62-year-old in Noida recovers from Covid-19, Her advice: Stay upbeat

It began with a cough that wouldn’t go away, breathlessness and fever. She thought she should get tested for Covid-19 — more cases were being reported every day. By the end of the day, she and her son, who had travelled to Denmark earlier, were isolated.

Soon, the rest of the family was as well, becoming the city’s second biggest cluster with seven cases. Now, the 62-year-old is back home, the first senior citizen in Noida to have recovered, and she has one advice to share — stay positive.

Medical experts have flagged age as a risk factor for the novel coronavirus — those over 60 have a higher risk of infection and mortality. And she has diabetes and asthma, comorbid factors that add to the risk factors. At one point during treatment, her condition had worsened and she was on oxygen and nebuliser for four days. But she bounced back and is happy to be back home. “I feel healthy. Being in the isolation ward was like being in jail. I can finally breathe,” she said.

Two things, she said, made it possible for her to see herself through her time in hospital — a supportive medical staff and staying positive. “First, you hear about the disease and get scared. Then, you find yourself in the middle of it, your own situation worsens. And when you overcome it all and come home, people avoid you and your family. But I tell my children: remain strong and think positive. There is no point thinking about how people respond. We should stay away, right now at least, as it’s best for everyone. Just follow the treatment protocol and mentally prepare yourself. That’s how you get better,” she said.

Both she and her son said the doctors at the hospital were doing their best. “They spoke to us, tried to make us feel comfortable,” her son said.

Director of GIMS, Brigadier Rakesh Gupta (retired), admitted age had been a factor. “Age does make cases complicated. We have a dedicated team of doctors who always remember that in all this, the spirits of our patients also need to be held high.”

Mother and son were discharged last Friday after they recovered. Now she waits for her husband, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren to get home. “We’re still not allowed to go out though.”

Source: Times of India

Noida coronavirus covid-19