My Family Covid Story !

James Khangenbam *

RIMS - Regional Institute of Medical Science, Imphal in January 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

On April 25th, me and my both parents were tested positive for Covid !

I decided to hospitalize my mother as she is diabetic for 25 years and had a history of tuberculosis (she contacted while on duty at JNIMS as staff nurse but cured 10 years ago. We went to Shija Hospital and got her blood investigation done. But decided to home quarantine as we do not get a cabin room at the hospital.

Was home quarantine for about 5 days. I kept consulting with a very good doctor one of my friend introduced recently while at home.

Besides I kept checking for admitting at JNIMS as my mother insisted and as she was a former staff nurse there. I had a word with the CMO Imphal East and she responded positively but did not pick up my next call. My mother's former working colleagues later informed that we should be looking for hospital in Imphal West as per guidelines.

At Covid Ward RIMS !

By the time my mother was admitted at RIMS with the help of a cousin doctor with due recommended letters by CMO Office, her Oxygen Saturation was fluctuating between 87 and 91.

Upon reaching RIMS Covid ward, a concerned doctor thoroughly investigated my mother's medical history which I narrated and discussed for about half an hour over the phone. The Doctor called up from a dedicated covid centre they call Green Zone and we were at the Red Zone where duty doctors and nurses executes the decision taken at the Green Zone.

I requested the doctor to give strength to my mother in the first instance as she has not been taking proper food for about 6 days. She was given RL and Normal Saline at home.

The same followed at the hospital, a DNS was added with a condition that I have to check my mothers' glucose level every 2 hours when the glucose was on and I have to report the doctor if her glucose level was 250 and above. It took 6 hours to complete a bottle of DNS in a slow pace.

She was still having only about 50 grams of solid food; the DNS was a strength booster. I gave her Diabetic Ensure a food supplement drink which she usually take but she refuse to drink properly except for few sips.

She was also having diarrhoea at the time of hospitalization and my cousin doctor had given some medicine which continued for the second day at RIMS and slowly her diarrhoea subsided.

Antibiotics and other medication were injected on a daily basis at the covid ward. Her doctor at RIMS assured that my mother will get Covid negative result in 5 days and will be shifted to Medicine ward for improving her health.

I appreciated the doctor for his commitment and just as the doctor predicted my mother and myself went for a Covid test and we were tested negative on the fifth day of hospitalization where I was attending my mother. I was covid positive but very healthy. The same evening, we were shifted to the medicine ward.

I truly appreciate and would like to give an excellent rating for the doctors at RIMS for their dedication, confidence and honesty at the turn of the events.

At the Medicine ward!

My mother was already very weak as she continued to avoid food intake even after she tested negative and was under medication for almost 9 days starting from home. She only had a single proper meal or two during the Covid ward days. I was so happy when she started taking proper food twice but her appetite got lost somewhere again

At the Medicine ward, a senior doctor who is a professor at RIMS was in charge of my mother's healthcare. He was assisted by five to six doctors who visited my mother daily at different time and several medical investigations were taken from time to time.

The senior doctor who was in charge of looking after my mother prescribed a protein supplement drink after investigation reports of lack of protein besides administrating several other medicines. A new regime for insulin was also given proportionately to the food intake.

Slowly she started regaining her health as she rediscovered her appetite in the following days. My relatives help us a lot by cooking good food and delivering them to us. After 8 days at the medicine ward, she was discharged and a follow up after 14 days at RIMS OPD was advised.

My Father admitted at RIMS

While all these things were happening, my father who was healthy and who decided to stay back home alone under home quarantine was becoming weak after about 6 days of separation. In between we were planning to hospitalize him as one of my good friend arranged a vacant bed for my father at a government hospital but my father declined claiming that he was fine that time.

We were quite happy at my father's will and strength, until one of my cousin in the following days called up that my father needed help. We follow up and I retook the help of my friend for the recommendation letter from the CMO office, with that we seek admission at RIMS and finally made it after about 10 hours with helps from friends and relatives.

I was exhausted and my energy level was plummeting down with lack of sleep at Covid Ward RIMS I called my sister for help. She came to take my place to assist my mother at RIMS Covid Ward. She wore mask and volunteered in the red zone. While I went back to home quarantine and also look after my father. But I had to come back to the hospital seeking admission for my father.

Without a recommendation letter, it was not possible and I had to seek help the next day to get the paper done after accessing my father's health overnight. My father was admitted at covid ward and my sister had to stay back with my father while I moved to medical ward with my mother to attend her.

Back home with Covid Negative results

Few days back my mother was discharged from RIMS after she attend a stable health, followed by my father along with my sister after getting the Covid negative certificates.

With my sister and brother in law and relatives the mission to bring out covid negative results for my parents and to stabilize their health was possible. The will and strength my sister showed and did at the Covid ward was beyond words.

RIMS

My heartfelt appreciation goes to the Doctors and Nurses at RIMS who gave their best at a challenging time. Their fighting spirit for the service of humanity was high and I have witnessed them in action.

Present situation

Having recovered, we are doing our best in restoring the health of my parent. Day by day they are gaining more strength.

Mask Works

I have come across attendants staying in the covid ward for two weeks to attend their family members who tested positive, tested negative just by wearing proper mask and washing hands regularly.

Know your weapon and to use them appropriately!

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy People!