small businesses have gone under, never to recover from the onslaught of this pandemic.

Entrepreneurs of a different kind are skimming the already downtrodden public in various ways like hoarding of critical medicinal supplies, hospital beds, cremation of the Covid-19 victims, Ambulance journeys to and from hospitals, overcharging on the staples, etc., just to name a few.

Government can only do as much and much more needs to be done by us, as responsible citizens. While I blame the Government (with all its intelligent bureaucrats) that couldn’t foresee the possible second wave in the country, I blame ourselves; as common citizens of the country, for letting our guard down in the wake of climbing numbers and throwing caution to the wind. We became so complacent after the vaccine came out as if panacea has arrived and there will be no more Covid-19 in the country.

Let alone the second/third tier towns where there was no governance to enforce compulsory use of masks and physical (social) distancing, even in major towns/metros, the guard was let down resulting in what we are witnessing now.

This is pure lackadaisical attitude from all of us individually and collectively and paying price for the same, in a very sorry way, is just about justified for our aforesaid actions.

Journey:

I have been on field visits (part of my job and occupational hazard, to say the least) since 1^st of March and have been taking care of my physical hygiene, wearing masks and maintaining physical distances. On the job as well, we had been insisting on following all protocols needed and prescribed by the regulatory authorities.

It was the second weekend of April, 10^th the Saturday, to be precise and what a day it was! I was just returning from the 13^th day ceremony of my late uncle when I got the news that my step-aunt succumbed to the dreaded Covid-19, having battled for a couple of days and lost. It was possibly the day on which I first had a slight fever, towards the end of the day and didn’t bother much to go to the doctor. Just popped in a paracetamol tablet and just rested.

The next day, fever didn’t come down and my brother insisted me on consulting a doctor. I normally get fever due to dust (as I am allergic to it) and hence thought this was the same thing. The doctor gave me antihistamine and suggested not to take paracetamol as the drugs he prescribed will bring down the fever. All the while, fever was still mild and didn’t cross 101° F. Cough, I thought, related to my allergic reactions persisted. I had taken enough care to isolate myself to the best possible extent as I had my aged mother and a brother with co-morbidities.

Only when the fever never came down below 99.8° F despite the pills I kept popping, I thought it was time for action and got myself tested for Covid-19. Gave the samples for RT-PCR tests at the nearest PHC (Public Health Centre) on 15^th afternoon and was told that the results would take about 3 days due to severe pileup of backlogs.

In the meanwhile my brother; who stayed separately, also had contracted fever and throat irritation with severe cough, too had submitted his samples for the test at the same PHC on 16^th. He too had isolated himself from the rest of his family.

While we waited patiently for the test results to come, these were the most difficult days for both of us.

On the appointed day, I went to the PHC only to return emptyhanded as the result, they said, would take a day more. In a way, it was fine as I thought of collecting both our results the next day. However, till late that day, no results came through the normal channels and I was a bit worried. I insisted upon the officials at the PHC who were quite helpful in getting the results. Ironically, my brother's result was the first to come and he was tested POSITIVE for Covid. Officials out there were very kind in counseling me to advise my brother to stay calm and easy as Covid can be treated easily and then handed me a bundle of medicines to be given to my brother. I was pretty impressed by this gesture.

My result never came so long as I was there persisting the officials there, of the urgency. There were a few others as well, who had given their samples on the same day as I of which, there was a young girl who desperately wanted her result as she was embarking on the employment journey and the employer insisted on a Covid NEGATIVE certificate. The officials over there were kind-hearted to allow the girl for a RAT (Rapid Antigen Test), results of which could be known within tens of minutes. I huddled along with that young girl to get this test done and the officials obliged. This too was done and the RAT rattled out its result of my specimen as NEGATIVE.

Glad to note this, I came home and along with my other brother, started off to my brother’s house to hand over the medicines. By the time I returned home from his place, my results came over SMS and they had found the specimen given on 15^th for RT-PCR tests POSITIVE for Covid.

Then started the discussion amongst family members as to how the two of us can be contained and home quarantined. We finally concluded that my elderly mother and two of my brothers must shift to my other brother’s house and he should come over to our place. This would mean making a lot of adjustments in more ways than one.

He came to our place donning a la astronaut suit (PPE Kit) while he had his home sanitized. This done, my other family members left for his house. Food, we had agreed, would come from his place twice a day to start with and one of my other brothers would bring it at appointed times.

We started off on our identical medication, pronto! This would take us for 5 days in terms of dosages/medicines given.

In the meanwhile, during all this brouhaha, I lost my sense of smell and taste and this was all the conclusion needed by me to confirm that I am now undoubtedly, Covid POSITIVE.

 

To be continued….