Thread by @DrJwalaG

Thread on #CoronaVirus patient

Let me tell you I work for private hospitals & not Govt hospitals but still I get info & I can't reveal this Patient's identity as a matter of privacy .

Want to share what a patient/ Friend underwent in #COVID19 1/n

A friend of mine in late 30s met her 3 friends who had travel history.
These people had attended a wedding and had met NRIs from Australia .
They came and stayed with her .
Nobody had any symptoms but still she stayed away from them
Isolated herself .

They left the next day .my friend as usual left to office and noticed tiredness on Day 2.She somehow managed by drinking coffee but nothing really helped her.
She developed cold and severe headache .
She had sore throat with cough .
She thought this cough & cold as pollen allergy

She noticed that she was feeling terrible with headache & her tiredness was affecting her .Also sneezing 7-8 times
She started suspecting something wrong .She called her parents & informed that she's not well .
Then her parents called me to check with her.
I called ( Day 4)

She somehow missed my call & called me back .I asked her what's wrong .I told her that why were those symptoms ignored in such times of Coronavirus Pandemic .
She told she never thought of it .
I told her to go to hospital immediately & get checked.

It was late so she told she will go next day without fail .
She went to a private hospital where her symptoms were asked & her swab was collected ( nasal & throat) & blood investigations done.
A very low BP recording 80/50 .
She called me & told this (Day -5 )

The hospital people told to get admitted in isolation ward .She called me .I told her to get admitted & told I ll give the message to her parents not to panic .
Chest X Ray was done which revealed pneumonia .(Day-6)
A CT scan was also done that revealed pneumonia too .( Day -6 )

Her parents left to meet her but I had asked her not to meet anyone in this period. She agreed .I explained her parents.
The first report was positive for COVID19 .(Day - 8)This was shocking for parents.
I asked her to tell them to repeat & send to pune .she told them to do

She was in touch with me on phone .
The result came as positive for COVID19 next time too .(Day -10).So she was shifted to a govt hospital in that area .It was a better hospital compared to those overall in India .
She didn't have much fever but cold headache ,cough & sneezing

Her parents travelled to meet but she didn't meet .Just saw from distance & spoke on video call .
Her parents called me & cried a lot .I told them it's better to stay away .Try to understand the seriousness of the virus .she told me the scenario in hospital

She was well monitored .Her X Rays were repeated .Also CT scans were done .
She only told me that doctors see improvement .I couldn't see films as even after discharge those films were kept with hospital authorities.
Her symptoms persisted for days

She told she was given IV fluids and all symptomatic treatment.
She complained that she felt her legs so heavy that she could hardly lift them .Her BP remained low.
I asked her to ask the doctors what medication were they giving. I also tried to contact my doctor friends

But none of my friends worked there then though few had cleared from there .So they told me not to worry .It's the best .Still they will try to put a word there .My friend felt like she was living her last days because she felt miserable day by day

She complained of pain at IV cannula site one day. I asked her to tell the staff to remove that cannula and put a fresh one as it was some 6 days.
She told that nurses and doctors remained silent on everything. They just listened to symptoms that's it .

Meanwhile her other friend was tested Covid19 positive.
I asked her what medication were they giving her ,she told that they refused to reveal anything .I was just checking with the staff. I assumed the drug trial must be being used in most places .
I told her to remain strong.

I was in touch with her parents
Later after three days she told she felt better and she told she spoke to her parents on phone .Also video chat .She called me too .
I felt happy to listen to her being happy .She told her cough & cold still persisted .(Day - 14) .

Next day she told she felt so good to have had food .She was really craving for food. Temperature spikes were not really high but they came down .Her cold & headache was still there. Cough also not so much .BP improved .something like 100 systolic 60 Diastolic .Nurse told this .

Everytime we spoke she coughed . Initially we only messaged each other because her cough was horrible .She complained of watering in eyes since first day .This didn't improve even after days. She felt always watering from her eyes and always carried a tissue to wipe it.(Day -15 )

She had read about the Coronavirus very well in this time in hospital .
She was very Co operative Patient.
This is what later nurses told her .
It was more than 15 days. Her blood tests were repeated with X Rays and again a CT once more .

Her symptoms had gone away though cold was there but very minimal .Or may be that nasal stuffiness she had. Her test were repeated on Day 17 for Coronavirus.
It showed negative .
She jumped in joy on bed & called me .I informed her parents but asked to repeat .(Day 19)

This was a very good news that it showed negative again .Her parents were so happy .she was going to be discharged ( Day -20) .
She told she felt like nose was stuffy & head heavy but not severe. she told to maintain distance to parents even then .
She called to thank me.

I told her not to do such stupid formalities.
Her parents were just happy that their daughter lived again after battling a health Crisis like covid19 which has hit many countries & killed do many .They have been calling me since the day she fell ill till today to thank me.

After going home too she maintained distance for almost a week till her cold was totally gone.
She spoke to me on phone and told that whatever the govt hospital was ,it wasn't that bad as expected & read in news .she's thankful to docs & staff there

Finally she is doing well (Day 26) and has recovered from cold too .I told her to live her life fullest .she's lucky to have survived this virus .
She is working now.
She is blessed .She says Thanks to Doctors & prayers of all well wishers

This is what my friend suffered and recovered .I haven't been with her physically but I have instructed her & been with her on phone.
I don't work for govt hospitals .May be if I worked I could have come across many such cases .I work for private hospital.

Considering the condition of govt hospitals I wouldn't work in govt hospitals too in times of #covid19.
Whatever I do in private hospital ,my patients are happy .My staff ,my senior professors and colleagues are happy .
That is what matters to me .