My Covid Story
Tej Pratap Narayan
About the author :(The writer is a well known name of Hindi literature .There are several books of poetry ,short stories and Novel to his credit .He has received many prestigious awards such as Prem Chand Award for his story book ,Kitne Rang Zindagi Ke and Maithili Sharan Gupt Award for his poetry book Apne Apne Everest by Govt of India ,Sahitya Gaurav Samman by Defender Magazine ,Akshar Samman by Purwaiya and Literary Excellence Award by Bharat Nirman Sanstha)
In this article ,he shares his experiences about Covid .
(My Covid Story )
I wanted to write this post in Hindi for more clarity, however due to technical reasons of unavailability of Hindi fonts on my device, it is not possible to write in Hindi, the language I love the most.
Sometimes nature also indicates that something unusual is going to happen. Similar thing happened with me, on 23rd of April my mobile set stopped working suddenly, luckily, I took my charger to office, I connected my mobile with the charger and it started working again. I don’t know whether there can be any relation between a device not working and my health condition, it may be just a coincidence. I’m writing this post from an old device which I used as a standby.
On 22nd night, I was very much concerned about the health of my nephew who has been working in a district of Eastern UP and staying alone in a rented flat. He was running fever for the last one week. He was taking Dolo but no benefit. I consulted one of my Dr. Friend of KGMC who prescribed medicines as per Covid-19 protocol. My Dr. Friend was also kind enough to talk to my nephew and gave necessary instructions. My Nephew underwent Rapid Antigen test done which came negative.
However, considering his fever and dry cough we were pretty sure that it is nothing but Covid. I kept telling my nephew to just relax but it is easier said than done. When someone’s running fever of 102 degrees shots up to 104 and there is no one around who can take care, in case of emergency, then how one can relax? Still, I kept talking to him and tried to comfort him by asking him not to worry and told him that the Fever will subside. He kept on taking kadha, did steam inhalation and gargles with haldi and iodised salt. My Dr. Friend was also in continuous touch with him and kept counselling him. In such a situation hope and patience are the only two pillars on which life rests. I was very hopeful that he will improve and defeat the Covid. I continuously gave him energy of hope and courage.
Somehow the night of Thursday i.e., 22 nd April passed but I could not sleep properly and it disturbed my morning routine of study and exercise. There was heaviness in my head and also tiredness. I thought it may be because of sleeplessness.
Meanwhile my nephew got his RTPCR Test done and also bought an oximeter. He got his oxygen saturation level checked on a medical shop which was 94, if I can remember correctly. When he came back to his flat, the saturation fell to 72. I couldn’t believe that and told him not to worry. I told him that there might be some issues in the device and advised him to lie down in Proning position. He kept lying in the Proning position for more than half an hour and it improved his oxygen saturation level to 94-95. I told him to keep doing the Proning exercise after certain intervals, It really helped him. Meanwhile arrangements were being made to bring him back to our native place and on 23rd may itself, he was brought back with all precautions. Family members who went to bring him back ensured complete isolation of him. It was very important to contain the virus and not allow it to spread it further.
His fever was not getting down, there was breathlessness also during coughing but he kept doing breathing exercises in the morning and evening. He also kept doing the Proning exercise. I feel this must have allowed him to maintain better saturation level, the key to improvement.
But it was worrisome that dry cough and fever both persisted till 10th day. We thought to make arrangements for oxygen etc. and spoke to related people but situation was grim, no oxygen was available which could be arranged for home isolation.
The issue was discussed again with Dr. Friend of KGMC and he prescribed new drugs which was not available in the local medical shops. Luckily one of my friend working in CDRI came to know about this problem and he suggested the following drugs
TAB. Muceder 600 OD 5DAYS
Syp. Grilinctus blue packing 2tsf TDS
Luckily, we got these drugs and it did miracle. His fever went down and there was relief in dry cough also. Chest X-Ray was done and it appeared fine.
My nephew has been recovering well since then and there is no issue except weakness. We kept waiting for his RTPCR result which was done on 23rd April and result came after 6 days perhaps on expected lines, when he almost recovered. After the RTPCR result he started getting calls from Covid Help line but by then it didn’t had any significance as the bad phase when assistance was required already passed.
Now coming to my story, it began on 23rd April itself. As I mentioned above that there was tiredness and slight headache since morning and I thought it is because of what happened in night. So, I went to office but there was uneasiness and mobile episode also happened further. By afternoon it appeared that somebody has started biting my backbones. There was shifting pain from top to bottom. I also felt feverish which was also accompanied by mild headache.
However, no thought crossed my mind that I might have caught Covid infection. Since last one year I have been so alert and cautious and took extreme precautions that included self-sanitising my table, chair, sofa, computer key board, mouse etc on daily basis. The exhaust fan was always kept On while I was in chamber. In the evenings after coming back from office, I regularly took bath irrespective of season and also did steam inhalation. Since month of April,21 I started wearing two masks to rule out any possibility of infection. These precautions gave me confidence that I will not catch covid infection.
On 23rd evening, I came back from office and took bath but I put mask afterwards as there was this thought in the back of mind that this may be Covid also. I informed my problem to my wife and asked her to give gentle massage on my back. As already mentioned, it appeared that something was biting me so in order to massage when she touched my back, she said that you are having high fever. I measured the temperature and it was 100 plus fever.
Immediately I decided to isolate myself. I already had put the mask. Necessary arrangements were made to isolate myself. Meanwhile I informed to one of my senior at RB who is like elder brother to me. He was surprised and said, “Tum Bhi”. I explained him about the things happened on the previous night.
DAY1: I still had confidence that it was not covid but only a normal fever. I took 500 Mg PCM and fever got down. But backache contunied. My wife suggested to do two yoga exercises which were Baby pose and snake pose for few minutes. I did it for few minutes and it really reduced the intensity of pain. For headache I tried breathing exercises and pranayama which helped.
As a precautionary measure I was already taking following medicines as recommended by one of my Dr Friend-
Ivermectin: 1st day,7th day and 30th day 2 hrs after evening meals
Vitamin D3 Oral solution: first, second and third week
Zinc: OD for 10 days
Vitamin C, 500mg for 10 days,tds
More than a week had passed taking above prescribed medicines before I got infection.
Day2: I was having high fever. I took 500 Mg PCM. Fever subsided again. I got RTPCR done. Vitamin C and Zinc tablets were continued.
Day 3, Day 4: Fever would come and go. PCM was continued. RTPCR report still awaited. On Day 4, there was RTPCR Test camp in my office. I thought I may get result early and I got it done once again.
However, day 4th i.e., 26th evening, RTPCR report was downloaded and I was COVID-19 positive with CT Value of 15. I consulted Doctor and it was told that low CT value means high viral load and very infectious one. This increased my concern.
Doctor advised me to follow Covid protocol
Ivermectin: OD,1st,2nd and 3rd day, 2 hrs after dinner
Azo: OD for three days
Vitamin C: 500 Mg, tds for 10 days
Zinc: OD for 10 days
Doxy: BD from 4th day onwards up till 10th day
For these medicines my first day was to be when report came i.e., 26th of April.
After seeing the report I felt a bit panic as there was and is so much negativity in the air as far as covid infection is concerned. But there was no option. I had to face the brute. I called my senior at RB and informed about the report. He said, “Don’t worry ,this strain is different than earlier one so we have to tackle it differently”.
He advised me to get following tests done immediately-
- IL6
- DDIMER
- HSCRP
- HBA1C
He also sent me a chart (excel sheet) in which pulse, saturation, temperature and blood pressure data was to be filled up and sent it back to him for further follow up.
He also advised following medicines-
1a) Tab Predmet 8 mg: 2 tab once daily after breakfast and 1 tab after Lunch for 5 days, after 5 days decrease lunch dose by 2 mg every alternate day till you reach 8 mg only for breakfast
1b) Tab Predmet 8 mg: 1 tab once daily for 3 days, decrease by 2 mg every alternate day till you reach 4 mg
1C) Tab Predmet 4 mg: 1 tab once daily for 3 days, decrease by 2 mg every alternate day till you stop
2) Limcee 500 mg is Vitamin C: one tab twice daily
3) Tab Pan D: 1 tab daily at 8 AM
4) IL 6, D-Dimer and HSCRP, HBAIC every third day
6) MDI Budecort/Foracort inhaler 400 mcg: 2 puff twice daily through Zerostat VT spacer
Wash your mouth each time you take inhaler
7) MDI Levolin inhaler 50 mcg: 2 puff 4 times daily through Zerostat VT spacer.
Day 5th: I got blood test done at Lal path which is around 1km away from my house. I Walked up to lab and came back also without any tiredness. I even climbed up the stairs up to seventh floor to my house. It was a kind of endurance test for me. While coming back from Lal Path I got both inhalers from medicine store and started using it. The idea of using inhalers might be to ensure functioning of lungs properly and to reduce the inflammation.
In fact, use of inhalers coupled with pranayama might have really helped in maintaining saturation. The pranayamas namely Kapal Bhati, Anulom vilom, Bhramari and Ujjayi which I have been practising since many years, has helped in controlling my thoughts also.
Day 6: Reports came after a day thanks to Lalpath and reports were more or less OK. IL6 and CrP values were slightly out of range. I sent report to my senior as well my Dr Friend of KGMC and other Dr Friend at SGPGI. Dr Friend of PGI Lucknow also suggested the same medicines as prescribed by my senior. Second RTPCR report also came on 6th day in which CT value was improved and reached 21 which was morale boosting in the sense that it indicated that viral load has reduced and things are working towards my recovery side.
Day 7: Till 7th day , fever was not getting controlled. When PCM was taken it would go and then again it would reappear. 7th onwards I started Predmet 8 mg after breakfast and after lunch. It had magical effect and fever ran away.
Day 8, 9 and 10: I kept observing my fever and saturation continuously. There were moments of anxiety when oxymeter malfunctioned and showed low saturation level. I would again measure it and get relaxed when I find it OK. Temperature did not rise for continuous three days and it gave a big relief.
Path of recovery: In the retrospective I realise that fight with covid is primarily mental one. With so much coverage of media, fear of covid has gone into our mind. Therefore, in order to manage and fight this disease following needs to be done
a. Mind management
b. Diet management
c. Medicine management
First two types of management are in our own hand(patient and family) while third one is obviously in the hand of Doctors.
Mind management:
I. Staying positive in mind that I will certainly fight back
II. Self talking or auto suggestion in the moments of doubts and anxiety. Keep telling yourself that you are improving. Infection is going down and you will be the winner ultimately.
III. Stop watching news channel and cut off from social media. News are prime source of anxiety and stress. It is said that anxiety coupled with panicking may also reduce saturation level by 5 to 10 percent. During covid period try to enjoy your interest in movies, song, dance, ghazal, folk songs etc or whatever you like that can be done in the home isolation. If u could avoid watching news etc. your recovery will enhance. Also it will help you stay mentally strong.
IV. If you are not able to sleep, try to observe your breath. Try to watch yourself more often and
focus on areas where you sense some kind of discomfort. Tell yourself that, that portion of body is getting relaxed
V. Try to see yourself as being done in Vipashyana Technique. Without any effort, as an observer, observe yourself.
VI. PRANAYAMAS like Kapal Bhati, Anulom vilom, Bhramari and Ujjayi will also help regain your mental strength along with maintaining saturation level. I regularly did it in the morning and evening.
VII. Family support is very important for mind management. My entire family stood behind me like a solid rock. My wife remained the pillar of great support and didn’t panick My elder brothers, Sister in laws and every member of my family supported and kept motivating me. Many of my friends from literature field and from social circles kept talking to me and were in constant touch.
Diet Management: Maintaining a very healthy diet will help in fighting with infection and early recovery. One can consult a dietician also. As far as I’m concerned, my day would start with a glass of lemon water followed by dry fruits and fruit (Papaya or pomegranate etc). After having this, for breakfast I generally used to have fibre rich diet like oats, chila etc. Between 12.30 to 1.00 p.m I would again have fruits like water melon etc., then have lunch at around 2.00 p.m. In the evening 6.30 or so I would have lemon grass with dry fruits and sometimes coconut water also followed by dinner and finally Turmeric milk after a certain interval. Proper diet, perhaps helped to stay strong physically.
Medicine management as per the advice of your doctor.
In my case 7th day was last day when high temperature ran. More than 3 days it didn’t appear, then Doctor advised to get the blood test done again. I again got following tests done on 10th day
CRP
IL6
CBC
FERRITIN
D DIMER
Kudos to efficiency of Lal path as Reports were ready same day though I was told that two days may be needed for that. It was a satisfactory report. All parameters were in range.
It was advised to tapper down the Predmet dose and finally stop it.
Things are fine finally except some weakness which will go with time
Please take the disease very very seriously ,but don’t get panick .Just relax and start the medicine as advised by your Doctor .Diet management as well mind management is equally important. Just focus on life ,forget everything else .Thoughts affect our mind ,body and immune system very strongly. It changes the destiny of our life .Fill your mind with powerful life saving thoughts.
Don’t forget to get your house deeply sanitised .I got it done on last day of isolation. The sanitisation company claims that the house gets protected for 90 days .One can contact the Sanitisation,coordinator of the company on 9717495206. In my case germ level of my house before sanitisation was 486 which reduced to 40 post sanitisation .
One more thing which we need to take care that we should not use too much desi medicine like kadha etc .One of my staff got jaunadice after covid that may be because excess use of many such things .
With positive vibrations to everyone.
