Covid-19 positive. The truth about my Coronavirus story.
Luckily or not, it all happened during the lockdown in Karnataka. In the last few days, the numbers of Covid cases have been increasing significantly across the country. The impact was even more visible in our city, Bangalore, and the region.
We kept on living our isolated life, not meeting friends nor extended family members. Always careful, wearing masks outside. Yet, we managed to get the COVID virus. Very unexpected, although with high numbers across the city – possible too.
Where or how did we get infected? Not sure. We can play a guessing game now. Since we haven’t been meeting anyone, it could have been via essential shopping or simply touching the house gate door.
Initially, I didn’t want to share our COVID news broadly. There were a few reasons. Firstly, COVID impacted not only me but also our daughters. I wanted to direct my energy in our recovery first. Moreover, COVID is an unexpected virus. We had a few ups and downs during the last weeks, and I didn’t want to advance the good news. Also, being in India and having my family and friends so far away, I didn’t want to give additional worries. I knew that the views shared in the news were usually the negative ones. And more than ever, we needed more optimism to have the strength to fight the virus. It has been 25 days now…
MY CORONAVIRUS diary
COVID-19 POSITIVE: WEEK ONE
20-April (Bangalore Covid+ 13,782)
Our life goes as normal, pandemic normal. Work from home, online school, playing at home, and taking care of the house and family life. Nothing gives us any hint that this is the last day to relax a bit more…
21-APRIL (BANGALORE COVID+ 13,640)
Our Bigger Angel, Nia, wakes up unwell. In the morning, she has a fever of 100 f (37.8 c), then 101 f (38.3 c). She is weak, has a sore throat and a bit of a running nose. We contacted doctors in our family, so blessed to have them! Assuming it might be Covid, we decide to isolate and manage the situation in two mini teams: I stay with Our Little One and My Better Half with Our Bigger Angel.
22-April (Bangalore Covid+ 15,244)
At night, the fever reached 102 f (38.9 c). Initially, fever medicine didn’t help. Any new symptoms? A bit of cough, headache, tummy ache. It is an odd feeling, this need of separation, not being able to help directly. Plus our 21 months old girl doesn’t understand why she can play only with mama now. I need to keep her double busy. She is active as a volcano!
23-April (Bangalore Covid+ 16,662)
Our Bigger Angel is still unwell, yet the fever disappeared. Today is the test day, some new laboratory for RT-PCR. Luckily someone comes home to take the sample. Our isolation continues. My Better Half takes excellent care of Our Bigger Angel. I am on 24 hours shift with Our Little One waking up at regular intervals at night. Still, I managed to do French pastry, My Better Half enjoyed it!
24-April (Bangalore Covid+ 17,342)
No major improvement nor change to the situation. We continue to function in two mini teams. Fever is back; cough is here, oxygen levels are good. Due to the peak situation of Covid in India, the test is delayed. Instead of up to 48 hours, it might be up to 96 hours. It might even mean Tuesday! It starts to be tiring. Yet, my entertainment program is on. The Little One has plenty of energy that I need to direct somewhere.
25-April (Bangalore Covid+ 20,733)
We keep on waiting for the test results. What is new? I feel a bit of a sore throat, feeling a bit concerned, yet full of positive thoughts. I wear a scarf, keeping the neck warm, and do a series of gargles and steams. Hopefully, I will be ok. As Our Bigger Angel still feels unwell, our doctors suggest considering Covid treatment.
26-April (Bangalore Covid+ 16,545)
Our Bigger Angel’s report is not arriving. It seems there is an issue with that lab. Today we decide on two things. Firstly to do a new set of tests, this time for everyone. It works. A new person comes home for the sample collection. Secondly, we start the Covid treatment for Our Bigger Angel as it needs to be started in the initial phase of the virus. At 7 pm, I realize that Our Little One has a bit of pre-fever (99.14 f / 37.3 c). And…my sore throat continues, very mildly. I do multiple gargles and steams. And pray!
COVID-19 POSITIVE: WEEK 2
27-APRIL (BANGALORE COVID+ 17,550)
Maybe my prayers worked: it is a day with no symptoms for me. I feel better, especially mentally. Our Bigger Angel is on her day 2 of Covid treatment, so we are all a bit more optimistic. Our test results should be out by tomorrow, this time 48 hours with no fail. I am just a bit tired physically. We continue to isolate and stay in two mini teams. We use separate bedrooms, bathrooms, make turns to use the kitchen. It is the 7th day that I am with Our Little One 24/7 by now. I can do it!
28-April (Bangalore Covid+ 22,596)
I welcome the day with no symptoms. It gives me new energy! I take Our Little One to the terrace to keep her distracted from the other mini-team. 😉 And then double news comes! At 4 pm, we realize that Our Little One also has a fever, 101.3 f (38.5 c). Second news: results are out. We got the call from the government health organization: I am the only one positive! Wow!
29-April (Bangalore Covid+ 19,637)
We are sure that 3 of us are having Covid-19. It happens that the test does not detect the virus at a specific stage. Also, for Our Little One, the sample was taken very softly, only from the nose. I was the only one to hold her (we are a mini-team!), and she was kicking right and left! How about My Better Half? He still seems to have antibodies for COVID. How ? No one knows!. Hopefully, he is indeed negative as we might need some extra care. Our Bigger Angel has the first day of no fever! Our Little One, for a change, has had fever all night, reaching 102 f (38.9 c) in the morning. As you can imagine, I didn’t sleep. Luckily, today is another day of no symptoms for me, the 5th day from the first sore throat.
30-April (Bangalore Covid+ 26,756)
Covid cases record day in Bangalore. It is a city of ~12 million people, yet the numbers are very high, especially their growth. It is the third day of a curfew in the Karnataka region. What is new today? My mild sore throat is back; more gargle and steam are needed. Our Bigger Angel is without fever the second day now. And Our Little One had a fever all night. It just dropped in the morning. Sleepless night. Maybe my sore throat is back as I am a bit more tired.
1-May (Bangalore Covid+ 19,353)
Today is a day of both good and bad news. Let’s start with the optimistic ones. Both girls are better! Our Little One had a fever only at 1 am, and she feels better now. Our Bigger Angel feels weak. My Better Half continues to feel good, with a bit of sore throat. Maybe our viruses are trying to attack him, but he is defending well! Bad news? I feel feverish, 99.4 f (37.4 c), also having a mild cough. Our family doctor advises and arranges a local doctor meeting, just in case any hospitalization is needed. I am told that if the fever continues, I should start Covid treatment. And this means a stop to breastfeeding… I get low. And then I activate myself to do more gargle and steam. Fingers crossed!
2-May (Bangalore Covid+ 21,199)
I wake up with swollen eyes. It might be a Covid symptom or the result of crying last evening. Girls are without fever which is great. The Little One is super active. Last night I didn’t have a fever; in the morning, 100.4 f (38 c). I think I know what it means. I feel weak, coughing a bit, a bit of heaviness feeling on my chest. I’m advised to do blood tests, CRP, creatinine, D-dimer, etc. We book blood collection for the next day. My Better Half is the best to take care of all this (and not only!). Also, he organizes the new anti-Covid medicine for me. My afternoon is between feeding Our Little One and crying that I need to stop breastfeeding because of Covid. I contemplate, gather my inner strength and start the treatment at 8 pm. Just writing it, I feel nostalgic about that moment.
3-May (Bangalore Covid+ 22,112)
The concept of our mini-teams doesn’t apply anymore. Our Little One had to sleep with My Better Half so that she can get used to the current new situation and I can get a bit of rest. I was waking up all night, standing by the door of their bedroom and listening to “Mama, mama!” cry. I do not know what is more difficult for me: my Covid case or this ad hoc change. Today another person came home for the blood collection and my second RT PCR test. At 7 pm, my fever returns, 99.9 f (37.7 c). I feel weak, with less energy to do anything. Even to walk up the stairs I get tired. I can’t wait for the antiviral medicine and antibiotics to work.
COVID-19 POSITIVE: WEEK 3
4-May (Bangalore Covid+ 20,870)
After the first two bigger doses of the antiviral medicine, I wake up at 3:30 am in shivery. I do not remember when I had a fever shivery last time. My Better Half wakes up to give me paracetamol. It is immense care and love. He just made Our Little One sleep again and was ready to help me. I know he sleeps so less, taking care now of three of us both night and day. And it has been 15 days now. During the day, I get a fever again, crossing 100 f. And just before sleeping at night, I notice 99.8 f (37.7 c) again. But somehow, I do not feel that warm, so instead of another paracetamol, I fall asleep with a small wet towel.
5-MAY (BANGALORE COVID+ 23,106)
Every day seems to be bringing both good and bad news. Good news? My fever is over, and it seems not to be returning. The bad news is: Our Bigger Angel’s fever is back; after six days of not having a fever.
She is still on the antiviral treatment so let’s see how the next days go. My Monday Covid test results are out. I am still Covid positive. The great thing is that My Better Half’s antibodies level is really high! Maybe we will be lucky not to infect him. In the evening, when eating dinner, I realize that the rasam that My Better Half made is so nicely mild today…
6-May (Bangalore Covid+ 23,706)
I lost smell and taste. Maybe last night I was too tired to understand it. During lunch, I wasn’t able to taste the beetroot soup that I made, and the dumplings were completely tasteless. I run to the bathroom, sprayed perfume all over my hand, and: zero. I didn’t smell anything. What a life experience! It might take months to recover taste and smell. Our Bigger Angel’s fever continues. We need to do for her a new set of blood tests plus CT (computed tomography).
7-May (Bangalore Covid+ 21,376)
It is a stressful period. Luckily Our Little One feels well, full of energy. Our Bigger Angel is not well, a bit of crisis. She has a new set of medical examinations done at the new diagnostic center, MedRay. She might need treatment at the hospital, keeping my fingers crossed. I am not feeling well myself yet. A fever is not there since Tue night. However, I feel weak and heavy, struggle to walk stairs without getting tired (1 floor). CT scan report from Manipal Hospital is out for Our Bigger Angel. It confirms Covid’s presence (which means that the initial RT PCR test wasn’t accurate) in the lungs, luckily mild level. Our dear doctors subscribe to her steroids. For now she can continue treatment at home.
8-May (Bangalore Covid+ 21,534)
The first time in four days, Our Bigger Angel didn’t have a fever overnight. It looks like the new medicine help. It makes all of us smile a bit. There is just one new issue now: her blood test results are not out yet. And we need them to finalize her treatment plan. My Better Half keeps on calling MedRay, a bit insane. I feel better but still weak, and the cough continues. My dear doctor tells me that few more days and I will be able to beat Spiderman. It makes my day! 🙂 My Better Half says that he has never done so many gargles in his life! 🙂 Yes, today we smile more.
9-May (Bangalore Covid+ 20,897)
Happy Mother’s Day in India. Our Little One cried so much last night that at 3 am got shifted to my bed. Today is my 8th day of the antiviral treatment; two more days to go. All of us feel both better and also more tired at the same time. It has been 19 days total by now. Today I am crossing my two weeks, a significant timeframe in Covid development and treatment. I need to redo my blood tests to see if no further impact after the second week. My Better Half in action to take care of it.
10-May (Bangalore Covid+ 16,747)
It is a day of the blood tests for me today. Tomorrow most of my medicines are finishing; if all goes well. So fingers crossed! CRP, D-dimer, LDH, etc., I learned some new blood tests with Covid. Luckily our nearby Manipal hospital has quick turnarounds. Reports are out, and they are good. I am blessed to stop the overall treatment tomorrow, as per the initial plan. Also, Our Bigger Angel feels better, with no fever, no tummy ache. Just a bit of weakness, I understand it. I can feel the same. But what happened with her MedRay blood test results? They sent half of them only today at 8 pm, after four days and a hundred follow-up calls! Outcome: doctors reject the results as they might be outdated. We need to redo the test for her. The Manipal hospital saves us!
WEEK 4
11-May (Bangalore Covid+ 15,879)
Today is the last day of my antiviral treatment. Today Our Bigger Angel has a doctor visit to assess her health progress. We are happy as her steroids medicine can be decreased now. It has also been the 17th day from the initial symptom of Covid, a long journey. One of the most challenging sides of the Covid for me has been the tiredness level. It is very tiring when the entire (or nearly) family gets infected, and isolation is required. Plus, the virus itself drains the energy. I am a very active person, full of energy, always doing something. The last days were different. I struggled to do my minimum things, to take care of myself and the Little One who didn’t understand that mama is unwell. Now you can understand why the last week I only managed to do the blog repost.
12-May (BANGALORE COVID+ 16,286)
I wrote in the morning to my dear doctors that I am ready to beat Spiderman. Hmm, maybe not yet. I still get tired walking up the stairs. I am joking when reading the news; this year, I won’t climb Mount Everest. 😉 My Better Half is happy that I can’t smell things yet. He is allowed now to burn a lot of incense sticks in the morning. Usually, I avoid burning them in the morning as they disturb my nose. Luckily I can taste coffee and mangoes, so I can’t complain! Not tasting rice or pasta is not so important now. 🙂 We are yet to retest again, all of us. We have 2 weeks to get fully well! We have our tickets to Poland waiting for us! 🙂
13-MAY (BANGALORE COVID+ 15,191)
Wow, it has been 23 days now of our Covid story. In fact, Our Bigger Angel missed 3.5 weeks of school. Tomorrow is her last day of school! Holidays start! We got so busy, crazy busy in the last weeks. Important is that we are all better! Our Bigger Angel has a few days more of her treatment. I am sure we will be back to our health soon again! Take care of yourself and your family, get vaccinated. After some time, following the doctor’s consultation, we will get our vaccines too. For now, we need to get fully better and take care of our post-Covid health. Health goes first, always.
Our Covid story continues…
My Better Half, you are not only My Better Half but also the best nurse in the world! 🙂 I know that we got better faster also thanks to you and your continuous care. ILU.
Shalini and Rajiv, you are the best doctors! Thank you for all the care & support given to all of us!
All, thank you for your messages and checking with us – even when I wasn’t sharing anything – if we are well. It meant a lot to me these days. Hugs!
Moments that matter, no matter if positive.
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