BHOPAL: He is 85 and a cancer patient. He is also anaemic, had undergone carotid artery surgery and suffered a stroke in the past. But the Indore-based practising general physician managed to defeat the dreaded coronavirus — which poses a far greater risk to the elderly and those with co-morbidity — with sheer will power.
The doctor suddenly fell at his house around 20 days back. His brother, also a doctor in Ujjain, got him admitted to the R D Gardi Medical College Hospital there in the second week of April. The octogenarian possibly contracted the viral infection from any of the patients at his clinic in Indore. “He tested positive for Covid-19 and was detected with bilateral pneumonia (which affects both lungs), too.
He was already on prostate cancer medication and had undergone carotid artery surgery six months back after suffering stroke. He was also anaemic and had a major fracture in the left leg in the past, owing to which he limped while walking. All these co-morbid conditions further worsened his health when he was brought here,” said Dr Sudhir Gawarikar, RD Gardi Medical College. “Given his age and health condition, we weren’t very hopeful. But he was put on the treatment regimen approved by ICMR. Besides the antibiotics, he was also put on nutritional and vitamin supplements and oxygen support,” said Dr Gawarikar.
Much to the surprise of doctors, the patient started recovering. Six-seven days back, his oxygen support was removed and subsequently both his Covid-19 test reports came negative. “He will be shifted back to Indore following clearance,” said Dr Gawarikar.