C19 – A Consequential Experience

If u fall pray to this deadly virus ; do not panic find urself a quiet place, rest, laze, chill n enjoy the next 10 to 15 days towards puberty, a new life. A whole new world is there  waiting for you

So they say 

Getting diagnosed as c19 positive itself is an extremely tedious process in itself

From a reference, I called in a specialist to take my samples. He did wear a mask when he arrived . Immediately into action he put a swap up my nose and started talking about everything under the earth but showed  no intent on removing it … when reminded , with an ‘oh ho’ he pulled it out, charged us n disappeared

I was more than convinced by now that this gentleman  in his past had worked with  a dentist extensively … those are another set of creatures, I know, who wash  their utensils in other peoples mouth and keep asking personal questions 🤷 to enlighten the entire cleansing  experience  

In less than half n hour!!! I tested … NEGATIVE  

Since I wasn’t convinced, I checked on the process and in less than 20 min, I had multiple reports to choose from – all NEGATIVE [this is customer service my friend … never disappoint ) 

It all started on the afternoon of Holi night … I suddenly had found an excuse to step out of the house which i could not be denied from.

Merry that I was I drove for about 5 min into the town only  to realize I walked into a curfew … not even a dog’s soul  on the road leave aside a human… 

Never seen the surroundings so serene so peacefully so …so quiet so beautiful.  I pulled over under a big shady tree rolled down the windows and just took few deep breaths of clean fresh air … 

Few hours  later …. I tested POSITIVE to the  pandemic. I was a part of it now

Friend in Need

Now the word was out and people knew …
The  story of me testing positive was so lame n uneventful, most of my friends now disowned me to be one  

All they needed is some exciting  matter  to talk about in their social  circle and I couldn’t even provide that

Other unsocially distanced friends got together to put forward a Vaibhav Welfare Fund … we had 

• 2 patients 
• A go to guy 
• A go away from guy
• A welwisher 
• A caretaker 
• 3 cheerleaders in their 60s
• A sit on a chair do nothing guy 
• And a lot many preachers who knew it all 

The ones who really stepped ahead to help were not a part  of this group either

Vaccination

Like a few and thanks to our system efficiencies, I got an opportunity to get vaccinated a few weeks back. We friends got an appointment together just so that we have company to and from the Covid center 

We had only 2 criteria that we cared for; rest was all excusable; a cute nurse should give a shot and the center should be authentic 

Accessing the authenticity of center was easy … tables laid under the tree, fresh crow spat used as paper weight, all important documents flying all over 

Now finding the cute nurse… 

I picked up the 3rd…a Brother was my assistance for the next 5 min and the 30 min wait thereafter. When all was done we consulted the consulting doc with few queries we had 

• When is the next dose
• What are the aftereffects. Is impotency by and large one of it ?
• Will we go blind 
• Is  alcohol permitted 

Her immediate response was we could eat anything but alcohol, 3 to 5 days , not permitted. I had almost hugged the doctor before she had me thrown out of her hospital. 

Hospitalization

Later one night it was decided that I had to get admitted and that’s the best thing for me to do. This decision could not be made earlier in the day. Nevertheless 

Now at the hospital, I walk in with a duffel wearing shorts n sneakers, ask the receptionist at the emergency section to admit me in cz “I tested positive“. This is at 1230 in the morning.  Nobody was in the mood for any practical jokes.

It wasn’t  the hug  that got me thrown out earlier  I am sure she enjoyed that.  Apparently,  she did not like fact that I was thanking her to let us drink the  first 3 days and then restricting alcohols from the 3rd to 5th day. Does anyone see a sense in my analysis … any reason  to be so annoyed ? She said it herself, 3-5 days no alcohol

Once bitten twice shy I was careful this time Finally got down with my admission process. 

The moment had come come …. I was taking that step  across the line, leaving behind the healthy world n entering the world of Corona… it was like a man on mission and just then ABORT ….ABORT … ABORT … 

There was n unsolved debate between Mrs. Smith’s doctor in Dubai and Mrs. Smith’s doctor n thane and  My gynac; that needed to be addressed. Yes somebody referred me to a gynac as the best Covid doctor around. Men anyways don’t think straight; These are times when one does not think straight either 🙉

The gynac and the doctor in Dubai won…me, the  a c19 patient was hunting for a conveyance home at 0200 in the morning 

Rest relax laze ….were only words  I kept hearing from day 1

But my gynac was eventually wrong. Both Molly and I finally got admitted 2 days later under critical condition; got ourselves a honeymoon suite after all 

What I did not learn in the last 32 years of knowing my beloved partner in crime is what  I learnt in the 5 days together

• You cant suggest a woman what to do
• You cant ask her what to do
• You cant control YOUR woman
• And you should never try doing that too

In fact I recomend married couples never indulging in a activities together

They should never fall sick together. Don’t go on a drive together.  Going out for a dinner also lands up in the lady controlling what the man should eat or where or who he should letch on

Leave aside a honeymoon I say  they should just find different partners to get married too 🤷‍♂️

Recovery

Met chatur at the hospital .. I recognized him the first sight. 

These are the educated illiterate trying to make a presence in the world. They go by the book and they only know the book. Mr. encyclopedia would come prepared with all that he has to speak to his patients with this cheat sheet very well prepared. We caught on to the vibe quickly. For the “How are u patients doing today”… Molly responded “She even had glucose biscuits today “

I only wish I had enough words to Express how frustrated Mr . Chatur was not knowing how to respond to the situation

Our session started 14 min later from “She even had biscuit today” but by now we were hungry and waiting  on our breakfast … 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Routine

Each day was a routine. I m sure the doctors were also tired n bored of asking the same questions and hearing the the same answers.

They came up with innovative ideas to keep the patients enguaged . I am sure chatur was one of them

Molly and I were given a spectrometer and we were now competing. I think the toy was rigged, and it was rigged well. We lost all the money to the doctors and the medical staff to begin with and almost when I was mastering the art of success they changed rules on us.

A common issue I noticed across the medical system is the availability of adequate staff on rolls of the hospitals, unavailability of medicines, and availability of a simplified process to obtain them . Every bit is so complicated that the patient would never get the prescribed rest they deserve. The fear is so deep whether self induced or real, still unknown, people are refusing to work at the Covid hospitals even if they were paid twice as much…

Or people have now come to realize just like “Being Married Happily Ever After” is a myth; So is “Getting vaccinated n staying Corona free“

While there has been a positive recovery on our end; words cannot express enough on how to thank the those who helped us thru this phase, there are few I will definitely want to remember tonight

• The tough brother
• The caring sister
• The HR, they are the same any industry and any profession 😅
• The hygiene in charge
• Dr. Doctor
• Mrs. Dr. Doctor
• Chatur
• Fellow doctors and
• Fellow patients

Stay Safe …. Stay Healthy

Are are too