Never-say-die SSG head nurse defeats virus, hoodwinks death

VADODARA: October last year was almost written off as the last chapter in SSG Hospital’s head nurse, Kalpana Patel’s diary of life. Her family had given up all hopes of her survival from the debilitating Covid attack. But the gutsy woman showed the virus in just 18 days what it takes to be a warrior nurse for over three decades.
The 58-year-old battled death, slayed the virus in a long-drawn battle that kept everybody on the guessing game — and emerged the winner.Not only did she bounce back from her life-threatening ordeal, she is now back on Covid duty!
“I was given duty at Samras facility just a week ago and I have been posted in the ICU. It was a scary experience as I struggled to beat coronavirus last year. But I am not afraid any more. It is my duty to serve the patients in the hour of crisis,” Patel, who is in nursing profession for 33 years, told TOI.
Working in the psychiatry ward at SSG Hospital since 2013, Patel was given Covid duty on May 6 last year.
“I have a habit of working closely with patients and making them feel comfortable. In September last year, I got infected with the virus and my oxygen levels dipped dangerously when I was under home quarantine. I was immediately taken to SSG Hospital and admitted in the ICU on October 4,” recalled Patel.
“My condition was critical. I was kept on BiPap for some days and doctors said that there were little chances of my survival. To make matters worse, my two sons and husband too were infected with Covid in the same period and admitted to SSG. We couldn’t see each other during those tough days. But I was confident that we all will defeat the virus,” Patel said.
It was after 18 days of treatment that Patel’s condition improved and she was discharged. “We thought that we lost her. But my mother is a strong a woman. She recovered from Covid despite being in critical condition,” said her son Aakash.
The battle, though, had just begun as her blood pressure kept fluctuating and health parameters were not steady. “I used to feel very weak and wasn’t in a condition to even walk properly. It took me 81 days to get back to work. Our hospital staff and doctors saved my life,” she added.
A resident of Patarveni village on the outskirts of the city, Patel travels 36km every day to serve the Covid patients at Samras facility. “I was born in SSG, graduated in nursing from this hospital and served as a nurse here. I am very much attached to SSG and my work,” said Patel who is just nine months away from retirement.