On April 27, I got a fever and a runny nose. At first, I thought it might be the common cold as I was taking all the necessary Covid precautions. On the second day, I had an acute body ache with shivering and diarrhoea. This gave me the hint that something is wrong. The thought of getting Covid petrified me as I have a 23-monthold son. Yet I looked up the tests.
But it was a task to get tested as my identity cards carried the South Delhi I lived in before marriage. Presently living in Noida, I was asked to go for the tests to Delhi. Luckily, one of my close relatives associated with the medical fraternity helped me to get the Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and RTPCR test. The reports came positive, and I prepared myself mentally for the situation.
I quarantined myself, and on the fourth day, my temperature rose to 103 degrees, followed by loss of taste and smell, joint aches, vomiting and chills. I was asked to get CRP, CBC, KFT, LFT, IL6, D Dimer, S Widal & Urine R/M blood tests done, keep a check on my oxygen level every two hours, and take all medication on time. My situation worsened, and I started to feel like a fish out of the pond, struggling to breathe. I was advised hospitalisation, but I didn’t want that.
I was lucky to get an oxygen cylinder at the right time. Later, I was shifted to nebuliser and inhaler. Most unfortunate was I was attacked by pneumonia right after the 14-day isolation and my CRP rose from 13 to 38. It was so obnoxious that I could not sleep for five days. I was asked to eat as much as I could. I was mostly on fruits and homemade food. Apart from that, I used to drink normal water, coconut water, and watermelon juice was a must. Occasionally,
I took Haldi Doodh but avoided lemon, curd, and cold water. I completely regained my smell after 10 days of isolation and taste took almost a month. I am blessed that my family was very supportive. My husband and mother-in-law left no stone unturned, and my parents sent over meals till I completely recovered. I owe so much to my doctors Dr Alpana Meena and Dr Meeta Gupta, who helped me regain my physical and mental health. Describing the experience in one word,
I would say it was ‘horrifying’. But I put myself together by thinking positive, seeing pictures of my son, doing breathing techniques like anulom- vilom and kapalbhati, and listening to the ragas for enhancing my anhat and vishudh chakras. Even chanting om helped me keep my mind at peace. I completely refrained myself from attending any calls, and did not feel like watching any series or surfing social media.
It was just me, my inner soul, and mental peace. It took me almost two months to recover, because I am asthmatic. After coming out the first thing was Covid test and CRP to ensure my present condition. The joy of hugging my son was pure bliss.
Shruti ChaturLal is the Curator and Conceptualiser of Euphonic Yoga, and Artistic Director of Pandit Chatur Lal Festival
—As told to Nikita Sharma