A week into madness, and yet to hit the bottom of this covid pit..

Exactly a week from today, the first news had broken. We had one person in family test #covid positive and despite our best efforts at isolation we all unfortunately tested positive. So, what has this last one week been like, flashback to last Thursday afternoon. We received a message on my Dad's whatsapp, with the word "Positive" and an attachment, and it set us on a frenzy. How, why, what, there were hundreds of questions in our minds.. We started getting a hold of ourselves, when the doctor immediately got a bunch (a big bunch) of medicines sent for dad. So now that the cat was out of the bag, what should on expect forward (being covid positive and having a home full of #positive tested people).

1. Give yourself a few moments to internalise the information, no matter how prepared we are, there always is a small window of almost a denial. It's just you struggling to accept that this can happen, even with you taking a zillion precautions.

2. Do not waste time trying to figure out how, you are most likely not going to get an answer to that question, and no point wasting energy on it (yes-#conserve energy, you will need it).

3. Do not assume that if you do not have symptoms now (when tested), you won't get them later. And this is a big one. I tested positive Saturday morning, with very little symptoms by then, both my parents had high fever and cough in the initial days, so I assumed I will have a mild version. 3 days later, both my parents had seen there symptoms in control while mine kept popping and 6 days later, I am worse of all and have almost all the symptoms. From fever, to cough, cold, headache loss of smell, body aches I have all. Breathing is yet normal and hence I can continue to sit and write from the comfort of my home.

4. The one thought that you should run by in your head or even talk to family, if in such unfortunate place (of having covid), is to know when togo to #hospital and what is the process and availability in nearby hospitals. For us it was a long drawn discussions with authorities and our doctor to let my dad and grandma continue at home. #Protocol advised them to be in hospital care, and it took a lot of convincing and an undertaking in written, for the local hospital to let this happen.

Will I get better care in hospital ?

Well the answer is subjective and will vary person to person. In our case with all being positive the access to home kitchen opened up and the challenge that came along was more on managing and minimising chores while being at home. Also we preferred to be with each other in this time, in place of being in separate isolation wards (not that you don't do this at home), but you are in reach of each other, can call, see each other. One can argue these are possible on phone these days, but we chose to be together. Another advantage which helped us take this decision was that we had same level of medical facilities be it doctor on call, medicines delivered at doorstep or tests being done at home; all this was accessible and available.

But what we ensured and are still ensuring in home isolation while we recover is that we monitor fever, spo2 and pulse regularly (4 times a day religiously), record it and share with doctor in any deviation so that he can treat accordingly. And what goes without saying is we take all meds as prescribed on time.

5. Do not panic with stories from other people, everyone is different and their experience may not be relevant medically. However, what you can learn from others is or get advice on from the experienced ones is, about how to manage day to day things. Like how they practised isolations, what mechanism of cleaning they used etc.. Might sound trivial but these things are what become an uphill task with the weakness that the virus brings.

6. Stop worrying about work/job/business while you lay in bed (you won't have much choice or energy). Try to utilise this time in dreaming (if you are someone who can sleep in day also) and day dreaming. For those like me who can not stop worrying about missed deadlines and pending piles at work, please remember you need to survive first to go fight all that and read the next point (it is more relevant to you).

7. Stay Positive - I can not EMPHASIZE enough on this one. This was one advice that all co workers that wished me gave, and i can't thank them enough, to bring that up. While you are internalising the news and world seems to be falling apart, remember to think positive, it is easy to get sucked in all the negatives of the disease, but you can't win this war if you go down that path. If you as an individual struggle to think positive, keep in touch with family/friends/colleagues who remind you of that, we all have these people in our lives, it's a matter of reaching out to them.

And I seem to have run out of my quota of energy for today, a week in more or less, I see an increase in symptoms every day for me, many people claim to have tested negative in 8-10 days, I am waiting for my symptoms to stablize, and I assume they will decrease post that. We have all given out blood sample for a battery of doctor prescribed tests, hopefully I have some better news to share next time sit to write, both on symptoms and tests. Ending on a lighter note, with something my inner child does every day below.

(This is what I do to keep taking these every day without fail, i try a new pattern every day)