This incident happened during my marine training days at the Chennai port. I was having a viral infection which got worse over time. Initially, I felt lucky to get a break from this harrowing training at the port, but later on, with the infection catching up, I felt otherwise. Things started getting worse when my stomach stopped accepting food, and my mind started getting tired. My roommate had no idea of what I was going through and continued with his training, considering me to be lucky to escape it. It was the fourth day, and my stomach was already empty for two days.
I was at a small clinic waiting my turn when I witnessed a young lady rushing in with her blue colour baby. I was terrified as I had never seen anything like that. She was immediately turned down by the nurse as the clinic was ill-equipped to handle the case. The young lady, probably in her late teens, picked her still baby and started running again. I was sitting there weak and exhausted. I looked all of it and yet couldn't help her. Maybe this is what the disease does to you. It not just take away your capacity to do simple chores of life but also limits your minds ability to think beyond.
I got my medicine and was back to my room. The security guard was at my doors, expecting my lunch order along with my hefty tip. Even that food didn't stick to my gut. I laid back listening to my breath and trying to sleep rather than falling unconscious. A couple of hours later, I woke up nauseous. The medicine refused to stay inside me as well. I looked at my pillow, and I could see my hair over it. I was shedding hair big time. I felt I must not risk this anymore, no matter what. I was tired of the place, its noise and its people, especially with the infection catching up.
I decided to get back home. A five hundred kilometre journey from Chennai to Coimbatore was an arduous task for me. I packed my medicines, water bottles and all the money I could grab and left for the railway station. I was telling myself to hold on for another 9 hours, and everything will be fine. I was lucky to find a seat but unlucky to find some hippy youngsters who were on some celebration mood nearby me. They tried to bring up a conversation, considering my age to be on par with them. I didn't talk much. They hardly had a clue that I was holding my vomit more than my words. Those 9 hours was one of the longest journeys I ever had in my life.
On arrival, my father looked at me twice to confirm if it was me before sweating profusely. I was in the best hospital in no time who confirmed it was malaria. I got back home only to be back in the bed with an empty stomach. The solace I had now was the company of my loved ones which was by far the best thing a sick person can have. Unfortunately, Corona patients don't have that luxury.
I wasn't getting any better when one beautiful day, my mom pushed me out of the house, to walk barefoot and smell the fresh air. My mind which was limiting my thought so far had no other choice but to open up. The green trees and the blue sky meant a lot more now. That second I felt that I am going to be okay and it happened in 2 days.
Malaria is a curable disease, and yet I had to fight it hard. During this fight, I realised one truth.
"The cure begins with the mind. If it gives up, the body gives up too. Even if the condition is bad, if the mind doesn't give up, the body can't give up."
I understand Corona is a different ball game and yet their field is still the body. No matter how different it mutates, it is still is a new virus with a limited history.
So in front of us, we have a minuscule monster of which we have no clue. We still have to fight it because we have no other choice. Just like researches across the globe, our people too, have started their research and are propagating it through WhatsApp. It begins with the age-old Ayurveda and ends up at our fast food kitchens. There are still some aggressive rulers of great nations suggesting dynamic usage of bleach which I safely don't want to comment upon. I don't want to comment on alternatives like Hydrochloroquine, Dexamethasone or even steroids as none of them is a final cure, and its effects differ on different people.
Herbal medicines get prescribed for immunity enhancement. It delivers the results over time and it is not an instant solution. I have nothing against their utility, but I have my serious doubts about its effectiveness on a polluted body like ours. Ayurveda or Homeopathy comes with its own laws of functioning with its old history. Does our body fit that? I also doubt the purity and authenticity of its ingredients in today's age.
Moreover, the new disease needs a fresh outlook and more research. Ayurveda and Homeopathy acutely fall short of it. The same thought applies to the other homebound remedies. They still can enhance the immunity, but when it comes to killing the virus, it serves more of a placebo than anything else, which in my opinion, is not a bad idea. Interestingly the thing directly impacting a man's immunity is his sleep hours and his stress levels.
You can hear stories of people getting better after taking this alternate medicine. Still, you won't listen to stories of people who succumb to it despite taking these medicines because they have better things to do than telling stories.
Having expressed my reservations on the alternate treatment of Corona, the reality is that the percentage of people coming out safe from Corona is far better than those falling prey to it. Morbidities like diabetes, High BP, Cardiac Issues, Obesity seems to be in the high-risk bracket; otherwise, rest are statistically safe.
The biggest problem in this society is its Curiosity. Businesses and media well exploit this. Exceptions are projected and stereotyped, which hardly constitute 1% of the reality. We, unfortunately, set it as a benchmark of things. A human is too fond of his life. Anything which triggers his routine will disturb him big time.
Owing to my closeness to the medical community, I hear a lot of stories every day. With Corona taking centre stage, my keenness to the accounts has become much apparent to them. I want to explore all the emotions, especially of those who are critical. I heard that many people, including the influential ones who are critical, are panicking big time. In fact, they start panicking the very second they get tested positive. Most of them don't get better anytime soon, and some even give up.
There was one interesting case I was told about. He was admitted in a critical stage as well; however, it seems that he was not panicking and was holding up well. He was carrying a big box with him when he got admitted. He continued to hold that box close to him irrespective of his health condition. The third day of admission, he woke up, opened the box and started painting. He was a painter, and it was his paint box with essentials. This patient tells the crux of all that I want to say. It's all in the mind.
It is man's mind which gives direction to his body to release the antibodies. It makes the body fight the infection. Interestingly there are cases where antibodies have not developed properly, and the patient can get infected again, but like I said before those are exceptions. We can't plan things based on exceptions. A positive firm mind goes a long way in holding a healthy body. If it gives up, the body loses its power as well, and destiny comes into play.
I am not saying a positive mind is everything, but I am saying it must be the beginning of everything.
All the power and immunity stays inside our body, and all it needs is a signal, a positive one, which only a positive mind can deliver.
Stay Safe & Stay Positive
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