Being Covid Positive, was like a death sentence to her.

The current year 2020 was a devastating year in recent times. Many lost their loved ones, many jobs and almost everyone lost the freedom to mingle with others or to step out of their cozy homes. Stepping out is no more freedom but is being done only if it’s urgent or essential to sustain life. But then every dark cloud has a silver lining , a cliche` quote, yet true .And in this pandemic phase there are stories that renders HOPE. One such story is of my friend Tina Acharya, who is a blogger, a scorpion, an assertive soul who will share her covid journey with us to render hope amongst all fear that we are shrouded from. A story, where being Covid positive was like a death sentence . She pens her thought at www.tinakiduniya.com.

Sharing Tina’s dreadful yet inspiring journey and what life lessons did she learnt from this experience. Its an interview where she has shared her overall experience, tips to stay safe , her treatment and most importantly the life lesson that she learnt from this experience.

The interview with my friend Tina.

Here, I shoot the first question.

When did you realize that you are Covid positive? And why you thought being Covid positive was like a death sentence.

It was during Lord Ganesha Chaturthi day. My husband got body ache & fever, not too high though. Initially we felt it could be just viral. But after 3-4 days as it didn’t recede, we decided to go for test. I think that was one of the BEST THINGS we did. However, to our utter dismay both I & hubby tested positive in the rapid test itself, I was asymptomatic though. Then immediately we tested our son. His rapid test was negative. His swab was taken for the RT PCR whose result comes after 48hrs. After two day his results came Positive. He was too Asymptomatic.

What was your immediate reaction or response that moment when you felt that you are Corona Positive? Scared or Composed?

Devi, I would lie if I say I wasn’t petrified, nervous or scared hearing the report. . A chill run down my spine immediately. BEING COVID POSITIVE sounds like a death sentence. The entire atmosphere has become very scary and fearful of this word. It felt like as if the ground slipped under my feet. Testing Positive for Covid itself makes you numb from inside. And then the thundering add-on words came from the doctor, “10 Days Mandatory Institutional Quarantine.” It is a norm in NAVI MUMBAI. It was no less than a pronounced verdict that sends you to a hell…as we had imagined.
There were two things that I was worried about.
One…how our son was going to manage without us at home for 10 days in case his RT PCR report comes negative too.
And second, what’s going to happen with us. We were clueless. We tried for beds at Fortis Hospital, Vashi but no-bed was available.

How long did you take to recover??

Finally, we were admitted into CIDCO Covid Hospital, Vashi. Thankfully, the hospital is well equipped, well maintained. The doctors, nurses and housekeeping staffs are humble and supportive. Utmost care is taken for cleanliness and sanitization. It took around 10 days to recover ourselves. My hubby had symptoms. But 10days is enough if you have mild symptoms or asymptomatic to get rid of the virus.

Could you please share the treatment that you and your family underwent?

AS MEDICATION
We were given Anti-biotics for the first five days,
Twice Lim (Vitamin Chewable tablets) and Multivitamin tablets once a day for entire 10days
Our oxygen levels were regularly checked at least 4 times a day. Since the husband had developed a mild infection in the lungs too, he was given HCQ tablets after X-Ray & ECG was done.
Normal food was served to us as per our food habit, veg or non-veg.
We were asked to do gargling & drink Warm water only. That’s it.

What’s your piece of advice for the others?

Every journey serves you with some insights…right. Let me tell you what the things that I learnt from this entire episode.

Corona AFFECTS EVERYONE EQUALLY, but EVERYONE DOES NOT GET EQUALLY AFFECTED. Because everybody is different and unique so also their Immune System.

After talking to the qualified doctor there, I understood that along with PRECAUTIONS we should also be PREPARED – mentally to be precise- in case we got it in us.

Can You elaborate it in detail?

By Precautions, I mean that you Play Safe. That includes
• Wearing Mask Properly.
• Wash Your Hands or use Sanitiser as consciously as possible.
• Avoiding going to crowded places and maintain social distancing
• In case you must go out, make sure when you come back home you change clothes immediately and wash with warm water
• Make three times gargling a part of your routine
• Drink warm water

And Preparation helps you if you lost it somewhere.
As the doctor told me, “It is just takes a couple of seconds for the coronavirus to enter your body no matter what precautions you have taken…all through” It’s just a matter of “Few Seconds” So it is very important to be better prepared for it.

• First, Be mentally prepared. Getting quarantined, institutionally or at home is certainly not the end of the world
• Second, Look at the brighter side of things. Around 80% people are either asymptomatic or mildly affected/infected by this virus. This is the REALITY no matter what depressing statistics are given by the governments,
• As we know there is no medicine for covid19 so BOOSTING IMMUNITY IS THE KEY to deal with it.
• Make vitamin C a part of your daily intake. People often ignore this even if they know but keeping your body alkaline is not only a necessary way to protect your body from the virus but also it helps neutralize the effect of it in case you get infected.
• Follow everything that works for your body to boost up your immune system. Like turmeric milk, tulsi, amla, kadha…whatever works.
• Take your family doctor’s advice, if can take multivitamin tablets or not. It works if it suits you and doctor is the best person to advice.
And then I would suggest PLEASE TEST YOURSELF if you have symptoms.
If you have some symptoms, go and test because it can be lethal if the whole process is delayed and treatment is started late. Mostly CORONA makes you serious if you DELAY TESTING & identified late. Also, if you don’t test even if you have symptoms, then you really become a Potential Spreader risking people around. Moreover, even if one tests positive for the virus, it will pass over within 7 to 10 days at the most…avers Dr Vishwas Pai, ENT surgeon who recovered after being Covid Positive. In fact I have also seen, even 75+yr, 80+ yrs old men/women getting healed and go to their home during my 10 days stay at hospital. EARLY DETECTION is the key…. This is what the doctors told me there no matter whatever condition your health is in.

Any life lesson learnt from this experience which was bit scary?

When we got to know we were positive, the consulting doctor told us that, that morning two people had lost their lives who were like us. Asymptomatic or symptomatic, there is an equal chance that it could be fatal as the Virus is very unpredictable. That was bit scary especially when we didn’t know where we were heading for treatment.

However, From the entire episode what I learnt was we should BE PRACTICAL but Not FEARFUL.
Although Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes) appear to be more vulnerable and it can make some people very ill but for most people COVID-19 causes only mild illness. More rarely, the disease can be fatal. So why to fear then??
Ever since this virus has come to existence it has successfully gripped the mind with intense fear. Most of the times the fear takes a toll bigger than Corona itself. It seems as if its Reality has become a Shadow Of it…Longer than the Actual Size of it. I feel so.
So Take all CARE but Don’t SCARE!!! The Virus is indeed EERIE but not that SCARY what it appears to be. And for me, I am in a state as Louisa May Alcott quotes, “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”

Your last word from this experience.

STAY POSITIVE (no pun intended)
No matter how dangerous the word “Positive” sounds these days. it is only ‘positivity’ that helps a person fight corona virus.
It’s Okay to be COVID POSITIVE!! BE POSITIVE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE FINE SOON…Trust Me!!!

You can also read :

Immunity-Boosting Vitamin Supplements that can protect you from Covid- 19.

What you should know if you are pregnant during Covid time