ISLAMABAD: December 1, 2020 was just a normal day in my life with no major worries or concerns. But what followed soon after was much more terrifying than the worst nightmare. Covid-19 attacked me in a unique fashion and hit me so hard that my life seemed like touch and go to me. For the first time in my life, I felt like death was touching me.
The day began with my usual routine. I visited my office --The News Investigations Cell -- in Islamabad, did some routine work and had a brief chat with some of my team members. I was physically fit, there was no fatigue, no fever and no indication of any health issue that would indicate I might have caught Covid-19.
Coming back home from the office the same evening, I went to a relative’s place to offer condolences for a death in the family. I was wearing a mask and so were many others -- but there were others who were carefree.
The next morning things began to take an alarming turn. I felt lethargic and fatigued but was still not prepared for what I was going to experience in the coming days and weeks.
Suspecting Corona, I immediately took my entire family for the Covid-19 test and when the result came in the evening, I was declared positive while the rest of my family members were, Alhamdulillah, negative.
Till then I was not worried and hoped that the virus would go away without creating too many problems. I immediately approached Dr Shazli Manzoor -- the best available option for this highly risky and unpredictable disease in the federal capital. He got my x-rays done, took a few blood tests and after a check-up suggested I take some medicines, including an antibiotic. He didn’t seem too alarmed and I too was relaxed.
I am 55 and have thankfully been fit all my life. High blood pressure has been a family issue but mine has remained under control. Ever since the first phase of Covid 19 hit Pakistan, I began taking care of my diet, taking calcium and other food and medicine that would strengthen my immune system. I had been mentally preparing myself to counter a possible Covid attack. But nothing had prepared me for what happened next. In my case, Covid turned out to be much too dangerous, too tricky and too deceitful.
I started taking medicines the same evening I consulted the doctor. I had a sort of a normal sleep on that first night. The next morning, I woke up and went out for breakfast to soak in the winter sun and read the newspapers. But things did not go as planned. What seemed perfectly normal earlier, suddenly changed into an emergency-like situation for me.
I started feeling drowsy, felt as if I was drowning and began losing my consciousness. I was rushed to the hospital and by the time I reached there, I was virtually unconscious. It was hard to open my eyes. However, sometimes I could hear the voices of doctors and family members making efforts to help me regain my consciousness.
My blood saturation level, blood pressure, ECG, sugar level, chest x-ray and even CT scan were immediately done -- and surprisingly everything seemed fine. What had happened was that Covid-19 had actually attacked my brain -- something I had neither expected nor heard of before.
For hours, I could not talk, I could not think. I lost the ability to string together words, I lost my memory. Even If I wanted to say something, I did not know how to say it. I could not coherently construct any thought into speech. I was extremely thirsty but could not even say the word ‘paani’ (water). My family members later told me that I was just moving my hands in a bid to convey what I wanted to say without being able to utter a word.
For the doctors, I was a strange case. All my medical reports were fine but Covid-19 seemed to have hit me in a unique fashion. This alarming situation continued for hours and one thing that I definitely thought about at the time was death without being fearful.
Then came the first miracle. My younger daughter told me: “Baba Darood Sharif parhain” (Baba recite Darood Sharif). She recited it once for me and then I started reciting Darood Sharif, and different dua’as (prayers) again and again. A person who until only a few minutes earlier was totally lost, unable to speak and think, who could not construct a sentence, miraculously started reciting dua’as. Later I am told that I hardly made any mistakes in reciting the dua’as.
To me, this was the start of the reversal of what was a lethal attack of Covid-19 on my brain and nervous system. Alhamdulillah within 24 hours, my memory, mental alertness and speech were back to almost normal.
When I began to regain my senses, I was sent home with loads of medication as the serious threat was apparently over. But Covid-19 had some more lethal plans for me. I was taking medicines, mostly injectables, but all of a sudden Covid decided to attack my lungs. I began coughing so went back to the doctor, who after talking my x-rays and a few tests, decided to hospitalise me with 24/7 oxygen support.
The second Covid 19 attack was full of pain. Even moving a few steps was impossible for me. I was so fatigued that thinking of going to the bathroom was like thinking of climbing Mount Everest. This time I was diagnosed with a lower respiratory tract infection -- acute viral pneumonitis. After spending a week in the hospital and taking injectables, which had pricked almost every vein of my body because of the use of a cannula, I was discharged from the hospital. I am now on oral medicines – a whopping 25 tablets a day!
I am still on oxygen support and Alhmadulillah improving with the blessings of Almighty Allah and thanks to the prayers of many friends and well-wishers.
My purpose of writing all this is to request you all—please, please, please don’t take Covid-19 lightly. May Allah save everyone from a serious attack of this disease! Please think and learn from my experience; this virus can attack anyone. Hundreds of thousands have already lost their lives because of it. I am lucky to have survived a near-fatal attack. Even though I am home and recovering now, it might still take me a few weeks to get rid of the oxygen support. Life is a great gift from Allah and we must protect it. Alhamdulillah for all the good and the bad, surely after hardship comes ease….