Testimony of a Covid19 survivor
COVID-19 IS REAL – MY STORY
I, Pa Musa Jallow had and thankfully survived COVID-19 and I am writing this small piece because I believe it is important and my duty as a Muslim and a Citizen and it may inform and help others.
1. COVID-19 is a virus and its real name is SARS-COV 2 ie Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome- Coronavirus 2 and called COVID-19 because it was discovered or identified in December 2019.
2. COVID-19 virus passes via contact and should not be stigmatized just like catching the Flu or cold is not and many hiding the fact they had COVID-19 are mistaken.
3. COVID-19 is a PANDEMIC and that means it is not localized but global. And its impact and effect cannot be denied and no country has mastered it yet and all are struggling and trying everything.
A pandemic is defined as “an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people”.
MY EXPERIENCE
I for one took COVID-19 very seriously from the onset and instituted advised measures like handwashing, reduced contact, no hand shakes or hugs and even lock down of the house and reduced movements but Que Sera Sera and what must be will be.
A couple of days before the Eid Al Adha, Tobaski, I started feeling feverish at night and suspected Malaria which is endemic in The Gambia and especially during the rainy season and which reminds me that mosquito nets are the most effective defense not insecticide sprays or mosquito coils.
On Tobaski day, I took a dose of Fansidar against what I was sure was Malaria and had no coughing or sore throat or other COVID-19 symptoms. The day after Tobaski (1st August), I was grounded by Malaria and by Wednesday vomited my stomach out and felt a little relief but weak.
That Thursday, I felt recovered enough to even play some music but tried to dance, my legs were giving way and it was back to bed and then what seemed like a relapse, and all this time, I had zero appetite and my body racked with unimaginable pain.
My temperature was just slightly elevated and now the breathing challenge and coughing started and each coughing bout was accompanied by pain.
My refusal to eat and total disinterest start worrying the family and soon it was obvious that this was not Malaria or Malaria alone. Now it was alarming as I continued to refuse solid food. The health experts came in and it was the dreaded COVID-19.
The COVID-19 treatment started and I had long since started taking multivitamins and Vitamin C supplements and watching my diet as I was atleast 30% overweight.
I was put on drips and injected with painkillers, B-Complex etc but the breathing started becoming an issue and soon the oxygen level in my blood was noted as very low and I was evacuated to Kanifing General Hospital where I was checked by the Cuban doctor and in addition to my drips, I was also put on oxygen and the relief was almost instant.
I shared my room with two other patients, a male and a female, both adults. All of us had clearly the COVID-19 and breathing was difficult and sadly the male passed away overnight and I was drifting between consciousness and sleep as my family (virtually stood guard).
It was clear the medical personnel was overworked and overstretched but doing their best.
Luckily it seems all the measures undertaken may have helped. For almost 10 days, I refused solid food but was forced to drink hot tea with honey especially and other fluids rich in vitamins like Baobab (Bouy).
The hospital stay was helpful and life saving but also very difficult and I pleaded with the family to check me out and reluctantly this was approved and my room was pretty much converted into a hospital room with drips and oxygen. It helps to have a Scientist and a Nurse in family.
I continued to drips and oxygen and the array of medication and the INNOVARX package was a life saver especially the mucus reliever.
Soon coughing was not as torturous and I continued the tea, lemon and honey, the baobab, and other herbals.
While my breathing problems gradually abated and after a week, my use of the Oxygen was reduced to acute need and night time, it was soon clear I was on the mend and the relief was palpable.
As believers, we accept Allah’s Will in everything and together with the treatment, I am grateful for the prayers from so many and the care and concern.
Yes I tested positive and no! Only God Knows where I got the virus from but most likely contact with asymptomatic people as my movements are very limited.
Thankfully noone was infected and we have a Mask and other COVID-19 Measures Compliance Manager or General (nicknamed the Mask Nazi).
I have been given several post infection interviews by doctors, had my chest x-rayed and I am told that I am now COVID-19 free and not a vector and chances of re-infection are virtually nil.
I am told that I most likely made it because of age (52) and no underlying complications like diabetes or heart disease.
I thank God for everything and especially family and friends and my carers and nurses and doctors.
More than anyone I am very conscious of the challenges of our health services and professionals and their often unrecognized sacrifices.
I am grateful to have survived and have this chance to tell my story.
COVID-19 is real and is just another illness and we need to be prudent and honest.
COVID-19 has a very simple method as it relies on humans and innate human behavior to spread via proximity and contact.
Around 80% infected with have no symptoms ie called Asymptomatic but will be vectors ie carriers and spread the virus. It is the 20% infected that will get ill and about 1-2% that will not survive.
I am an Engineer and not a scientist or medical expert and I am also a believer and a parent.
Like the Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo said, if the economy collapses, we can recover but we cannot recover lives. Let us make saving lives and let us err on side of caution.
I believe in God and prayer and in the ayah “wa nunazillul minal Quran, ma huwa shifawa, wa rahmatul moomineen”
And also the advice by the Prophet Muhammad SAW that in the advent of a plague, ie the spread of a contagious disease, that Muslims should stay put ie not move and thence came ARBA TAINY which give us the word QUARANTINE.. literally 40 days “shutdown” and so we can practice our faith and the highest prudence.
Prayer is part of our arsenal.
I hope and pray that this piece by my humble self will advise some.
I am a father, a husband, a brother, an uncle, an Engineer and I have nearly 30 years experience all over the world including the UN and even as Secretary General and so this malady is not discriminatory and we should not spread that type of information.
Let us allow the experts in the domain to lead and yes, they are human and only Allah SWT Is Perfect and Omnipotent and Omniscient (All Powerful and All Knowing) and scientists and doctors are not God but ignorance especially wilful ignorance and spreading it is both irresponsible and dangerous.
Again, I thank God for everything and especially for life, for family and friends and loved ones.
May Allah SWT Forgive us our trespasses and Bless us all with all the goodness in this world and the next.
May Allah SWT Forgive our dearly departed and Grant them rest in jannatul firdaussi.
Again I am both humbled and grateful for everything.
Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhuh.
Pa Musa Jallow
Aug 30 2020
PS – I needed to lose weight but will not recommend the COVID-19 diet.