Nonagenarian, daughter & son-in-law defeat Covid with +ve mindset
LUCKNOW : Two gutsy elderly women – nonagenarian Pratibha Joshi and her severely diabetic daughter Smita Pandey, 67, defeated Covid-19 infection and said keeping a positive mindset throughout the infection period was the key to recovery.
“My mother’s positive approach and determination helped me and my husband overcome the infection,” Smita said. Smita’s husband BD Pandey, 69, retired superintendent of customs and central excise, who suffers from a heart ailment, got infected too.
Her husband tested positive for Covid-19 infection on April 18 after experiencing mild fever and cough. Smita initially testing negative but later developed symptoms with fever and soon after, along with her 95-year-old mother tested positive on April 23.
“Now, all three of us were positive. Only my sister Beenu Joshi, was free of Covid-19 infection. We decided to stay in home isolation and adhere to doctor’s advice after isolating ourselves in three separate rooms of the house in Indira Nagar,” Smita said.
Smita said her sister kept providing proper meal and took care of the entire house with help of some relatives and friends, who also kept deliver
ing food and medicines regularly. The family was also in touch with doctors over phone and kept consulting them daily.
“We took our medicines on time, did breathing exercises regularly. At times, my mother’s oxygen level dipped slightly but she maintained her patience and increased the oxygen level through prone position,” Smita said.
“We remained positive all through the phase and never allowed ourselves to feel low. Patience, due care and precautions regarding medicines and diet etc. paid off and we three recovered in nearly two weeks. We are doing well now”, Pandey said.
“While recovering, we did breathing exercises, took steam, read books and rested,” she said adding that she felt proud of her mother for remaining positive mentally throughout the testing phase.
“Along with medicines, exercise and healthy diet, positive approach is very important for recovery,” she added.