HYDERABAD: Since March 2020, when the pandemic entered India, it was never a question of ‘Will I get it’ but more ‘When might I get it’. Most clinicians like me, who do hospital rounds everyday carry that reality within themselves. On June 4, when I started to feel warm with a gritty throat, I paused and wondered. The next morning, after my work out, I felt drained and I declared a self-isolation. I cancelled my clinic appointments and when my wife returned that evening, we discussed what to do next.
I went through phases of low grade of fever and myalgia over the next 48 hours. On day four, it was confirmed that I was positive. I informed our housing association and they struck the right balance between community safety, individual dignity, and family needs. Our house door was barricaded from outside with a display to alert neighbours!
By now I was into the fourth day in the room, we had 12 days more days of isolation. How does the math work? If you are compliant with the law, I am to be isolated and my family will be quarantined for 14 days from June 8 which was day of testing up to June 22. Next step, implementing the plan. What were the parts of the 14-day experience? Mind, medical monitoring, self needs, and of course tackling our familys’ emotional roller coaster.
I got myself into a routine, fairly quickly. A chair next to a single-window in my room always gave me a feeling of seeing the world: I watched early morning walkers, kids playing shuttle and our apartment maintenance and housekeeping going out their jobs. Sashi Tharoor’s ‘Why I am a Hindu’ was a great read. My illness was mild with fever and body ache. I would sleep through these episodes with a Paracetamol which were mostly once a day. I did not experience many of the long list of symptoms, thankfully. The rest of the time in a day was between TV sitcoms and part of a movie.
Household part, washing your clothes, vessels, and the toilet was part of day’s chores. It kept you employed and tired you out but taught you to be self-sufficient. The best part of the was always the customary chat with family before I hit the bed at night by 10 30. The distance was three metres, but we could see each other. It was about European league football, the tormenting online learning etc. On June 10 , my wife and son testing negative was a huge relief.
The high point was that about my nutritious food that was dropped off on to my plate thrice a day: aligned with the food pyramid, served with love and sound infection control. By week two, fever subsided.
On a lighter side, sharing the story with my college and school friends in our social media triggered an avalanche of responses. Over the next two days, I was well enough to do take teleconsultations. June 22 was the day of release and the health department removed the barricade at midday.
It is an irony but I improved with hardly any voluntary effort. I rested and stayed isolated; my immune system treated me by doing the right amount and not over-reacting but equally important was the care with diligence, positivity that I was fortunate to receive at home from my wife and son. This was truly a blessing.
Take it easy, take it cool
— Dr. Suresh Sankar, Nephrologist and Senior VP Clinical Affairs, NephroPlus