Healthy lifestyle helps 90-year-old beat Covid-19

LUCKNOW: There’s a silver lining in times of gloom. A 90-year-old resident of the city has triumphed over Covid-19 with the help of doctors and along his sheer will power and self-confidence.
On April 22, nonagenarian Bhagawati Prasad Pandey, a resident of Rajajipuram, tested Corona positive. At one time, his oxygen saturation level had reached 78. He was put on oxygen support and was in home isolation under the treatment of a local physician.
Pandey, who had been living a disciplined lifestyle, which is also the secret of his long and healthy life, had no comorbid condition. His family members said “he rarely takes ill.”
However, Pandey developed fever, loss of appetite and weakness on April 20. “He could not even walk, hence we had to lift him till the car to take him to the diagnostic centre for Covid testing. On our request, the sample was taken while he was sitting in the car,” said Sanjeev Pandey, his son.
After he tested positive, his family was more concerned about his health because of his age. His blood oxygen level also started dropping. However, despite best efforts made by the family, he did not get a bed in any of the Covid hospitals, said a member.
“As a result, we managed an oxygen cylinder with a friend’s help at home and arranged a support system on his bedside. After two days, his condition started improving,” said Sanjeev. Although he was running a high temperature until May 5, his oxygen saturation stabilized. Finally, he tested negative on May 7.
"The first thing he asked for, after turning negative, was Dahi Jalebi — a favourite of many Lucknowites,” said Sanjeev. He said that daily yoga and a disciplined diet that consisted of fruits, juice and buttermilk with a positive attitude helped him in speedy recovery.
Two other members of the family of seven had also tested positive but they were asymptomatic.
Even after arranging oxygen, and refilling it as per the standard set by the state government, “We had to spend nearly Rs 30,000 in different tests and medicine. Since his health was not stable for 48 hours, I asked my brother to sit by his side to track oxygen and monitor temperature every two hours. And, I was in constant touch with doctors and doing outside work like refilling of the oxygen cylinder and making sure that drugs are available,” added Sanjeev.
“There was a scarcity of fabiflu tablets. We had to purchase in black for Rs 5,000 to give him,” he further added.