COVID-19 survivors’ tales | Father of two from Bhubaneswar recollects dreadful days between uncertainty and hope

Two weeks have handed, however Jitendra Joshi is but to beat the dreadful days of his life final month.

Mr. Joshi, a 38-year-old Bhubaneswar-based advertising and marketing govt, was extraordinarily assured of protecting the coronavirus at bay as he adopted all precautions the federal government has been suggesting from time to time.

Around the second week of April when his spouse caught a fever, he shrugged it off and began treatment as is finished in case of a traditional flu. On the sixth day, he began experiencing fever and his well-wishers instructed he go for COVID-19 check.

With all of the disheartening information of illness lurking all spherical, Mr. Joshi took no possibilities and underwent check. His relations, together with his mom (77), spouse (34), son (8) and daughter (9 months), too, bought examined. To his utter shock, each one apart from his son examined optimistic.

“Initially, we decided to quarantine ourselves at our apartment, but the fever did not subside. It forced us to rethink on our strategy. We sought the help of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to get admitted to a hospital. As Odisha was not yet affected by the second wave around that time, hospital beds were easily made available to us,” stated Mr. Joshi recounting his expertise.

All 4 members of the household have been admitted to a city-based hospital, with authorities bearing the therapy price.

Mr. Joshi’s nine-month-old daughter had to stick with her mom. “Everything was going smoothly and I was even informed by doctors that I would be discharged after a formal check-up. But the fever set in again and the doctors raised an alarm. I was put on oxygen support as my saturation level plunged to 91,” he narrated.

“I was administered Remdesivir. Doctors were in favour of sending me to the ICU. I opposed this as I wanted to stay positive. I did not want critical patents around me. After 11 days of hospitalisation, the doctors declared us coronavirus-free and we were discharged from hospital,” he stated, with a way of reduction.

During hospitalisation, Mr. Joshi was perturbed by adverse ideas after coming throughout information of folks succumbing to the illness in metropolises at common intervals. He saved swinging between uncertainty and hope.

“It would have been Herculean task to get a bed, had I been infected now,” Mr. Joshi stated, advising folks to remain optimistic by one’s worst time.