Read on Twitter
On July 10th, the covid tests came back positive for myself, mum, and my friend, negative for dad. We’ve finished home quarantine now and our symptoms are mostly gone (yay!!!) but here are some things I wish I’d known which could’ve avoided a lot of stress and anxiety (1/n)
GETTING TESTED: our family doctor practices at an Apollo clinic and she ordered our tests. Home testing costs a little more, and if you’re in Chennai it takes a little over 24H for the results. Get all of your supplies in this window and assume it’s positive to prepare yourself.
SYMPTOMS: a mild runny nose for my friend, a moderate runny nose + 99 temperature for me, a slight cough and 100 fever for mom; 3 people got infected because this looked like less than a regular cold. Don’t take anything for granted, isolate and call your doctor for next steps!
INVENTORY: a pulse oximeter, contactless thermometer, paracetamol, vitamin C and zinc, azithromycin, probiotics, inhalers (for asthmatics) masks, food and groceries essentials, sanitizer. Having our doorway sealed off meant we had to have everything we needed already there.
LOGISTICS: since dad was negative, he stayed at a service apartment elsewhere. It helps to have a place ready so that you don’t panic and search desperately later. If you have pets, avoid contact. Make arrangements for having perishable goods like milk etc delivered.
FOOD: Lots and lots of fluids, an egg or two everyday, lots of greens and vegetables, lentils, curd at room temp, etc. Ginger, honey and haldi help; max out on whatever home flu remedies you usually do, but avoid too much kashayam (they can upset your stomach apparently?)
QUARANTINING: Clean your space everyday, but split tasks so it doesn’t get tiring. Upma, dal, idly, rasam, stir fries are the easiest & fastest to cook. A lot of energy goes into cooking and housekeeping and taking care of yourself, so get as much rest between these as possible
MENTAL HEALTH: oh boy. This one did a number on my anxiety, I needed SOS meds (which I didn’t have to use in the end, so yay). Please remember, most people get through this! Practice deep breathing exercises - this is ESSENTIAL to identify breathlessness vs panic attacks (cont)
Check with your psych and/or your presiding doctor if your meds interact with anything, and do NOT think of the what ifs at any cost. Stay off social media if you can, it’s more scary and confusing than useful. Playing Solitaire and reading children’s fantasy helped my anxiety.
MISC: if you’re quarantining with people, play board games and watch fun things but avoid too much contact here too, and shut yourself off from covid related news. Tell only your close circle, because the phone calls (albeit well meaning) get stressful
Don’t panic! Take things one day at a time, tackle one task at a time, and find a routine that works for your physical and mental energy. Be cautious but optimistic and be in constant touch with your doctor.
Tangential: try getting some of the pricier supplies for anyone who works at your home, and PLEASE PAY SALARIES even if they aren’t coming for a while. People are afraid for their livelihoods and end up being at risk and inadvertently spreading.
Your oxygen saturation should be between 96-100; anything below that warrants attention. Check your vitals (pulse, oxygen, temperature, BP) 4 times a day and maintain a spreadsheet. Most importantly - symptom at all warrants temporary isolation for the sake of people around you!
Navigating the corporation formalities can be tedious but be patient, they’re understaffed and overworked and are just doing their job. The Chennai corp helps with sending supplies, so keep Google pay handy always. Expect several calls in a day to avoid losing your patience.
These are just a few things off the top of my head, I’ll add more as I think of any. But my DMs are open for anyone who might have any questions or would like advice from someone who’s been through this! It’s an exceedingly taxing time, so seek as much support as you need!
