How I Survived COVID-19.

Around 2 months ago, my father’s friend called me to inform me that my neighbor has tested positive for COVID-19. I immediately rushed out and saw an ambulance, two health workers in white PPE kits, and almost 50 people around her house. Her family stood there; shocked and helpless. I noticed that a few people in the crowd were recording her as she sobbed and nervously stumbled her way into the ambulance. Everyone was struck with fear as she was the 1st patient in our village and neighbors decided to fight rather than console her family. Little did I know, I was going to be next on the list. I had met my neighbor but luckily did not test positive at the time. A month later, I caught the disease during a visit to Varanasi. Ironically, it was the only time I had gone out since the lockdown took place. ‘Luck’ as they call it!

My reports took a week to come by; in the meanwhile, I had already started medicines and precautions. When my test came back positive, relief ran over me and I laughed in hysterics; unable to truly comprehend the significance of my illness. We took it easy until the medical team arrived with an ambulance to take me to the hospital. After a long argument with my father, they finally allowed me to be home quarantined. My family got tested twice and luckily their tests came back negative. Though, the worst was yet to come. My family was on the receiving end of hostile treatment from my neighbors. We all are aware of how COVID-19 is harmful to our physical health, but I realized that it affects us mentally more. To me, it did. I used to get very stressed after every visit from the medical team, and every time my body shivered, I felt that I might die. The medical team hung a large poster at the door, which said “corona positive mareej ka ghar, kripya iss ghar se doori banaye rakhe''- that is the worst feeling I had felt in my entire life.

More than the disease, one has to fight the stigma of society, especially at a place where people think they will fight the patient and push the virus away. Someone complained to the medical team that I was spreading the virus because every evening I used to be on my terrace to get a waft of fresh air. Even though my place is at a fair distance from others, the kids playing opposite to my house used to run back home after looking at me. Despite having zero contact with my family, we faced several issues. My little brother went to the shop nearby, but the shopkeeper refused and asked him to stay away. Seeing my mother work alone in her depreciating health condition was heartbreaking. Every day we video called, when I used to cry and ask, “Can I come downstairs, maa?”, My brain couldn’t stop thinking about how I would have survived COVID if I was stuck in Mumbai.

But I’m very grateful to my doctor and my incredibly beautiful family who did everything to make me feel better. Oh, and how can I not mention the underrated yet most beautiful form of love, I have a 10 years old autistic cousin staying with us, and I am his comfort spot. He made my quarantine a bit easy and beautiful because every day, he came on stairs, kept a toffee, and asked 'Anjali kaisi ho, kal neeche aa jaogi na’, then gave me a flying kiss and ran away. One day, I was very down when my friend came to my neighbor’s terrace and talked to me for an hour. On the 15th of August, when I tested negative, I hugged my mother & cousin for really long and cried, cooked for mom, played with my cousin the entire day, and thanked them for being every possible reason I defeated coronavirus. Realizing, how badly a person wants to recover from this, I’ve registered for plasma donation too. Surviving this deadly flu was a journey from fear to gratefulness. It made me realize the value of life and taught me to celebrate life a little more every day.