Writers' Fortnight 2021: “You are not a patient ... you are a warrior” – Charu Dixit’s journey of overcoming COVID-19
10 May 2021
While COVID-19 may be a stumbling block for many, 57-year-old woman Charu Dixit shares her experience on how she used the virus as a stepping stone for her self-discovery.
As a working woman in Gurgaon, India, Charu Dixit was exposed to the first surge of COVID and she was left vulnerable to it due to her age and underlying medical conditions.
She first started feeling the symptoms of a sore throat and a fever on 1 June 2020. From here onwards, she fell down a spiral of ill health for weeks as she relentlessly fought for her recovery in isolation.
Ms. Dixit contacted her doctor immediately and got a test for COVID- 19 arranged.
“The result came on the 6 June and I had tested positive. Like any other regular person, the result sent a shiver of fear down my spine.”
“However, my doctor’s calm acceptance of the situation did reassure me. Now began a time of extreme care since I did not want to go to any hospital.”
A fever you can’t sweat out
“It was definitely the toughest few weeks. I felt severe exhaustion and loneliness while still trying to digest what had happened to me.”
Charu Dixit suffered from a high fever for 13 days straight as she tried to fight the infection. The weeks that she had fever were periods of extreme fatigue and weakness, as she felt incapacitated.
“I took crocin and sometimes the fever did not come down even after taking it, and then my doctor gave me something stronger so I could finally sleep undisturbed through the night”
However, she points out that it is ironic that her fever-free days were the most grueling part of the experience.
“14 and 15 June were the first two completely fever-free days for me and were perhaps the worst two days of the entire period. I just had no strength … to the extent that I did not have tea for two whole days.”
Although COVID-19 had a debilitating effect on Charu Dixit’s health, extending to her physical wellbeing as a whole, what kept her through it was her fighting spirit that prevailed throughout the entire period.
“All through my illness, I attended all office conference calls and tried to do my mails for short intervals during the day. These activities required less energy but improved my mental wellbeing as I felt distracted from my sickness.”
Breaking the barriers of social stigma
Charu Dixit added the importance of not putting others at risk while suffering from COVID-19 and breaking the barriers of social stigmas associated with it.
“I had let go of my daily help on 4 June itself as I did not want them to catch any infection from me despite the fact that we were following all COVID-related precautions, like sanitising and wearing masks at home. I ensured my children were not with me so I was alone at home with no help.”
She also adds that informing the rest of the community is the primary duty of someone who is suffering from COVID-19. She explains that even though people tend to marginalise and stigmatise those who test positive, it is important to make sure the rest of your community is safe and aware.
“The moment your doctor suggests a test – which should ideally be the fourth day of fever – your first responsibility is to remove people from around you and also to track and ensure the safety of the ones who had been in contact with you.”
“It is your social responsibility to do so, even if having COVID-19 creates negative baggage surrounding an individual.”
Source: Charu Dixit
Support Systems
Ms. Dixit highlights the importance of having support systems during the 'dreaded journey' of recovering from COVID-19. She explains that although the help may be indirect, it still “helps to know that you are valued and not alone on this journey.”
Apart from dealing with COVID-19, new roadblocks and challenges were added due to the fact that Charu Dixit has the underlying condition of borderline diabetes and has been on hypertension medication for the last four years.
“MCG was very quick on the uptake and on 7 June itself they came to meet me and quarantined my apartment till 20 June. Additionally, they called and took my status for the next one week on a daily basis.”
Charu Dixit had informed her neighbours about contracting COVID-19, which directly resulted in her apartment building being sealed off.
“I was so pleasantly surprised that people were extremely supportive and helpful all through my recuperation. My neighbours brought hot and fresh meals for me every day for almost fifteen days.”
“Lunch was supplied by a very kind neighbour and in addition to sleeping and resting, I was doing some lung exercises as I was experiencing strain in breathing. A video sent by my sister with instructions by a doctor helped me.”
She explains that she isolated herself from her children to keep them safe, but also valued their support through digital means of communication.
“My children put themselves, my doctor, and me on a WhatsApp group so we could communicate easily without any strain on me.”
Dixit also came to the realisation that during times of illness and isolation, being vulnerable is acceptable, which led to her transition from doing everything solely and independently to being able to accept and receive help from others.
“It is also okay to take help from friends and neighbours and I realised that we are surrounded by such kind people. I was inundated with offers for lunch and dinner and to this day a neighbour is sending lunch for me and my wonderful doctor is taking care of my dinner.”
Road to Recovery
Source: Charu Dixit
“COVID-19 is definitely a huge inconvenience, it is like a stumbling block in your life but it is nothing to be scared of.”
Charu Dixit explains the importance of lifestyle changes in order to recover from COVID-19. Through her journey, Charu transitioned from living a rushed and fast-paced life to slowing down and self-reflecting.
“Getting COVID-19 definitely changed my life by leading me onto enjoying the simpler things and appreciating my surroundings, and taught me the importance of spending time with myself.”
She claims that “The formula for recovering from COVID-19 is fairly simple. I ate well and as much as possible, kept myself hydrated, and most importantly, rested and slept for most of the day”, taking a step back from her regular routine.
“Communication is definitely a key aspect in recovering from COVID-19. I would monitor my symptoms and send them to my doctor every three hours. This kept me more psychologically grounded which led to my physical wellbeing.”
Charu Dixit finally tested negative on 25 June 2020 – nearly a month after embarking on the journey of defeating COVID-19.
“It was definitely a stressful and grueling month”, but through the chaos and challenges that COVID-19 presented, it was also “the most fulfilling and eye-opening experience.”
“I wanted to share that with due vigilance, good nutrition, medication and rest one can very easily recover at home itself. If you do get COVID-10, my advice would be to get yourself a good doctor, good food, and a good book! Relax.”
“Remember that you are not a patient ... You are a warrior”