WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024
Victor Albuquerque
It was May 5, 2021, when the writer felt a little unwell and thought it was only a bout of flu. This was in those days when there was a spurt of Covid cases. To be on the safer side, more in view that I am a diabetic, doctors advised me to undertake an RT-PCR test, which I did and which unfortunately was found to be positive.
It was in those early days of this virus when Covid deaths were at its peak, with a large number of people succumbing to this deadly virus, doctors advised that I be shifted to hospital in case I may need oxygen.
The story starts now, with my shifting to the hospital…..
In the first phase of hospitalisation, which lasted about 18 days, there were ups and downs. I contracted pneumonia. This pneumonia was taken care of, after I was addressed with “Remdesivir” which was the only medication available those days for the treatment of Covid. I became well, was discharged and sent home.
After a few days of my return home from the hospital a multitude of problems cropped up like urinary, loss of appetite. A battery of tests was undertaken and there was no conclusive evidence of any infection, despite having fever at times. The doctors then decided to treat me with more antibiotics as there was no clue as to the origin of the fever/infection.
Due to lack of appetite and being unable to consume any food, I was administered saline for a number of days to take care of the same, besides the number of blood transfusions done to back up my failing health as I was reduced to skin and bone.
In this situation of my having to be treated with heavy doses of antibiotics, I became even weaker, and thought that I would not make it. However, the fever slowly came down and I showed signs of recovery, which prompted the doctors to discharge me.
On my return home, I realised that everything was still not okay as I slowly started getting fever again at particular times of the day. I had now a total loss of appetite. I was again admitted to hospital but the infection still persisted.
Loss of weight, loss of appetite made my life miserable and such was the body pain that at times I sometimes thought whether I would survive the next day. As still nothing definite was found for the reason of my infection. I was advised to go for a Pet Scan to Mumbai as it is not available in Goa.
To make matters worse I suddenly developed a heart discomfort (I had done a by-pass surgery two years ago) and had to be shifted to the I.C.U. I came out of the I.C.U. and then could not travel to Mumbai in that condition. I slowly recovered and went back home.
But that was only for a few days as the fever appeared again. The fever slowly subsided but just to doubly check, a bone marrow test was done. The tests were all negative and that relieved me a great deal. The fever subsided and after a few days sent back home but again it was not the end.
Due to my total loss of appetite, I was unable to eat or drink, resulting that I was so dehydrated that I had to be shifted to hospital once more. After a few days in the hospital and after consultations with doctors at Mumbai, I was advised to be shifted to a hospital in Mumbai.
I was flown to Mumbai to a leading hospital for consultations and to undertake a Pet Scan. However, it was not possible to undertake the same as I am a diabetic and my sugars were playing truant. It was the diabetes I now realised which was responsible for aggravating all the problems and preventing my recovery.
To ensure that the sugar levels were maintained at all times my diabetes was being monitored regularly after every 3 to 4 hours by the use of a sensor.
Having spent a few days in the super speciality hospital in Mumbai I returned to Goa but still not completely well. Top consultants confirmed that they could find nothing wrong with me but that with time and a proper diet I should be able to recover the weight I had lost and come back to normalcy within a few months. That was good news but the pain and suffering of post Covid complications did not end.
I continued to be terribly dehydrated and had to be admitted again to the hospital. This time the doctors put me on a fresh dose of antibiotics in consultation with the doctors at Mumbai, who by now knew thoroughly my medical history.
My blood and urine were being monitored nearly on a daily basis and with the new antibiotics the infection slowly reduced. My fever had gone but my appetite had worsened due to these antibiotics.
This period in the hospital was again nightmarish as there was an unbearable body pain so that at times I wished I could say goodbye but utter will power and determination to fight and recover kept me going. Not to forget, as my wife says, that it was prayers which finally helped me. It is now two weeks that I and my family are back home and hope and pray that I will fully recover.
These were the most difficult days of my life and as I dictate this, I sometimes think of the poor or less fortunate, who do not have access to high medical treatments. I think of the elderly like me, some of whom have no one for help or support in these times of need.
I have had the good fortune of having my family to help out in these difficult days and if it was not for them, I would not have been able to survive to this day. Before I end, I salute all the doctors, nurses, para-medical staff etc. who helped in fighting this unknown disease and the havoc it has created with so many lives.
“A stitch in time saves nine” – this is what my tryst with Covid 19 has taught me.
(The author is chairman & managing director, Alcon Victor Group)
