Thread by @KesariDhwaj

My INTERNT Friends
(PS: Long thread alert)
-‘Blood is thicker than water’, goes the old saying. And this proved absolutely true during my COVID ordeal.
- My whole family rallied behind me; from getting a bed to gain access to even trying to shift me +
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ to a bigger hospital in-between, they did everything.
- But this story is not about them.
- Its about another family which stood behind me, prayed for me, & helped me out in ways which I could not have imagined.
- This story is about my INTERNET friends.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

- But here is a kicker - I have never met anyone of them in person!
- So, how did we become friends?
- Except for one chap, I’ve interacted with most of these gentlemen for more than a decade on a platform dedicated to defense and geopolitical issues.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- Initially, I had thought I’d tag them, but now I’ve decided otherwise. You know who you are.
- Here is their story:
(1) Heart Doctor - When the COVID struck, my treatment for initial days was drawn up by a certain Cardio-Thoracic surgeon +
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ based out of Bangalore.
- He had forewarned me that days 9,10&11 post onset of COVID symptoms are critical because Spo2 tends to drop during this period.
- He advised me medicines, and lung exercises. Got me to send him SPo2 update every 2 hours + #NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ and gave constant feedback through voice and video call.
- We used to have our last call at almost midnight!
- When he saw my Spo2 declining, he advised me to get a bed ASAP.
- Thanks to him, we had a head-start of 24 hrs in our search for hospital bed+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ and when Spo2 was still in early 90s.
- When I finally got a bed, my SPO2 had dropped to high 80s.
- His timely warning helped us to get a bed during peak CVOID in April 2021 and most probably saved my life!
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

(2) He who shall not be named – A week into COVID treatment and my vitals started to tank.
- The doctor called my brother & asked him to arrange plasma from a recovered COVID patient.
- Here again, we needed a person who’d been declared COVID negative +
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ for certain days prior to Plasma donation.
- And then began a frantic search for a plasma donor.
- I put out the request on my TL on Twitter.
- And my brother got many responses. My heartfelt gratitude to all those who responded.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- But ultimately the option that clicked came from someone who I have interacted online for more than a decade.
- He called my brother, told him that he knows Rohit (Me) from a certain online forum.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

- He told my brother to tell me that XYZ (forum handle ID) from ABC forum had called.
- And that I’ll understand who it was.
- And yes, I did understand.
- ‘He who shall not be named’ had spoken to someone who met the donor criteria.
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

- This noble soul, this donor, drove 25+ km on his own to my hospital.
- Waited patiently in the hospital for blood test, and then the plasma donation process.
- I think he left post mid-night after spending quite a no of hours at the hospital.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- My vitals stabilized and improved within 12 hours of getting plasma.
- Gentlemen, I owe my life to you.
- If you’re reading this, let is be known that I’ll be indebted to both of you for rest of my life.
#NewYear2022 #COVID19
+

+
BTW, post my discharge, I had long WA exchanges with ‘He Who Shall Not Be Named’ and I still don’t know his name. Or identity. And I did not even ask.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
(3) Alistair MacLean –
- Our man likes to write spy thrillers.
- I met him on Twitter.
- Again, had never even spoken to him before COVID.
- When I was hospitalized, and there was no way to find out about status of the patient or +
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

or how he was being treated, this chap came around like an angel.
- His parents happen to be senior doctors, who through their contacts managed to get in touch with senior doctors at my hospital, and through them, got my status update. Daily.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- And he then circulated the update amongst my other ‘internet’ friends.
- When I wasn’t sure about the kind of treatment I was getting at the hospital (first few days were very tough) and was getting quite desperate, he assured +
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ me that his parents had reviewed the whole protocol being administered, and they were treating me by the book.
- His parents gave me feedback on my X-Rays, and on progress of my pneumonia treatment. They were like angels looking over me.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

- Post discharge, he was the one who told me how twice it was touch-and-go for me!
- And told me that when I go to my hometown, I need to go and pay obeisance to my Kul Devi and Pitra for granting me a second life.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
(4) Geopolitical Expert – On normal days, you can expect him to give deep insights on geopolitical events.
- On other days, he can be busy arranging medicines for his friend, that’s me, based in NCR. He’s based down south, BTW.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

- When COVID struck, I was asked to take certain medicines.
- And during early days, I was all alone at home. Certain medicine was simply not available.
- I told him about the problem.
- And he was like, don’t worry, I’ll do something.
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

- Sitting down-south, he coordinated with his friends in NCR, and all of them got as many doses as they could, pooled it together, and got it home delivered it to me.
- Later when I got admitted +
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+ he was in touch with my other internet friends, and keeping a tab on my health.
- He was also constantly checking with my brother on my updates and in case he needed any help.
- Later was giving me advise on what to eat and all!
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

(5) Mr. Encyclopedia – He’s your favorite go to person when it comes to anything related to domestic defense R&D.
- Apart from that, he’s also a wonderful soul.
- He and me go a long way back on a certain defense related forum.
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- We’ve even sparred many a times on certain topics.
- We used to have long chats when I was down with COVID and still at home. Those chats brought some happiness to my otherwise screwed life at that point in time.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- After I got hospitalized, he was there getting updates from the chap above and keeping a tab on my recovery.
- BTW, not many of you know that apart from defense, he also a chota - mota encyclopedia on certain diseases and medications.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- To each one of you gentlemen, thank you! And thank you!
- Apart from my these 'internet friends', I also need to thank many others on this forum. I was actually quite amazed by the concern shown by so many, and good wishes coming from so many people.
+
#NewYear2022 #COVID19

+
- But for your concern, prayers, and good wishes, 2021 could have turned out to be much different.
- My deepest gratitude to each one of you.
- Wish you a very happy, healthy, and wonderful 2022.