My COVID Story: I cried on testing COVID positive for putting my children at risk

Having battled COVID, Priya Prasad feels that it is your physical and mental strength that ultimately helps you recover from the illness. She did have her weak moments, but the love and support of her family and friends kept her going.

How does life feel, when you get to know that you have been diagnosed with the most dreaded C of the year? No it’s not cancer, it’s the latest C – nCOVID-19!

While working from home, I had been taking all precautions, considering both my sons have bronchitis. My husband was posted in North-East and he couldn’t make it home before lockdown. In May, the moment home-deliveries started, I stopped stepping out considering the safety of children. Life was going on peacefully, managing work, online classes and deliveries at home, cooking all homemade delicacies. I took utmost care of our health by eating healthy, working on our immunity since I was getting quite frequent bouts of cold for last 3 months.

Even after taking so much precautions and not stepping out for 3 weeks, I had fever for 3 days with severe cold in the second week of June. I thought it’s another bout of cold. I complained of fatigue, exhaustion but I kept dragging myself. I got alert when I realised that I’ve lost my sense of smell and taste… And fever relapsed. I finally got myself tested and at 12 in the night I got an SMS just before going to sleep… Yes, I tested positive! I couldn’t gauge the signals for so long; had cooked and stayed with my kids. Honestly, I cried, I cried not for the fear of corona but for not being able to protect my children, putting them at risk!

Next morning I called up my elder son to wake him up and explained the situation. And the way he managed the situation is commendable! I called my house-help and requested her to take care of kids till the time my husband flies down, she was equally kind and supportive. My manager and colleagues at work extended all possible support. I packed my bag, explained process of sanitization to my elder son, managed multiple calls and called the ambulance, immediately shifted to hospital.

Next fear was for the kids and my help. Incidentally both my elder son and help tested negative but my younger son who is 10 YO tested positive. It was a very painful experience and feeling! We got him moved to the hospital. The brave boy was put in an ambulance alone and sent to the hospital. My husband had travelled hence was in home quarantine so we had no choice. The moment he reached hospital and doctor asked me is the boy running around with a Batman bag is your child, I had tears in my eyes.

We both recovered well in the hospital and we got discharged in 7 days. I didn’t require IV or oxygen support and was only put on oral medication & injections. We were quarantined for a week at home with absolute isolation. Here’s my few takeaways from this experience:

– Coronavirus is threatening but it’s your physical and mental strength which takes you out of it.

– Be strong, exercise regularly, drink lots of hot water, keep your body hydrated.

– Have Vit C supplements, turmeric milk & kadha. These things do help in building up the immunity.

– Have home-made food, I guess my focusing on having healthy food, helped me fight the virus.

– Have a good set of friends who are always there with you. You need lots of mental and psychological support to sustain this. I did have many weak moments in that one week..

– Don’t ignore any health issue, even minor ones.

– Keep the details of your Mediclaim, hospitals etc handy. I had kept my Mediclaim ready the day I had fever.

– Increase protein supplements in your diet.

– Take ample rest, I slept through the day wondering how I managed through the previous weeks.

– Gratitude, be thankful to doctors, hospital staff, cleaning staff… They all have been so kind & caring to us during these trying times. Trust me they are like Gods.. Sweating in the PPE kits for 8-9 hours , they are bearing it all for us.

– Lastly, Count your Blessings!