A fun trip for a CT Scan and Brain MRI

Am back with another positive post about covid....so I was asked to repeat my CT scan and do a brain MRI as the fever and headache have been incessant for the last 18 days...

As recommended by my doctor I reach out to this person on whatsapp around 6:30pm and by 6:45, I'm driving out to this really neat place to do my lab work! 😀 and surprise this place is crowded, nooo that's not the surprise..  this place is full of people who are waiting in the lobby with very cheerful health workers! Yes that was the positive surprise!!

So these receptionists who are handing out waivers and other documentation for me to fill out are joking to the patients. This one particular patient who was wearing the full PPE suit was made to feel totally welcome, by just saying.. 'please don't stand in a corner and it's ok if you are covid positive, we are all in a fever clinic.'

I got the shock of my life when I was trying to do the payment and it didn't to through but all the receptionist had to say was - first finish your test and then pay! Was like all the media and whatsapp have been telling us about people fleecing during this pandemic and here she was trusting me to pay so I can get the tests done and leave! Was really glad about taking tests in the lab, and having met these girls who are determined to have a wonderful time and make sure each and every one of us feel special too! Again a big salute to all the health workers and a special one to this Prima lab on varthur road, respect...

Corona, Responsibility of...?

All of us are going through this phase of being angry, sad and even helpless... about the COVID situation around us! And each and every one of us have a very different way of handling and dealing with it..

Some blame the government, better infrastructure, better planning, of course who knows how things might have changed in the second wave?! Always there are ifs and buts...

Some go out there to help the COVID patients and their family handle this wretched journey, while some just stay at home and be safe...

But one thing is common, no one wants to take the blame upon themselves...

Have you ever seen parents blame themselves that they could have reduced numbers if they had NOT sent out their kids to play? I understand and I have kids bouncing off walls at home, but may be this time it would have been a better idea to keep the kids at home..

Have you seen educated people, shying away from taking tests or even worse, not sending their maids back home when they start having symptoms? It takes courage to face the positive test result, and of course more courage to let the maid go and share the household chores within the family.. but isn't it our social responsibility to do this? While this pandemic is going on, the most we can do is... stop the spread, especially among the lesser privileged folks?

So again ending on this high positive note - It really is in our hands to contribute, like drops of water into the ocean, by taking small baby steps to keep ourselves and our society safe. Stop the spreading with whatever it takes... We are much stronger and after all we come from the land of 'Karma-bhoomi' and its high time we all think of the actions we perform now, and how it is going to stack against our Karma..

Until we meet again, stay safe!

COVID - The great leveler

You need to excuse me on this post, it is NOT going to be as positive as I would like to be... it is going to be more real..

For the past several days/ weeks, I have been getting news about near and dear ones like all of you. A recent one about a caretaker from my kid's school - She was not only sweet and caring but also cooked for all the kids in the school, with so much love.. she fell a victim to COVID, and worse it was because she could not find a bed with a ventilator on time! 

I come from the temple city of Madurai, and the news from there is how the entire priest community who look after Goddess Meenakshi have been affected. A very close priest friend has passed away due to COVID, while his wife is in the hospital... having recently lost her dad, husband and some of her relatives!

Yesterday, I was reading the newspaper, something I try hard not to do... and saw this picture of a very successful business man and what struck me first was that he was very well-to-do and he joined this list of really rich people falling prey to this virus!

Well, it is heart-breaking and shows how this dreaded disease goes beyond all religion, social strata, and even age as we see, with this new variant. It is sad but also teaches us super-humans that life is fickle. And death is really much more powerful than all of us, in spite of where we are and what we do...

I guess my undying optimism is not going to let me end this blog on a sad note.. we shall overcome this as well. We have got our lessons, this is a fight against humanity and we will fight this virus and its terrible effects on us!

Real life heroes... and my Gratitude!

Talking about COVID and positive, I HAVE to mention about the un-spoken heroes...

I just got back from the hospital, fever clinic to be exact... And I saw my regular doctor there, and almost did NOT recognise him . He looked more exhausted than me and thats saying something, as I have been having fever for more than a dozen days! And its not just about how he looked, I was surprised to find him right at the steps of the clinic. He greeted me on the steps, waved me inside while handling 3 other patients! And treated me just the same... as before the Corona-era... 

And this is NOT just about one doctor doing his duty, this goes way beyond duty for him and every other doctor out there. Fighting this pandemic day-in and day-out, and the long hours they put in. In fact, similar to the teachers who have adopted online due to this pandemic, the doctor have started online consultations which is again way beyond their duty and training!

In fact, when I was checking out of the hospital after consultation, the nurse stopped to ask me if I had the doctor's number! And I was stunned... if she was giving away his number to every patient in the fever clinic, the doctor must be flooded with WhatsApp messages.. and still he responds to each and every message of mine, patiently... 

Hats off to my doctor, and to millions like him, who continue to help us brave this deadly virus!👏

Experience of getting COVID 2 times!

Wait for a Hatrick or not.... So I debated about waiting until a third time I get COVID to write this blog, but just looking around and how people react to this pandemic... I thought the earlier the better!!

I am going through difficult times, but trust me more than the physical symptoms this is getting physiologically difficult. Don't get me wrong, this disease leaves you totally exhausted..  my first stint with COVID was the entire no smell, all flu symptoms, and even terrible exhaustion weeks after infection. And of course to top it all, I got a negative test result and no vacation from work!!! Anyway, this time the dear virus was more understanding, and gave me milder symptoms like fever very low, and headache which was persistent and usually unbearable... and a positive test result!

However  like I mentioned earlier the more difficult to handle about this condition is the non-physical aspects... I get this asked the question most, no.. not how am doing?? It is.. wait for it...., how did you get it?? I understand people are worried where I caught it from, and even want to make sure they don't get it.. but trust me a covid positive person is already asking themselves- "why me??!!" And last thing they want it is a guilt trip on how they got it, and  carelessness, not wearing mask, etc..

Anyway someone told me that I got CORONA twice as I was too positive a person, so hope this post doesn't look negative or preachy. But I need to say this, please have more empathy and respect for people around you and when they get this dreaded virus, don't fear or demean them, the next victim could be you! Am not wishing of course... but it's to put things in the right perspective, let's all together defeat this virus and the unnecessary fear it has created... we are all in this together, positive, negative and of course the people who refuse to get tested.

Love to one and all.. another COVID survivor