It was 3rd of May 2021 and both of my parents were advised to do a covid test and given antibiotics as they had mild fever. After many of the phone calls which I made I was able to get the test done the next day (minimum report delivery time span was 3 days). The test results came positive. During these 3-4 days after the doctor had visited the saturation was in control and there were no symptoms. The day the covid medicines started, the same afternoon my mom's saturation level started to drop. I tried proning but the level just dropped from 95 to 84. I made up my mind to get her admitted. I called 10-12 hospitals, but everywhere the answer was no bed available. After an hour of trying and with the help of my friend Dr. Swati Dasgupta, I was able to get her admitted in a private hospital on 08/05/2021. My preference was always CMRI, but couldn't get a bed there. The next day of the admission i.e. 09/05/2021, I wasn't able to contact the hospital over telephone to know about the whereabouts of maa. I was feeling helpless as I had baba too whom I had to take care of. Here I have to mention about Dr. Suman Mitra whom we had known since 2020 as he had treated my father. He who is more than a doctor for us. Just when I was about to go to the hospital, I get a call from Dr. Mitra to know about maa's condition and also get a chance to shift maa to CMRI in covid general ward. I didn't know what was going to happen thereafter but the thought that Dr. Mitra would be treating maa was a positive thing for us. From May 9th maa was under Dr. Suman Mitra's supervision. After just 2 days of her admission I come to know maa has been shifted to ICU as her oxygen level at one point dropped to 68. Here I come to know about the term "HAPPY HYPOXIA"
It happens when people are unaware they are being deprived of oxygen. As a result, the COVID-19 patient, on the outside, appears to be alright and happy. Patients infected with the virus, with extremely low blood-oxygen levels are as comfortable as one can be with an illness and talking to doctors normally (MAA TOO WAS HAVING THE SAME)
The same afternoon I get a call from the ICU department that they need my consent as maa would be either requiring BIPAP or HFNO (High-Flow Nasal Oxygen) and if that too doesn't work then she has to be put on ventilator support. Without any further thoughts I give my consent. She was talking to us normally, cracking jokes sometimes etc. It was unimaginable for us to think how can a patient be so normal when she's so critical, when her demand for oxygen is so high. After a day I come to know they'll keep her on HFNO support (WHERE SHE WAS GETTING 60 LITRES OXYGEN PER MINUTE ALONG WITH 15 LITRES EXTRA OXYGEN i.e a total of 75 litres of oxygen per minute was her requirement) and not put on ventilator support for the time being. Only prayers were what we could do at that point of time (I had to keep everything hidden from baba as his condition wasn't good too, but luckily the saturation didn't go below 90) It was a span of a week where maa was kept on HFNO support along with other steroids, remdesivir etc. She was in a very very critical condition. After another week one day I get a call that they have reduced the level from 75 litres to 15 litres and would decrease gradually based on her requirements. The litres come down from 15 to 10 and then 8. The HFNO had been removed to NRBM. Many scans had been done during that time which showed her lungs were damaged severely because of covid pneumonia. It was completely white. But to God's grace she was responding to the medicines etc. Gradually the litres came down and saturation level went up. We used to wait in anticipation for the one video call which the ICU department used to make so that we could talk and see maa for a minute or so. Some days were such when maa would just look at the phone and not say a single word. Only tears rolled down. It was 21st day of her admission, the NRBM gets replaced to normal face mask with 2-3 litres oxygen intake. After two days she got shifted to general covid ward as her health didn't deteriorate and she was maintaining the parameters. Here the physiotherapy gets started for the lungs to get cured but oxygen requirement was permanent. The face mask gets replaced to nasal cannula. Things start to get better and for the first time I feel that there's always light at the end of the tunnel. On the 28th day Dr. Suman Mitra calls and says he's discharging maa tomorrow, but maa would be requiring oxygen at home along with physiotherapy. After a month long battle for both maa and her doctor it was time for her to come back home.
About Dr. Suman Mitra whatever I say or write will not be enough. He's the doctor who will always go above and beyond and work tirelessly towards a healthy outcome.Your experience and the positivity which you gave and always give played a big role in boosting up my confidence. He's not only a good doctor but also a great human whose presence holds a positive vibe that is more powerful than any prescribed medicines. His kindness, sincere caring, and concern make everything better and is a great encouragement.
He has always been successful to keep our spirits up though he had so many other patients amidst his non stop and strenuous covid rounds. As a doctor, you’ve gone above and beyond everything. The questions which not only me, my sister, my mesho, Baba used to ask and he answered each and everything so patiently. He made us understand the complications and the situation which maa was going through so easily. He calmly explained to us in simple terms, all that we needed to know about maa's health condition. The way he motivated maa during the whole fight is beyond words. I felt so guilty at times to disturb him as he too is a human being who is dealing with something which we can't think of sitting at home.
Thank you so very much for taking care of maa and tolerating us with our silly questions.
As I always say, God could not be everywhere, so he made sure that we have doctors like you who have the gift of healing mankind. Having a doctor like you is something that nearly everyone wants, but many people never get to experience. We are lucky we have you. Baba and both me and bon and now maa too we treat you as our family. You have my maximum respect, and I am always indebted to you for giving maa a second chance to live 🙏🙏🙏
Now when maa is back home, having her regular physiotherapy and constant oxygen supply, I keep on texting him whenever the saturation levels drop or for any other queries, he's always there to reply back. Maa is better than before but the fight is still on as the lungs can only get better through physiotherapy.
Thank you and all the staffs of CMRI for the hard work, for helping our community and putting yourselves on the front line to combat COVID-19, for the difference you all make in the lives of your patients 🙏
MY WHOLE MOTTO OF WRITING THIS IS SOMETIMES IT JUST HITS YOU AND YOU LITERALLY DO JUST THINK HOW IS THIS HAPPENING TO US? IT IS ONE OF THOSE, IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE AND YOU HEAR ON THE NEWS AND KNOW THE STORIES BUT ACTUALLY TO BE ON THE END OF IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND YOU REALLY SEE THE DARK SIDE OF COVID-19
I don't want anyone to go through the same situation which we had to for the last one month and still is. As per maa she used to literally feel scared as everyday she could see someone or the other in the ICU was no more and the thought of not being able to see us anymore made her feel wretched.
LIFE IS VERY PRECIOUS. THERE'S NO HARM IN WEARING A MASK SO THAT YOU YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES CAN STAY SAFE. LITTLE PRECAUTIONS WHICH WE NEED TO TAKE TO HELP THE FRONTLINE WORKERS IN THEIR BATTLE TO SAVE US 🙏
P.S - AMIDST THE WHOLE FIGHT ONE THING THAT ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL POSITIVE WAS THAT I KNEW MY MAA WAS IN VERY SAFE HANDS