Video Calls, Painting, Helpful Staff — Here’s My COVID-19 Journey

Video Editor: Rahul Sanpui
Video Producer: Aliza Noor

We keep hearing about the daily increase in coronavirus cases being reported nationwide, but it is also important to listen to COVID-19 survivors for how to deal with the virus – from analysing your symptoms to getting tested, and doing everything you can to keep you and your family.

Here’s how my story began. I tested positive on 22 June and on 23 June, I went and admitted myself. My symptoms were primarily loss of taste and smell. I had acute diarrhoea also.

I told my mother about losing taste and smell, and she recommended I take mustard oil with salt. I spoke to my doctor who gave me some medicines but I kept getting dehydrated because I developed an oral infection.

I mostly stayed home, isolated myself, took precautions and ate in paper plates. It was a Monday morning when I got myself tested. On that night, I got my report which stated I am COVID-19 positive.

When my test results came, there was slight panic at night. I spoke to my friend about it as well as my doctor, who told me there's nothing to panic. He asked me to check my oxygen level through an oximeter which is very important if you have COVID-19.

It is said that the level should not be below 94 percent for a duration of more than 15 minutes. My oxygen level was fine.

From Video Calls to Painting, How I kept Myself Occupied

After having experienced extreme dehydration, I got myself admitted to a private hospital.

There, I used to wait for the nurses to come because they were my only mummy interaction, they looked like a mummy to me. The staff also told me there is a per-PPE Kit charge every time the nurses came to see me.

Apart from that, what pissed me off was people asked me, 'Was I lonely in the hospital? do I feel depressed?' Honestly, I hated these questions. People putting it on my head, like, 'Oh you must have become so alone.'

No, I did not feel that. I had my phone with me. I called up my people, I was doing video calls. I was watching weddings on zoom call. I was playing ludo. I also ordered some paints and painting books. I started painting, I had a view to myself.

The other thing I looked forward to was my dietitian calling me because I knew what I would be getting for breakfast, lunch dinner, evening snacks.

I would keep telling her that “didi it has pained a lot today, I’ve been a good girl, please send me some good food.” So one day, I got Mexican rice and some sautéed vegetables, however, even then I had no taste or smell.

Became ‘Atmanirbhar’ & Discharged Myself

The funny bit is my discharge story. They told me to call my parents but my parents could not come because they were in quarantine too, and by that time my parents had also been tested positive.

I realised that by staying in the hospital, I was actually handling my parent's medical condition, my own medical condition.

I went all ‘atmanirbhar’ and discharged myself. I understood my discharge formalities. I was supported by my parents financially.

When it comes to the hospital charges, contrary to what people are complaining about, I paid absolutely what was required and not pay anything extravagant.

Now, I am back home, my sense of taste and smell is gradually returning. I am living in the other house with my brother and it's absolutely fine, it's not been a bad journey after all.

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)