COVID-19 Diaries: 'Take Life As It Comes,' Says Kochi Doctor Who Beat The Virus

Dr Abraham P George is the department head of Internal Medicine at Lourdes Hospital, Kochi, and had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 19, 2020. He had shown symptoms of high fever, body pain, and headache and was immediately admitted to the hospital after testing positive. Fortunately, his family had tested negative.

Although the fever subsided after two days, he remained at the hospital for fourteen days. "I was given the antiviral drug Remdesivir, steroids, anti-blood-clotting drugs, Vitamin C, Zinc tablets, and multivitamin tablets," Dr Abraham told The Logical Indian. He was glad that his oxygen saturation levels always remained constant at 96 or 98.

His stay at the hospital was long and dreary, he said. "I was an insomniac while I was positive and for a month after testing negative. It was very hard for me to sleep during the day or night. Every morning at 4 AM, a nurse would come to take my blood sample and check my vitals."

The doctor had tested negative on November 2, 2020, however, the post-COVID effects were as bad as the symptoms. "I was extremely tired all the time and sometimes I felt giddy. I also had muscle pain and severe fatigue. My insomnia had also continued even after testing negative" he recalled. The effects lasted for about a month.

Acting as the silver lining, his colleagues were a huge support during the hospitalisation period and after recovery. "The other doctors used to come at the door wearing a PPE kit and talk to me. My junior doctors, nurses, and hospital staff had kept me company" he shared.

One of the few positives of the whole experience was that he was sure that nothing would go wrong. "I had a lot of people around me for support so I was sure that nothing would happen to me." He said, confidently.

If he gained a new perspective on life because of COVID-19, it is that life should not go this fast. "Anything can bring your life to a standstill. So, take life as it comes" he advised. "There's no point in worrying. If something is bound to happen to you, it will happen."

"Take the necessary precautions" he advises everyone. "It affects everyone differently, for some, it'll pass with a mild fever while for others, it can affect their body so much that they would have to be in the ICU. So, prevention is always better. Once you contract the virus, you do not know how it will affect your body."

To those who contract the virus, he says to monitor one's oxygen saturation level constantly and make sure that they aren't breathless at any point. "If you feel that something is going to go wrong, get yourself admitted as soon as possible" he advised.

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