Our family got a rude shock when my husband tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month. One week had elapsed between the development of symptoms and getting him tested. By the time the results came, our ten-month old daughter and I had received a fair amount of exposure to him. After several telephonic consultations with family doctors, we were convinced that the virus would have transmitted to me and my daughter by then.
So, there was no point in quarantining ourselves from each other. However, we quarantined ourselves together in a room to prevent the spread to other family members and followed basic protocols of distancing, usage of masks, frequent hand washing and sanitizing. Living in a joint family set-up, we were especially worried about potentially infecting our elderly parents. This is our journey of coping with the novel coronavirus.
Symptoms
Medications
Home remedies
-Herbal tea ‘Kadha’ – A warm tea made with tulsi leaves, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, ashwagandha, mulethi, giloy and cloves. All these ingredients could play an important role in fighting any illness-causing bacteria and increase the body’s immunity
-Gargles with water boiled with raw turmeric and salt thrice a day
-Steam inhalation twice a day
-Regular sipping of warm water
-A well-balanced diet including fruits, nuts, proteins and salads
Apart from the above remedies, we religiously practised yoga, pranayama every morning for a minimum of one-hour and frequently played healing chants such as Mahamrityunjaya Mantra and others in the room to raise the vibration of the place and surround ourselves with positive energy. After all, it is always the simple things in life that produce the most marvelous results.
The most difficult and confusing decision was to reach to conclusion about whether I should continue to breastfeed my baby or not. After contemplating at length, I decided to continue breastfeeding, though I observed basic precautions like wearing a mask and washing my hands before handling the baby. I sincerely urge all lactating mothers of infants who suspect themselves to be Covid-19 Positive to please continue to breastfeed your baby. Mother’s milk and her touch are the most healing medication an infant can be given at such a stressful time and I would go as far as to say that it shall help the baby successfully cope with any virus or infection. This decision was validated by a pediatrician I consulted and has been reinforced by my personal experience. Further, while you are feeding the baby, hold your baby a little tighter and hug her a little harder. Do not panic and send ‘fear energy’ to your baby while feeding. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to not think, not wonder, not imagine and not obsess. Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best.
After we had come to terms with the reality that Coronavirus has very much entered our house and we could do nothing but deal with it, we did our best to brace ourselves to power through this time. We tried to look at it as an opportunity to find joy in the ordinary and utilized this time to rejuvenate our mind, body and soul together. We listened to music, played online games, caught up on our favorite shows and movies, ate our favorite (yet healthy) food and laughed a little harder. After all, life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.