By Ramneek Kaur Malhotra
(This creative writing piece emerged from ‘Sampark- Emotional well-being for covid warriors’ session)
Continued…
I masked my already masked face, sanitised my hands, and stepped out. My husband had fever, and his oxygen level was dropping. The anxiety levels had reached their peak and I did not know what had to be done after receiving all the news of no hospital beds and no oxygen available. Also, we did not even have the test report that would only come the next day. I took a deep breath, as much as I could through the two masks, gave him a paracetamol and moved him into my room.
Then started a flurry of frantic calls to doctors – cousins who had made us proud by taking the Hippocrates oath. One thing was clear, a bed in the hospital was not easy at this hour. But then came in a lot of advice – some repetitive, but still needed. Take steam, lie prone and I even pressed some marma points I remember from a video seen some two years ago, that there are some points on the sole of our feet and the center of our palms, that improve heartbeat and oxygen levels. I did all I was told to, all I could and all I remembered. Another desperate attempt at the oximeter, and yes, the reading had moved a notch up though only a wee bit, but a small step in the right direction. The confidence levels boosted up, the anxiety levels went down a bit, the calls to doctor cousins and friends eased up as now I felt we will be able to breathe through the night.
That night we did not sleep or eat, all we did was breathe – because that was all that counted! Breathe, so that we could respire, and our life keeps moving on. They say we come to the earth with counted breaths, well breathe slowly and deep, for each one counts!
Life, the physical life is maintained by the four life processes, but is nourished by the fact that you share it with your family and friends – people who stand with you, breathe with you till your last breath.
That night, and after that each moment, each breath I take is filled with gratitude – gratitude to each and every thing that helps me breathe so that I can do all that my heart desires and the mind conspires.
