Author: mohitsawhney

I

was recently diagnosed with the infamous COVID19 virus. Things were pretty rough. A rollercoaster ride (and I hate rollercoasters)

We were seeking all the support we could, doctors, relatives who are doctors, experts and so on.

I’m blessed to have the support system I have. Of course, their advice was very helpful and we were following it to a tee.

But, then what helped me the most was talking to some colleagues, who we’re going through a similar situation at home. They and their families were affected by the virus.

They were a few steps ahead of me in the cycle. Hence, they knew a thing or two more about how their experience was.

I’m talking to them I got solace, comfort and guidance. We could empathize with each other, understand each other’s pain, and suggest.

It was like they were holding each others hands saying, “Hang on, you’ll be through this.”

Sometimes, they were brutally honest too, which was scary. But I knew they have nothing but my best interest in mind. I always paid heed to what they had to say.

While the doctors and experts were doing their job, these people, who had traveled the path before me, we’re able to help me maintain a calm and confident demeanor.

After all, I’m such situations, one has to remain mentally strong. They made me see hope in myself when I couldn’t see it myself.

That’s what a mentor does.

Today, you have a choice – either figure out this entire path yourself – which could be long, dark tiring and full of pits and falls, or seek guidance from someone who has been there before.

No matter what situation you find yourself in, there is someone who has been through something similar. They would be happy to hold your hand not only to help you overcome that situation but also have you emerge stronger so that when next time, someone else needs your hand, you are ready.

[bctt tweet=”People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. -Theodore Roosevelt” username=”mohitsawhney”]

Best wishes. Until, next time, this is Mohit signing off.

J

ust when you think life is coming back on track, there’s a train coming head on.

What do you do?

Well. That’s the situation I find myself in today.

After, an ordeal which lasted for over two weeks, I felt much better today.

I have been down with “symptoms” since 7th September, Isolated ever since (as much a middle class Indian household permits) tested “positive on 17th” and just when I thought I was seeing the finish line, well, someone up above had other plans.

While I’m blessed to have the support system I have, if there is one person who has helped me cross this shaken, broken bridge, it has to be my wife, Dinky.

Yes, Dinky you have another feather up your cap.

I realized that with every day of my getting better, my sweetheart’s cold and cough had been getting worse. And, today when she checked, she was running 100.7 •F.

She’s still in-charge and has called Doc mamu herself to look at the best possible options- Medicines, isolation and on goes the list.

The situation is once again a bit of a crisis. When I’m crisis, either design your way out of it or drift with the flow.

The design may not pan out exactly as we think, but then drifting along has never helped anyone get closer to their desired outcome. So, we have decided to design.

Hence, Dinky and I have made following decisions today:

1. We have to face what we can and seek support where needed.
2. We will put up a calm and confident demeanor. No matter what.
3. We will start writing a gratitude journal and be each other’s accountability partners.

We will get over this storm, perhaps more stronger together. “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” as they say.

We don’t have all the answers and uncertainties are looming over large, but does that worry help? No way.

1. Would help us run away from the reality and face it head on. It will also set an example for our children and generations to come.

2. We’re the leaders of the family. Everyone looks up to us. Being shaky and clueless will only shake the confidence of others. We don’t want to let that happen ever.

3. Writing gratitude helps us stay in a positive mindset to be able to adhere to the previous two. As Robin Sharma says. “Worry can’t live in the same house as Gratitude”.

So, leaving it up to God and repeating our favorite Serenity prayers of all times:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

—unknown

Well, other than those decisions, we also made some micro changes like I started to fill my own water bottle from the dispenser, and decision to wash our own utensils.

Today, I pray for Dinky, her well being, she’s the strength and pride of my family.
The Bhaag Milkha of the house. First to get the family out of any crisis situation. When an iron wire of a remote car went inside my foot one way in and out from the other end (just thinking about it runs shivers down my spine), she ran to get the help from the nearby chemist shop.

She also ran to get the neighborhood doctor when Mom had a seizure.

We have two broadband connections in the house – one is called Mohit and the other Deepti. I once told Dinky that we mostly all use Mohit connection.

Her reply was instant, but when there is something wrong, Deepti never fails to act as our back up.

That’s so true, just like you, Dinky. Whenever something goes wrong, Deepti never fails to act as back up. She always has my back, our family’s back.

I’m perhaps becoming overly sentimental as I write this. That’s also exact opposite to what I had thought – I had thought that I would start finding humor even in this rather tragic situation. it would have helped lighten the mood and others would learn a thing or two about my experiences.

If you’re wondering if there can be anything humorous in this situation, there’s plenty- the PPE Kit the lab tester was wearing had a long tail. Wonder if that’s because we Indians believe in the Hanumanji like there’s no tomorrow, or if that was the meant to distract or bring a smile to the patients.

And, the way people respond when they know you’re positive. Some of them are so insanely funny. Will hopefully get to that tomorrow.

For now, I’ll leave you with this quote that I loved reading from Deepti’s cousins new blog

“There are more things likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”

— Seneca

Until next time, this is Mohit signing off..