- a) The Symptoms…
The more you read about the virus, you tend to feel that you possess all those symptoms in you. I always promised myself to stay away from the news. Yet the Digital Goa messages and of course Goa News Hub that keeps you updated as to all these figures whether you like it or not. And there WhatsApp forwards in groups as regards possible symptoms that keep on hitting you.
Amidst all this, I had developed cold and mild fever. My wife was particularly disturbed with my cold and had advised me to be in isolation and stopped me from going out. This was on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday my cold had subsided but I was getting a stream of temperature for an hour or so which would disappear the moment I had Crocin. The cold and temperature phenomenon continued through Thursday but the impact on me was pretty negligible and in fact, I was nearly 85/90 per cent of my usual self.
To starve the cold, antibiotics were started and my wife advised me a scan and a blood test. The scan was pretty normal but the blood report was indicative of some viral infection. To rule out the possibility I did the RTPCR test rather the swab test. This test was in the sequel to the Antigen test which was negative.
- b) THE Test and the wait ..
The test was done and I had already been in a Self-quarantine mode. Post the test, I had to wait for a day to know “the positive news that I am Negative “ or the “negative news that I am Positive”.
Between the possibility of being positive and negative, the wait was killing. In fact on the day the reports were supposed to come, I was almost 100 per cent of my usual self, the antibiotics had their effect on cold and the temperature had normalized.
But the wait for the reports was taking a toll on me. Psychologically you just want to know whether your positive or negative, the hanging sword of uncertainty in fact sets the cats among the pigeons. The day was horrifying with butterflies in the stomach and the instances of feeling the cold feet.
At the stroke of 8 pm, I knew I was positive, which came as a relief to an extent from the uncertainty surrounding the treatment to be administered to me and at the same time, it added to the tension and also a question mark with me testing positive, as to whether remaining family members had been infected or not. Their tests were immediately done and the results were negative the following day.
What most enterprising was that by the time my test results had come, I was feeling back to normal except for the anxiety and stress of waiting for the results.
C)Isolation and Protocols .
The moment the reports flashed, I was flooded with getting well soon messages and calls advising all kinds of treatments to fight the virus. Isolation is indeed very cumbersome and mentally taxing. Yet the family and friends help you marginalize the impact of isolation.
My wife Dr Jaya has been my pillar of strength in these times, just reinstates the importance of having a doctor in the family. My mother and my daughter’s contact with the outer world was cut off.
There are battles within the battles. The Anti Virus Tab FabiFlu and the antibiotics give their share of nauseating feeling. The FabiFlu tab makes an introductory dose of 18 tablets in 2 doses for day 1 and followed by 8 tabs a day (in 2 doses )for the next 7 days. Also, you have the Vitamin A, D and C, plus Zicovit tab and antibiotics. This was on the platter for 7 days. The dose was designed to make the virus vulnerable at the threshold.
All this was when I was nearly 100 per cent of my usual self. By day 4, I was my usual self with even the nauseating feeling excruciating from the tabs having vanished. Yet the protocols have to be followed with all prudence.
As far as the Government agencies go, the Health Department did their routines for a couple of days including some meticulous questions as to where did I pay the house tax, was it in CCP or the Panchyat ? and whether I had paid up to date? .Answering these questions was just kind solace of entertainment as one looks at it, in these tiring times.
But in all what was utterly disappointing is the farce by Indian Medical Association. This association creates a lot of publicity to suggest that how well they are collaborating with the Government to deal with COVID situation. In my case, a Doctor appointed by the IMA called me the first day to say that he will be monitoring my health by calling me every day and will be in touch through WhatsApp too. That was the last I heard from him. It has been 13 days the Doctor has gone in isolation and there has been a sign of him.
Imagine the plight of the people who need a Doctor to speak which comforts them. I just hope that it was just in my case that this happened and the rest of the cases they have been doing things for which they take all the public mileage.
d) Coming to the End of the Ordeal of Isolation….
It’s been 14 days since I have tested positive and looking back at these days there have been lessons to be learnt. Adjustment in the circumstances even though comforts of home are thousand times better than the hospitals, yet living a room with a limited area to move about is at times little depressing. Isolation tests the patience to the core and of course restraint to mingle around with your near and dear ones. Isolation has been indeed a learning experience.
But life would have been miserable if not for family and friends who have been kind enough in attending my calls or calling me. I think people around you help you to fight any eventuality. Then there family friends cum doctors namely Dr.Sunanda Amonkar, Dr.Chitralekha Nayak, Dr.Nazareth my cousin Dr.Umesh Kamat who together with my wife Dr. Jaya stitched a proper treatment.
COVID 19 is not that casual as it seems to be in this blog at the same time you can’t allow it to effect your system .Importantly it is a psychological battle which demands a very pragmatic approach.
This battle against Covid-19 to summarize is ultimately a dog fight and the one who wilts first loses the battle. Let’s be safe and let’s maintain safety protocols till vaccine arrives. We need to understand that possibly everyone will be infected, just that we should not allow the panic to set in, which is most crucial in this fight against the virus. As and when the virus does enter the body, it is ultimately upon self as to whether you allow it to dominate your mind and body or show the virus its right place.
Importantly the key is to remain Positive from all the negativity around.
