My Covid Diary

 My parents are finally home, after a week in hospital. Yesterday, there was some talk about discharging them soon, so the night nurse came to say goodbye. She hugged my mom, patted my dad on his cheek and asked them if they will forget her.  "Will we ever forget you", responded by mom, who knew everything about this kind nurse, her huge family, and her precocious three-year-old.  The nurses were kind and friendly, and not just to my parents. They were patient even with the difficult old lady who screamed and refused to eat, and the 40-something-year old who sobbed piteously into her mask. My parents will remember them forever, even though they will be unrecognisable without their PPE gear. The doctors were no different. They were upfront about treatment, and open to questions. One had even waltzed in, to joyously tell them that they were ready to leave. My parents were "uncle" and "aunty" to all, and the nurses said they prayed for their recovery. What a ...

 I love diaries! I never know what I may write in them, but I always enjoy getting one. This year, long before Covid took over our lives, I was handed a beautiful big diary. I flipped through its pages like an excited child, wondering what I would fill it up with. "Maybe your recipe book needs an upgrade", suggested one of the boys. "Write your book", suggested another. I merely ran my hands over it, and kept it aside. Some day I would use it for something important.  That beautiful diary is now being used on a daily basis. It began with me listing down all our medicines. The children have their cough syrups, antibiotics, zinc and vitamin C, in different proportions, at different times. I had a different set of medicines. So I began writing it in my diary. Then I began keeping a record of our oxygen saturation levels, pulse readings and temperatures. I did this 4 or 5 times a day. I wrote the date on top, the times when it was taken, and each of our readings. So whe...

After our Covid test, I was sure I would test positive. I had been looking after my parents when they were ill, and despite sanitizing, I was also ill briefly. Nonetheless, I hoped and prayed that the children would test negative. So when the children and I tested positive, I wept! The husband was exasperated, mostly because he was exhausted from all the running around he had been doing. "You knew you would test positive. This isn't a surprise. Why are you crying"? "I am crying because the children are positive too", I yelled back, still sobbing.  "Don't upset the kids", he urged me, but the kids were smiling. My 8-year-old said, "why are you sad? Now noone can separate us." The 12-year-old said, "Atleast our symptoms are minor. Even if we have to go to hospital, we will ask for that room with three beds." I was overwhelmed by how wise and calm  they seemed. Just then the husband added, "I should be the one crying. I tested...

 Ever since we got our reports, we've been basking in the love and support of all our loved ones. Everyone has been trying to help, and we couldn't be more thankful. I feel blessed as everyone cares and has the best intentions. Nonetheless there were a few, who despite having the best intentions proved to be far from helpful. So I thought I would put together a list, to guide anyone who has a friend or family member in quarantine! 1. Don't call me and cry.  I know you are upset that all of us caught the virus, but between forcing the kids to drink glasses of water, and finishing up all that broccoli, I may not have the time to console you. I love you for being so emotional, but I don't want to dwell on what may have happened, and upset myself either. 🥰 2. Don't call us to discuss what we did wrong and if our immunity was too low. I don't have the answers, and at the moment I am only focussing on getting better. I am nebulizing the kids, giving them medicines an...

 I decided to sleep late today, but every time the phone beeped, I checked to see if it was my mom. Maybe she had some news about my father's treatment. It was mostly just well meaning neighbors checking on us.  Everyone wanted to help. I gulped down a tear, as I thanked everyone for their kindness. Some offered food, while others promised to run errands for us. One even offered to send across drawing sheets to keep my younger one busy. How kind they were!  I responded to these messages, before deciding to sleep for another hour. I heard my cousin's voice in my head, urging me to rest a lot. Now that the kids and I were positive, we needed to fight the Covid. By the time I woke up, the husband was already on the phone. The government was calling to notify us of our newfound status, and ask about our symptoms. The local healthcare officer also called.  As we were only nursing mild coughs, it was decided that we could quarantine at home. I wanted some semblance of norm...

 So, my greatest fear came true a few days ago. My parents who are both in their 70s tested positive. It began with a fever and cough, but we weren't too worried as we had taken paranoia to an extreme. We hadn't stepped out in 6 months. We had stopped the maids who helped us. (Thank God for the greatest invention of this century; the dish washer). We also left groceries in the car for a couple of days, before sanitizing and bringing them in. Even our contact with the outside world was limited to phone calls, whatsapp and Facebook. So it seemed unlikely that this was anything but the flu. We began antibiotics for my father who was ill first, and he felt better almost immediately. Then my mom got sick. Her fever was high, and her oxygen levels were fluctuating. So, at one point when I found it to be as low as 85, I immediately downloaded the "Apthamithra" app, and called the helpline. I was told I could call for an ambulance if the patient was displaying signs of being ...