BENGALURU: When she speaks, it’s soft — not just like someone who has a cold, or someone who has the flu, but someone wary of the world around her. Someone looking for answers. Someone eager to educate.
That’s because her husband, a techie, who tested positive for coronavirus is still being treated at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) and her entire family is now quarantined.
"The day my husband came from abroad, he had symptoms of flu but no fever. He developed fever the very next day. We ourselves called the health department officials and went to the hospital and got the tests done," explained the techie's wife to TNIE over a phone call.
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She says, the family has been strong. Not just physically battling the condition but also emotionally to battle some of the "untouchable" attitude displayed by neighbours and friends.
"We were looked at like untouchables. Though, I don't blame them for shutting doors, not coming forward to help, for not even stepping out on that day when the ambulance came to take my husband to the hospital, for those n number of calls made asking what happened? Etc it kind of feels wierd and hurtful. We are not used to this," she explained.
The only reason why she thought she should connect to the media she says is to tell people like her who have been on self quarantine or facing relatives who have shown positive to COVID-19, to be strong in mind.
"You might be put through several such tests but it's important to stay strong and never hesitate to take help from counselors. I was counseled by the psychologist the health department officials have provided for my husband at the RGICID," she says.
According to her, the health department, the BBMP and the hospital doctors, nurses and her husband's company has been extremely helpful and kind. "My husband is a pure vegetarian and the hospital permitted to send food. But it was a problem as we are all quarantined too as we are the primary contacts. His company, just on one request provided us a car and a driver to deliver the food," she added.
She explained that the food is now cooked in the house with utmost care and is kept with safety gloves on into the basket hung to the gate. The driver takes it in the company's car and hands it over to the nurses at the hospital.
She even appreciated the education department for making provisions for her daughter, who also is a primary contact, a II-PUC student to write her examinations.
She was reportedly told by her college to write the supplementary exams as it was risky to allow her. However, the state government later made provisions for her to take the exams. "I really call all these officials as 'GOD'. They helped my daughter write her exams. We are so glad," she said.
Her mother-in-law and her son who are apparently patients of asthma have been told to be careful and watch for symptoms when in quarantine.
However, so far none of them have turned symptomatic. Her husband whose fever refused to come down despite 10 days of treatment, from past two days has been able to sit up and the fever has come down to normal.
"He is being tested every three days and he will be discharged only after two consecutive tests turn negative. I am praying for his speedy recovery." she said.