Does hospitalised during pandemic mean COVID always ? NO

 I know most people get scared to be hospitalised. Being a veteran with 12 surgeries, twice angiography, hospital in some sense has been my 2nd home. But since, last 2 years, I too dread to visit hospital even to visit for y regular checkups. As it is one of the place where people pick up all sorts of infections, especially with poor immunity like husband- heart, diabetes, CKD and I= cancer, COPD. Well, hubby needed to undergo colonoscopy to rule out colon cancer. We got infections, which at once most thought to be COVID. Luckily having had 3 vaccines, experts have been saying even if you get Omicron, it will be mild, in most cases no hospitalisation. We too thought we may have got the virus, though no symptoms, except acute breathlessness for hubby- due to pneumonia and heart condition.

We both are truly grateful to GOD as his cardiologist said that if we had delayed even by an hour his visit to the hospital, it could have been very serious for him. We went for a regular checkup with ECG, Echo and blood tests and his worsening breathlessness. Seeing his condition, the cardiologist said too rush him to hospital for admission. Got him admitted to casualty, where the cardio had written for some injection to be administered. But the casualty Dr. said, his BP is so low, that we can't give him any shot now. After putting him on oxygen and slightly stabilising him, he was rushed to CT of chest, which showed pulmonary pneumonia. I was telling him of his chest congestion for many days and avoid anything cold, but he never listened. As he had a rare disease - sarcoidosis, which had affected his lungs years ago, I was always worried about his lungs.

He was rushed from scan to ICU, where of course due to pandemic, one can't enter, also doctors don't know if the patient is positive or not. I was told that hubby had a mild heart attack the previous night, truly grateful to GOD that it was mild and he wasn't aware of it either, as he isn't as positive as I'm. He was kept for 4 days for observation in a separate room, as he has phobia due to closed place, he'ld not sleep alone, was very restless. Grateful that he came home better, no breathlessness, of course weak and tired as his hemoglobin is only 9. 

Now, it was my turn to pay back the debt to another hospital ! I was running fever, first mild- my normal body temperature is around 96.4, but fever would go up to 99.8- 100.4. After taking paracetamol, 2 days, fever did come down, but then the fever started going higher till 102.4 no sign of abating, was shivering whole night due to fever. So, last Saturday morning,our daughter- a Dr., told me that I better get admitted to a hospital as I need strong antibiotics through IV and to know the cause of fever. Luckily, one of her batch-mate has a small hospital, though far from our home, we still preferred to go there, as we're sure of getting good personal attention. All routine tests- blood, urine, chest x-ray was done. It showed high pus cells in urine, COVID negative- which was a big plus point. Being a cancer survivor, as I already had pyelonephritis, both my kidneys are small and scarred, which is known to me and a small cyst in my liver.

The Dr, though he is an orthopedic, and a good physician too, at once started me on IV with antibiotics to get my fever and infection under control. Once the fever stopped, he wanted me to keep me for a night on oral antibiotics, as I didn't get fever, he discharged me this afternoon ! It is always good to be back home from the hospital, as nothing like sleeping on your bed in known environment. I've to go for review after a week. But, I'm totally exhausted, though promised to make some rava upma for dinner, told hubby, that feeling slight feverish and totally fatigued, I can give you only read toast. He said anything is fine and not to exert myself. To be frank, with age catching up with me, my stamina seems to be going low, as now, without any surgery, feeling totally exhausted as if I underwent a major surgery. Maybe, as both of us were PCR +ve , but with minimum values, which didn't need any medication special, except for our other infections. But, both are feeling totally knocked down since a fortnight. Body is screaming for rest, sleep. So, good night all, take care, wherever you're. Please listen to the body always, as it always gives first signal of something wrong, don't leave out those at times minute differences.