My tryst with covid - luckily was uneventful...

The onset 

On the afternoon of 10th of September I started having fever. I took a paracetamol tablet on the night of 10th... fever reduced... Again the next day morning fever crossed 101 and I took paracetamol on 11th morning and night. After I took the tablet fever reduced but to come back after few hours. 

I started isolating myself from 10th itself. My wife alone used to come inside the room, she was thinking I was over reacting... 

On the 12th morning my temperature reduced to normal levels. I was still isolating myself and My wife said you get tested and get out of the room (she felt it was normal fever). I had body pain from 11th and I thought it was a normal body pain we get during viral fever. From 11th I started having mild cold also. 

Testing

Decided that we have nothing to lose by getting tested. I called up covid helpline asking if there are any fever clinics being held in my area on that day. They asked me to check with corporation helpline. I was suggested to go to the nearest Primary health center and that till 3pm doctors will be there.  I drove down to the PHC and told them my symptoms. They asked if I want to take covid test and I said yes. My temperature was only 97.4 when I went there. They didn't even ask why I should get tested and just took my address and phone number and took sample (nasal and throat swabs). 

They said result will come only after 2 days. That is the only disadvantage of getting tested at the government facilities. Delay in the results.. However, it is free. They do share results even if it's negative. Earlier they used to call only if you are positive. 

They also gave me medication for fever, cold and some multivitamins. Even the medicines were free. 

I continued to self isolate and my wife alone was coming into my room. My mother and kids used to stay outside the room. I was given food from outside and I was washing those utensils and letting them dry in sunlight. 

One thing I never miss are the F1 races. Sadly had to stay inside the room and follow only online updates. Missed watching my favorite Kimi score his first points of the season. 

Results Day

Monday morning (14th) I was woken up by a call from Chennai corporation. They asked if I had given covid test recently and I said yes and they asked where is my house location. I asked tell me the results first. They said it has come positive. Even though we read up a lot we are always scrambling as to what to do when it hits us. 

The local ward sanitation inspector called up and checked what all I did the previous week and if I was going to work. I said I used to go for grocery shopping alone. That's all the effort on contract tracing. 

My first worry was about my mom, who is 69 and has other comorbidies. I was really worried. I decided to get all other family members immediately tested. This time didn't want to wait 2 days so called up a private lab and they arranged for a home pick up for all of them. 

My wife had already started for work when the results came. Called her once she reached her work place and asked her to come back home. She got back home immediately. She started developing fever in the afternoon. Was even more worried about my mom. 

One of my neighbors had tested positive in May and he got treated at Soorya hospital in Vadapalani. Asked him to refer to the doctor and he spoke to the doctor and I drove down to the hospital. They took CT scan and luckily it was a mild infection and they gave me a score of 5/40 (which is the lowest). I was put on 2 antibiotics including Azithromycin for 5 days. Doctor asked me to come back after 3 days. Told me I can stay in home quarantine. 

Around 3pm that afternoon the private lab person came and took samples for the others in the family. I was told results will come around midnight. Corporation officials called and said they can arrange for tests for others but I told them I didn't want to wait for 2 days for them so went ahead with the tests. It costed 3500 per person.

Wife started isolating herself in another room and kids were staying in my mother's room. 

By 14th my body pain also reduced and I was only having a mild cold. Wife started having cold from night. I was really worried. 

Agonizing wait continued for the results of the test for family members. 

Around midnight got results for mom and kids and they all tested negative. It was huge relief that my mom was negative. 

Wife's result alone didn't come along with it. I was told the tests are still going on. After waiting for another 40 minutes got wife's results and she tested positive. Corporation staff also called in the morning to inform us about the results. For my wife they got details of her work place as she was working. However, not sure if they reached out to her colleagues. 

With 2 members in the family tested positive didn't want to risk others contacting from both of us. Decided it is better to send them to my sister's place. Sister came in the morning and took them to their place. There also they were quarantined in 1 room for a week. 

After mom and kids left took wife to the same hospital. She also got a CT scan done. She also got the same score of 5/40 and was prescribed same medication. My mom had cooked food for the day before she left and we managed with that for the day. 

The Scare

Got a call from my sister at 4am on 16th stating that my 7 year old daughter is having fever for the last 1 hour. I had asked my mom to pack paracetamol syrup and cough syrup for kids when she went to my sister's place but in all the hurry she missed it. Called up my cousin and asked him to handover paracetamol at my sister's house immediately. Luckily he had an unopened bottle with him which he immediately handed over. He is someone I can call up for anything anytime. 

She continued to run a temperature of 99+ even after paracetamol. I was worried again about my mom. Asked my sister to keep my daughter in a separate room away from my mom. It was becoming a mess for my sister. 

I called up the same doctor again he asked me to bring my daughter and we can do a CT scan,  if required. Asked my sister to bring my daughter directly to the hospital and I again went for the 3rd day in a row to the same hospital. Decided that if there are issues will bring daughter to my house and if things are normal she will return to my sister's place. 

Doctor checked and said her lungs are clear so she wouldn't even require a CT scan. That was a huge relief. The doctor put her on Azithromycin, paracetamol and zinc supplements. Heard from others that all doctors are giving Azithromycin by default. 

She didn't have fever when we we reached the hospital. She became normal late afternoon on the same day. That was a huge relief for us. 

The Recovery

Wife and I started the medication that was prescribed and we also added zinc and vitamin c supplements. We were also doing salt water gargling and steaming. I was having mild cold and wife was coughing a bit. Wife also gave me either lemon and ginger water or kabasara kudineer for morning and milk with turmeric and pepper in the evening. 

The corporation folks called us twice daily, once for me and once for my wife. They will check if everything is fine and also to check if we required any help. On the first day they said we had discard used masks only in the yellow covers. When I told them that we hadn't received any yellow covers, they ensured it was delivered to us the next day. They also checked if we had oximeter, I had purchased one few days back and it came handy. 

When my neighbor was tested positive we had a huge board outside our apartment complex. However for us they just stuck a small poster outside my flat. One for me and one for my wife. 

Corporation folks also came and sprayed disinfectant twice (once for me and once for my wife). They did it in all the common areas. I didn't want to allow anyone inside so they sprayed outside my flats and in common areas. 

Corporation Staff spraying disinfectant and the poster outside my flat

There was also a dedicated volunteer whose number was given to us and was told that they will help in getting anything for us. I preferred calling my cousin instead and he got me whatever I wanted. 

I continued to have mild cold and wife had mild cough. Other than that we were normal. 

Since I was already working from home I started working from 15th itself. However, I was taking it light. Shutdown by 6pm for the first week and taking only important calls after 6pm. Second week was almost back to normal.

Went back to the hospital for review on 18th. Doctor stopped the antibiotics after initial 5 days and just gave us multivitamins and antiallergic medication. Wife alone was asked to continue cough syrup as she still had cough. He asked us to come back after a week and said we will do a antibody test.  

Initially we thought we will not cook and order food but later decided it's not healthy and wife started cooking. We still ordered food once in a while. My aunt gave us huge quantities of dosa batter twice which came in very handy. We also ordered huge quantities of fruits especially once with vitamin c. Whatever we ordered was left outside my flats and we picked it up after the delivery agent left. 

Neighbors were kind enough to offer food for us but since both of us were almost normal we didn't want to bother them. 

Even though me and my wife were the only ones at home, we restricted ourselves to one bedroom and kitchen. We kept other rooms locked up. We also used very limited utensils. We only opened the door once in the morning to pick up milk and paper and maybe if there are any deliveries. Otherwise we were in one room but were maintaining social distancing.

Things became a routine and the next one week flew away. Amazon prime also helped, we were both watching some movie or other during evenings. My cold also went away. Wife alone had a bit of cough. While speaking to another doctor he informed that most patients develop complications if they have vitamin d deficiency. Wife was deficient the last time we checked and he suggested that even my wife's cough could be due to that. Immediately got vitamin d supplements and started taking it. 

My boss was also positive around the same time as me and we were exchanging notes. He had a bit more severe infection but he continued to stay at home and was getting treated. 

The main issue was being away from the kids especially for my wife as it was the first time she was away from them. Only solace was the regular video calls. My kids used to give detailed updated to their mom about their online classes and what food they had etc. To me my daughter had only one question daily - appa when can I come back home. It was very difficult to answer that question for me. Telling her to be away from home was very difficult for me. 

Antibody Test

We went back to the hospital on 25th for the review. It was the 16th day from the onset of fever for me and 12th day for my wife so wife was asked to wait till she completes 14 days to get tested. Doctor asked to give the blood samples and asked to come back after the results come in the evening. Gave samples and came back home. Another day of agonizing wait. Went back to hospital in the evening for the results. I had started developing enough antibodies. Even though he suggested that we can bring back the family after wife completes 14 days we didn't want to risk it. So one more week of being away from kids. 

He said I can be normal going forward. He also suggested that wife can be normal after she completes 14 days. Wife asked if I should be away from her but doctor said he has antibodies so he need not worry. Asked if we need to do anything he said nothing. All medications are stopped and for wife alone he said we can continue cough syrup, if required. 

Wife's cough also started reducing from 24th and she became almost normal from 28th. 

We got the house and car disinfected on 3rd. Washed all utensils that we used and dried everything in the sun. Kids came back home on the evening of 3rd of October, ending almost 3 weeks of separation. 

Key Lessons

• Even though we feel we are prepared by reading about the disease, when we actually get the disease you are left scrambling(This list may help you)
• Symptoms vary from person to person - I had 1.5 days fever and mild cold for a few days, wife had 1 day fever and cough for a few days, one of my relative had mainly diarrhea.. While losing sense of smell and taste is a definite symptom, not everyone loses them. Me and wife never lost the sense of smell and taste
• I was always wearing mask when I stepped out of the house, washed my hands when I came back home and used sanitizers in every shop that I stepped in. Restricted my outing to basic necessities. Even then I got infected. I can say all those saved me for 6 months. I have no clue of how and where I got infected
• Identify private labs who can come and take test for your family members in case you test positive
• Identify which hospital and doctor you will go to in case you test positive. Everyone who test positive will start with mild symptoms. This is something that most hospitals can definitely take care as the protocols are pretty standard
• In case you develop complications decide which hospital you would want to get admitted to. I heard government hospitals care is very good for covid especially Omandurar
• Most large private hospitals straight away say that they don't have vacancies in covid wards. In case you prefer private hospitals, identify contacts who can help in getting beds 
• In case you need hospitalization be prepared to spend minimum of 2-3 lakhs. Even if you don't develop complications and decide home isolation is not possible most hospitals charge that much. Even if you have Insurance,  charges towards the masks, PPE for doctors are not claimable with most insurance products - that itself will be minimum 25-30% of the overall expense
• Always have someone who you call up for help at any point of time either a friend, neighbor or relative who lives nearby. While we can get anything delivered to home we may need something in the middle of the night
• Situation in terms of cases is much higher than what we feel. I used to see at least 3-4 other patients waiting for the doctor during the 10-15 minutes I was at the hospital
• You feel hungry a lot. Always have something in your isolation room to snack on
• Oxygen support is very common for many patients. My brother-in-law was positive before us and he was given oxygen support for a couple of days 
• In case you develop any complications most doctors will put you through all approved medical interventions - remdisivier, dexamethasone, etc., not worrying about immediate side effects, as their only concern is to avoid cytokine storm
• There were many patients on ventilator support or oxygen support and my doctor was casual about it and only thing that they were keen on is weening away the patients from ventilator
• Treatment protocols are highly reactive as the doctors are still learning about the disease. In case you have mild symptoms they start with mild antibiotics and paracetamol. They keep adding oxygen support, remdisivier and steriods, if complications develop
• Chennai corporation was diligent in checking on us daily 
• One important lesson if anyone is self isolating before test, have them wear mask full time and anyone interacting with them should also wear mask. Maybe my wife would not have got infected if both of us wore masks 
• Take Vitamin D supplements as there are more studies that people are developing complications if they are Vitamin D deficient. You have nothing to lose
• Lastly don't be worried about the disease, most of us will only have a mild infection. Even if there are complications most of us will get cured with very little time in the hospital

Stay safe

Book Buying - How things have changed

I am still a book buyer. Haven't really migrated to kindle or reading using my tablet. 

When I started buying novels, I used to buy them from the road side shop. These are poor quality pirated copies which were available for less than 50 rupees. I used to buy regularly from a shop in Pondy Bazaar. Then after few years (rather many years) of buying fake I became conscious of the fact that I am buying pirated books. 

That is when I moved on to Landmark - That was one of the first book stores in Chennai. The books in this store are priced at MRP. Even then started buying books from there (but kept going back to my pirated store as there were no deals at Landmark). 

Once every year Landmark has a sale (around September) and I make a list of books that I want to buy through the year and buy during the sale. Slowly migrated to Landmark website which had good deals - we used to get 30-40% off through the year. 

Now I have moved onto Flipkart which offers better deals than Landmark. Landmark deals have reduced to 25% max for all books on the net and they still sell at MRP in their stores. Flipkart offers at least 33% off on most books. Now a days it is mostly Flipkart where I buy my books. 

I still go to yearly sales of Landmark. Make it a point to visit all Landmark stores in the city during that time. This sale generally goes on for a month. 

For the first time with the Chetan Bhagat book Flipkart is offering an exclusive sale of the same for first 1 month. The book is also priced at only 15% discount of MRP which was a surprise but expected with the exclusivity. Book is releasing only mid October but it is available for pre-order now. I am not a great fan of his but his books are a decent time pass. My wife loves his books though. 

Will I pre-order now? The answer is NO. I have many books that I have not read so I can definitely wait for the price to fall after the 1 month exclusive period. Not that his books are expensive. You generally get only paperback.

One thing is true for all big Retailers(Flipkart is a big retailer now) they kill the competition by giving discounts but once there is no competition they will start pricing at MRP. You end up spending more than what you used to. 

PS : Landmark closed it's first book store in Chennai recently, felt bad about it.  

ID Cards & Safety

One of the things that we all get used to from the school days is wearing the ID card. This continues even into the corporate world. Some have it with a long rope around the neck and some have it just with the pin. Some buy those rollers with which you can pull out the cards and these rollers are hung on the pant loops.

I personally prefer to wear whatever is offered by the organization. In most corporate organizations it is the long rope (you are sometimes reminded off the leash but we aren't we all controlled that way?).

The main aspect that I wanted to discuss was the safety aspect of the ID card. The ID cards are required in office premises to ensure that no strangers don't come into work places. Every one who enters an office are checked if they are wearing the ID cards. This is the required especially in offices were thousands of people work.

There is another benefit also, in case you want to know the name of someone who you like you can always look at the ID card to find their names. :) You don't have to use any detectives to find names.

There are many girls that I see don't remove their ID cards even when they get out of offices. I haven't seen that many boys wear IDs outside work. There are a few things that I want to highlight

1) You don't want to give an opportunity to everyone on the road to know your name

2) People who work in large companies will definitely be carrying a few cards, decent amount of money. The ID card that you wear around your neck is a clear give away for the thieves.

Do we really need this? The first thing that I remove when I get on to the car or bike is my ID. Not that I work in a lousy company (which I don't want people to know about). ID cards are for work & you should use them only there.