“Quarantine to us had become the new normal! We were mostly confined to our house with limited exposure to the outside elements. However, sometime around the 5th lockdown, as we were entering June, my dad had stepped out to run some errands. And within the next few days, he started to run a mild temperature and showed signs of starting a cold. We spoke to our doctor and arranged for testing and in the interim, my mom was sick as well!
Panic crept in; while we were already walking on eggshells, the fact that we had two grandparents living with us, made the situation even more challenging. When the test results came in announcing that my parents and myself tested positive for COVID19, we were relieved to some extent that our grandparents were safe.
The days that followed were a bit tense and trying for us. I had to figure out logistics for a bunch of stuff from food to medicines but a blessing in the form of friends and extended family came to our rescue. They took complete charge and ensured that food was delivered to our doorstep and all our requirements met! With all of us isolated in different rooms, it was a huge privilege to have been taken care of as they did for us. The inhabitants of our apartment too, pitched in wherever they could, with deliveries and arrangements.
While much has been spoken about the physical toll of this disease, nothing quite prepares you for the mental exhaustion. You are on edge all the time since nothing can be left to chance. You are constantly wondering if there’s anything you could have done unknowingly that could endanger others in the house. You’ve got to clean, sanitize and follow precautions at every step of the way.
With all the emotional support and physical help we received, we eventually got better and have together braved the storm. But are we really done? To me, it feels like this virus is an eventuality, it’s going to pass through all of us at some point. When it happens, the key is to move past the initial panic, pull up your socks and do what you have to! Because at the end of the day, the onus of taking care of our near and dear ones fall on us.
Read up on the necessary sources, educate yourself, learn from the experiences of others, and most important of all do not dismiss anything. The minute you start to feel something different, reach out to a doctor. Be sure to be prepared so this doesn’t catch you off guard! And when the storm finally passes, which it will, you will live on to tell the tale of how you braved through it.”
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